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Call us for a wind report! 406-222-7130 Last Updated: 1/26/2010 by James Anderson The Stone | Spring Creeks | Yellowstone Park | Guide Services Local & Private Lakes | CFS @ Corwin Springs | CFS @ Carter's Yellowstone River
1.26 We've had colder temperatures this week, although the water is still clear from slush and ice. No ice jams as of yet through town, but gives us a call before you head over as conditions are always changing. Midges continue to be the main food source, with slow risers in clam, deep water. Look for big eddies or lanes were food might build up and be easy to eat. In flipping over some rocks I saw white midge larva, large caddis larva, but mostly immature baetis nymphs. Sculpin patterns and big stoneflies would be another good choice if you'd rather sweep some deep holes - you never know who when you might wake up Mr. Hook Jaw out of his winter trance...
So far we've seen a lot more midge activity than last winter. Mornings and late afternoons have been the best times for fishing with dries. You won't spook any fish with an attractor dry, so you might as well tie on something you can see like a trude. 18-24" behind that you can drop a midge emerger or one of Harrop's easy to see hanging midges. You can size your midges up to about an 18, or fish a midge cluster too.
1.17 Finally the wind looks like it will be giving us a little break over here, (or at least by Livingston standards). Last week's warm temps and howling winds melted away a lot of shelf ice, making wade fishing a good option. Never hurts to be the first anglers down a bank in two months, here jiggy jiggy... The water is so incredibly clear this time of year, so no need to get too bling'en just yet. The lower water (1,090 CFS), makes it faster walking below the high water mark. A lot harder to walk on those rocks once they get glazed with a layer of snow. You'll want to skip up high and down low still, too much ice across the river up at meditation point. Below Big Timber looks dicey with ice jams near Grey Cliff and Reed point. Better bring a raft and 40' toe rope just be on the safe side if you want to tackle this mission...
1.11. Temperatures are back up into the 40's this week. Expect some of the ice jams in and around town to melt off by next weekend. No surprise, this week's warmer temperatures coincide with fast chinooks, some with gusts up to 55 m.p.h. Give us a buzz before you head over for a wind report. 406.222.7130.
The mercury plummets... 1.7 The recent cold snap and high winds have made the Yellowstone a brutal environment to fish. While Saturday is calling for for a high of 40, the rest of this week should be too slushy to fish, even through town. The creeks would be the best way to go if you're looking to get your fish on.
1.2 The fishing was good yesterday, with plenty of spunky rainbows up in the surface film eating midge larva just under the surface. The slush and shelf ice has been reduced to nearly nothing, making your approach much easier than last week. No big browns in the net, although we did see suspiciously large wake. They are expecting a powerful storm system this week with significant amounts of snow along the north facing slopes of the Beartooth and Absaroka mountains. The good news is the wind looks calm, so if you don't mind a little snow it could be a good week to go.
Iced up near Twin Bridges, below Reed Point 1.1 While the fishing down low on the Yellowstone continues to be impossible, the fishing through town has been good. Plenty of fish rising and looking for midges. It works well if you have a larger "indicator fly" like a caddis or wolf just to see your strikes, followed with your favorite midge dropper. A black zebra midge can't miss, but also try variations of red and white midge larva as well. The water is pretty cold still, so if you want to try streamers go with a dead drifted sculpin. Black is the way to go here, since the sculpin are dark from their spawning colors.
RECOMMENDED FLIESWhite Home Invader #2 Bow River Buggers #4-8 Black leadeye Bugger #4-8 Rubberlegs (all colors) #6-10 George's Brown stone #4-8 Strom's Stone #8-10 Epoxy Back Goldenstones #10-12 Copper Johns (all colors) #14-18 Rubber Leg prince #14-16 Beadhead Prince #14-18 Beadhead Pheasant tails #14-18 JJ Special #2-6 Parachute Adams #12-18 Harrop Sparkle Dun #16-20 Harrop Baetis Emerger #16-20 Hi Vis Elk Hair Caddis #12-16 October Caddis #10-12 Lime Trude#16-18 Rag Sculpin #2-4 Egg Sucking Rag Sculpin #2-4 Whitlock Sculpin (black/white) #4 Articulated Streamers #2-4 Spring Creeks
Steve Wilson with a nice Armstrong's brown. Photo: Joe Barett The creeks have been fishing well this winter season. No need to wake up at the crack of dawn, 11:00 to 4:00 has been meat and potatoes of the baetis hatch. Nymphs, emergers, CDC duns, Compara duns, no hackles, the usual suspects... No need for 6X, 4 or 5X will be fine. We didn't have many refusals, I don't think the fish haven't seen flies over here in a while. It's actually a great time to learn the creeks because you have A LOT of water to yourself and the fish are hungry.
If nothing seems to be hatching or the wind is blowing the bugs off the water try nymphing with scuds. In flipping a few rocks last week, there were more scuds than any other food source. Saw some sculpin too, if you're not opposed to throwing a streamer on the creeks.
Rates are $40 right now, and with virtually no other angling pressure this is one of my favorite times to fish the creek. In certain spots fish will still be spawning, so go easy on the redds. ADDITIONAL REFERENCESRead George's news on Nelson's Spring Creek "Paradise Valley PMD Hatch" by George Anderson HATCHESLook for midges in the morning, with possible baetis from 10:00 until 2:00. For nymphs look a scuds, midge larva patterns, sawyer pt's, spring creek leeches, and smaller buggers. Sight fishing can be great with nymphs on brighter days, when fish are less likely to snap at a dry. You might as well chuck something nasty before you leave because you never know where the 28 incher is sitting - go big before you go home. RECOMMENDED FLIESHarrop's Baetis Sparkle Dun #18-20 Stalcups Cellophane wing baetis cripple #18-20 Wollum's Baetis nymph #18-20 Barr's Meat Whistle (brown) #4
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