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Last Updated: 7/29/2010 by James Anderson

The Stone | Spring Creeks | Yellowstone Park | Guide Services

Local & Private Lakes | CFS @ Corwin Springs | CFS @ Carter's

Yellowstone River

Alan Makudama and guide Brian Sienkowski with a 22" TOAD!

7.28 If you're looking for big browns the Yellowstone has been on fire this week. Brian got Alan and Gary into a pile of nice fish, including three browns over 20 inches!

On a side note, the rumors you've heard are true - 89 pullout is now closed except for putting in. If you are floating through town you have to pull out at Mayor's Landing. The 89 bridge construction is scheduled for completion this January.

Gary Brugman and Brian Sienkowski with another nice brown...

Alex Kovar putting the Bow River Bugger to work... Boo Ya!

7.26 The overcast weather all day helped keep water temps down and the streamer fishing was awesome! We landed about five 18" browns and two 20 inchers. We lost a couple big ones, including a monster brown that shook the hook. Looks like 20-30% chance of rain over the next couple days, so if the hoppers aren't out, try dead drifting a bugger...

Fenia Hiaasen with a nice native from the upper valley.

7.25 The dry fly fishing up high was solid today. Our day started off with a lot of wind, but calmed down as the day went on. We got quite a few fish to eat hoppers. Smaller attractors were fishing even better. There were some yellow sallies on the water and a ton of caddis. We got a lot of fish on a small Butch Caddis dropper. Tried some streamers for a while but it was just a tad too bright out there...

7.24 The Jelly keeps kicking out some great browns. Getting a good drift has been the key. In the pockets behind rocks try to high stick it so you get at least 3 seconds of primo drift. For longer flats you'll want to get as long as drift as you can - even 20 to 30 feet if you can. Smaller hoppers are getting hit more often than the larger ones, but the big fish have been eating 2's and 4's...

Jeff O'brien with a Major League brown trout. Photo: Eric Paulson

7.23 Despite the recent rains, the stone has been dropping like a tungsten bugger. Haven't quite seen the hopper infestation we've all been waiting for, but hoppertunity has definitely arrived. It's probably best to nymph hard in the morning, eat an early lunch and tie on a big hopper for the rest of the afternoon. This weekend should fun on top - catch em while it's hot!

Back from the MO, Randy LaFerr turning up the heat!

Photo: Dave Bryan

Jeff O'Brien with another "Bird Float" brown. Eric Paulson

7.22 We had some rain come through last night but not enough to mess up the clarity. As soon as the storm passed fish were up eating caddis. We had some decent streamer fishing between 8:00 - 10:00PM. We're seeing a lot more dries head out of the shop in the guide boxes these days. Looks like we're finally into full swing over here!

Dick Wachowski with a nice brown. Photo: Dave Bryan

7.21 The Yellowstone continues to fish well, however please be cautious around and below town - the hydraulics have been vicious for both wade fisherman and boats. Respect the river and be careful, even though the river is below 6,000 CFS it is still dangerous.

The good news is that fish are finally starting to look up. Caddis dry droppers or trudes have been a good choice if you want to stay up top. Nymphing has still been the meat and potatoes for most of the guides. Rubber legs, beadheads, no real secrets there. If they're not biting, move your indicator up higher and get deeper. The bigger fish have been chasing streamers as one might imagine.

Despite the lower water levels there are still some nasty spots out there. Be careful if you are wading or floating below town!

Lars Losee on the upper Yellowstone with a nice brown. The dry fly fishing up high has been stellar! Photo: Marcus McGuire

7.15 Floated Carter's to 9th last night with the Mrs. Still a lot water so pay attention when it's your turn on the sticks. There were a couple nasty spots with strong cross currents, whirl pools, that weird "boiling" water that can swing a boat around. The evening caddis were thick in the shade and although we didn't see any risers, we had some pretty good dry fly fishing. Landing them was a different story, but we won't talk about that. =) Flies had to be tight! We spooked a BIG side channel fish. Other than that, we had one bite on a streamer during the bottom of the 9th, but it was a swing and a miss...

Dixon turns up the heat! photo: Eric Paulson

The "Magic 8" finally here!

The Yellowstone has been dropping like a rock and the big fish are starting to move onto the banks. Town has been tough, as has down low (still a little too turbulent). The Valley has definitely been the hot spot this week. The salmonflies are well into the Park now, but the fish still recognize a tasty salmonfly dry above the canyon. You'll get into larger fish below Yankee Jim, although most of the big ones have been caught on nymphs or streamers. Still, you'll see a bunch of caddis, especially in the evenings. Mornings have been fishing better so far, but as soon as the hoppers get going that will quickly change...

