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Last Updated: 5/18/2009 by James Anderson

The Yellowstone | Spring Creeks | Waters we fish | Guide Services

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

Yellowstone River

Senior guide Bob Bergquist at work... Photo: Satoshi Yamamoto

Click here for our 2009 Mother's Day Caddis Hatch Blog

The Yellowstone is finally in spring runoff. With 124% snow pack it could take a while before we're fishing it again. The hot weather we're having this week should help melt a lot of the snow but at this point fingers and toes are crossed for the Salmonfly hatch in late June / early July. Now we'll focus on fishing lakes, spring creeks, tailwaters, and high mountain creeks...

HATCHES

Caddis are finally in full swing on the Yellowstone. Thousands of caddis have been in the air, on the water, in the bushes, crawling down your neck, in your beer... Town seems to be the best fishing for the Mother's Day Caddis this year, since the fish can see the bugs a little better. On cloudy moments during the middle of the day we've been seeing copious amounts of March browns and baetis as well. Keep an eye on the water because the fish may be keyed into any of these bugs depending on what's happening that moment. If not much is going on try a caddis emerger or caddis nymph dropper. If nothing else is producing, you might as well give the streamer rod a shot. With the water temps up and lots of little fish eating dries, the big fish could very well be teased out of their deep holding spot.

RECOMMENDED FLIES

Baetis dries and emergers #18

March Brown dries #14

Elk Hair Caddis #12-16

Hi-vis Elk Hair Caddis #12-16

Hemingway Caddis #14-16

Henryville Caddis #14-16

Goddard Caddis #12-16

Butch Caddis #14-16

Lafontaine's Caddis Pupa #14-16

Harrop's Fertile Caddis #14-16

Peeking Caddis #14-16

Beadhead hare's ear #14-16

Black and coffee rubber legs #4-8

Black Yuk bug #8

Black Sex Dungeon #2

Black leadeye buggers #2-4

Bow River Buggers #4-6

Black Woolhead sculpin #2

Black Sculpzilla #4

Black Circus Peanut #2

Double Bunnies #2-4

White Home Invader #2

White Zonkers #2-4

JJ Specials #4

Spring Creeks

A nice brown from Armstrongs. Photo: Satoshi Yamamoto

If you're fishing the creeks this week, try to pick an overcast day with less wind. You should see a nice baetis hatch throughout the middle of the day with plenty of trout snouts feeding through the different stages of the hatch. There have been some big browns getting caught lately! If you're stuck with a brighter day, focus on site fishing with small nymphs, being sure to adjust your weight for each run. A miracle nymph, olive midge larva, or sparkle scud would all be good bright day flies. Think small and sparse for your flies. Another idea on a bright day is to stay late and fish the evening with a small streamer or sculpin before calling it quits.

*Please watch out for the redds, as we need as many new wild trout returning to the Yellowstone as possible.

Nelson’s Spring Creek, seven miles South of Livingston has always had the reputation as one of the finest true Spring Creeks in the US. But even the best spring creeks are prone to siltation over the years, which decrease water depth, providing fewer places for trout to hide. The silt also dramatically decreases the amount of insect life, like the intense mayfly hatches that have made these streams so famous.

Now that these streams are protected by rock rip-rap along the Yellowstone they no longer get periodic flushing flows from the Yellowstone River have helped to blow all this silt out. Of course those years that the Yellowstone flooded into the spring creeks caused a huge amount of damage and even threatened to wipe out the spring creeks altogether. Good, well designed rip-rap projects and levees have helped to contain the river but now this siltation, caused mostly by waterfowl in the winter, has threatened these wonderful streams and if nothing was done, the quality of fishing would continue to decline.

Continue George's article...

ADDITIONAL REFERENCES

Armstrong's Spring Creek

DePuy's Spring Creek

Nelson's Spring Creek

Thoughts on fishing redds

What do redds look like?

HATCHES

The baetis have finally been stating to come off, but not in huge numbers. If you get a nice non-windy cloudy day (keep those fingers crossed with Livingston) the possibility for an epic day is certainly there. Otherwise you'll probably get as much action on your midge dropper as your baetis dry if not more. Flip over some rocks and see what's under them. You'll see how many baetis nymphs are around, plus a bunch of olive/grey scuds, leeches, stoneflies, and cranefly larva. Don't forget to bring some eggs as your ace up the sleeve.

RECOMMENDED FLIES

Black Zebra midges #18

Olive midge larva #18

Dave Student midge emergers #18-20

René Harrop Light Grey CDC Midge Emerger #20

René Harrop Grey CDC Adult Midge #20

René Harrop Grey CDC Hanging Midge #20

René Harrop's baetis no hackle #18-20

René Harrop's baetis sparkle dun #18-20

Dave Student's thin olive baetis #16-18

Tan (grey) Sparkle scuds #18

Olive Sparkle scuds #18

Pink Sparkle scuds #18

Red Mini San Juan Worm #16-18

Otter's Soft Milk Eggs #14

Orange Ray Charles #18

Bighorn sow bugs #18

Black leadeye buggers #6

Bow River Buggers #6-8

Rag Sculpins #4

Pig Pen Leeches #8

Brown Home Invader #6

Local & Private Lakes

Mike Kovich with a nice Burn's Lake brookie

Photo: shop manager Robert Kovich

So what happens if your favorite local river blows out and you have the day off to fish? Let us send you off to one of the local or private lakes we fish. The spring is one of the best times to target big fish. The ice is off and unsuspecting hogs are cruising the shallows for food. This time of year can be outstanding sight fishing, as many of these fish haven't seen flies in months. Once the summer roles around, the same big fish will hang out in deeper, cooler water - so now is one of your best chances to catch them!

We realize that lake fishing isn't for everyone. It really isn't, but learning some new stillwater techniques could prove useful back home. A lot of our clients will pass on the notion of coming out to Montana to fish lakes, but those who give it a shot almost always come back for more. After getting hog or two under their belts, a few of our clients have even made the switch to exclusively fish lakes, forgetting about our blue ribbon rivers altogether!

Give us a call or stop by the shop for the inside scoop. We've been fishing more and more lakes that don't necessarily need to be advertised on the web. Stop by and we can set you up with a couple hot flies and send you on your way to lunkerville...

HATCHES

Midges, Callibaetis, Damsels, leeches, dragon fly nymphs, scuds, and snails should cover you. Since most Montana lakes will get similar hatches, it is wise to come up with a "lake box" so you'll be prepared for everything. In the early season (late April through Mid May) you'll see more midges and Callibaetis than anything. Chironomids and zebra midges work well for the midges. For Callibaetis, make sure you have some nymphs and duns, but whatever you do, don't forget the spinners. Harrop ties the most impressive spinners that we carry if you want to pick one up for a fly tying reference. During May and June the damsels take off. We've caught many big browns on damsel nymphs. John Barr's damsel has been one of our favorite patterns for big fish. The Leeches, scuds, and snails will work well for you year round.