Livingston Spring Creeks

Peter Dam and Guide Bob Bergquist with a nice brown

The PMD hatch has been starting pretty early this year. Usually somewhere between 9:00 and 9:30AM. Before that you can try a mix of scuds, PMD drake nymphs, sawyer style PT's, midge larva patterns, maybe even swing a leech.

House of Harrop emergers have been a hot fly, both in dark olive and pale olive once the hatch gets going. A size #18 sparkle dun is a good indicator fly. Cripples have been a sneaky way to go too. Spinner Fall won't be until late. Get an early dinner and head back out around 8:00PM.

If the PMD's don't get going that strong, you'll probably see some midge dries. That doesn't sound too exciting, but when you see a fish working a bank and taking the occasional midge dry, your skills will be put to the ultimate test! Harrop's Hanging midge is one of our favorites, but you could also go with a Griffith's Gnat or another midge cluster.

Bring some terrestrials for the afternoon. We're already starting to see some nice fat hoppers in the grass along the banks... Ants and beetles are a little more stealthy and equally as effective at hooking the big ones. With 6 and 7X, it will certainly be a fair fight!

ADDITIONAL REFERENCES

Armstrong's Spring Creek

DePuy's Spring Creek

Nelson's Spring Creek

Read George's news on Nelson's Spring Creek

"Paradise Valley PMD Hatch" by George Anderson

Recommended Spring Creek

Fly Patterns

Olive Drake PMD nymphs #16-18

Copper Drake PMD nymphs #16-18

House of Harrop PMD sparkle dun 18-20

House of Harrop PMD compara dun 18 20

Zebra and Olive Juju midge emergers #18-22
Harrop Gray CDC Biot Midge emerger #20-24

Harrop LTV. Gray and Duke. Gray CDC midge emergers #18-22

Gray WD 40 midge emergers #18-22
Harrop CDC Transitional midge with trailing shuck #20-22
Silver or Black Bead Head Zebra midges #20-22
Olive midge larva #18-20
Tan (grey) Sparkle scuds #16-18
Olive Sparkle scuds #16-18
Gray sow bugs #18-20

Sawyer PT nymphs #18-20

Bead Head Thorax PMD nymph #18
Black wooly buggers #8-10

Pine Squirrel mini-leech #12

Barr Bouface leech black #8

Barr's Slump Buster Black or Olive #8-10
Rag Sculpins #4-6

Yellowstone National Park

7.16 The Salmonflies are still in the Park and the fish are hungry! We sized down a bit since most of the fish were between 10-14 inches - but footballs! They certainly look like they got their fair share of nymphs over the last couple weeks. Stop by the shop if you plan to fish the hatch and we'll point you in the right direction...

Aside from the stoneflies, the North East section of the Park is looking great. Waters are still relatively high, but clear and fishing well. Bead heads, (specifically green drake nymphs), have been working well, but we've had some fish coming up for dries as well.

Slough Creek has been fishing hot. Goldenstones, Yellow Sallies, PMD's, hoppers.... you'll see bugs galore up there. We should be seeing some green drakes up in the meadows by now. Lots of anglers fishing, but also plenty of fish for everyone. Sight fishing off those tall, grassy banks was awesome. The cutties would hone in on your fly and with a gentle tail kick, nonchalantly suck in your hopper or stonefly dry. On the down side, it was a long way to hike to see two pack horse trains and 20 people out there fishing... If solitude is important to your Montana vacation, we know of some spots that you'd like.

Recommended Spring Creek

Fly Patterns

Chubby Chernobyl #10-12

Rogue Salmonfly #8-10

Yellow Stimi #12-16

Chernobyl and #8-10

Mini Chernobyl ant #14

Green Drake Parachute #12-14

Green Drake Dun #12-14

Gray Drake Parachute #12-14

Gray Drake Dun #12-14

Copper Drake nymphs #16-18

House of Harrop PMD sparkle dun 18-20

House of Harrop PMD compara dun 18 20

Local and Private Lakes

Alain Bouchard with a monster 8 pound cutthroat...

Early July is a great time to fish private lakes in South Western Montana. The fish are enormous, the hatches are thick, the site fishing feels like saltwater flats fishing, and the solitude is relaxing.

We have access to many different private lakes that charge access fees of $75-$100 a day but access is usually limited to just your party so you'll have the lake to yourselves. Browns and rainbows right up to 7 and 8 pounds are not uncommon.