Clarity on the Yellowstone (Tuesday morning, 6/12).
CFS at Corwin | CFS at Carter's Bridge | CFS at The Lamar
We've had some great fishing on the stone the past few days. Reports of 30 fish days on nymphs and even dries! Mayor's to Sheep, the Bird Float, through town... everyone seemed to big rocking big fish black rubberleg stoneflies and beadhead droppers. Streamers didn't work as well - but it was pretty bright yesterday. We even heard reports of guys seeing Salmonfly adults...
What's happening right now? The river is changing dailey, so just give us a call! 406-222-7130.
It has been a strange Spring over here to say the least. Although the Yellowstone is in Spring run off, there has been some good fishing. One of my favorite runoff season rigs is a heavy black rubber leg stone or a tungsten black ultra yuk followed by a caddis emerger or tungsten nymph. Make sure to cover a lot of water and get deep! If you are streamer fishing through runoff, a 300 grain sinking line is the way to go. Either that or a heavy streamer. You might be surprised to see what comes ripping out of the mud to snatch your fly!
Don't forget, the creeks are now open! Tom Miner, Big Creek, Fridley Creek, Mill Creek, Pine Creek, Dana's, DePuy's, Nelson's, and Armstrong's. Most of the bigger creeks (Tom Miner, Mill Creek, Big Creek) are clear enough to fish, however they are still quite high. This can make wading tricky, as you have to stay in the high water mark, which means you have to be standing in the water (usually very quick and deep these days). Try a big attractor dry for your top fly and a your favorite size #16 bead head dropper.
If you float, keep it short. Look for big eddies and slower spots where fish can cruise back and fourth. Spend most of your time fishing clearer water that pour into the Stone...
Recommended Floats:
Tom Minor Bridge to Carbella (1 mile) This float is so short you can literarily "run" your own shuttle. Half way through the float a small creek enters the Stone on the river left. There is a good concentration of cutthroat and whitefish here.
Point of Rocks to 26 (4 miles) Again about halfway through the float you'll see Big creek enter the Yellowstone on River Left.
26 to Emigrant (5 miles) There are a couple creeks that pour into the river here. The first is about 1.5 miles down from 26 on the river right. This is not a real honey hole, but worth looking for. Below that on river right there are some nice rock jetties and foam eddies worth pounding. Next stay river left and look for Fridley Creek. Lastly, stick river right as there are some springs that pour into the Yellowstone right above the old Wan-I-gan dump.
Grey Owl to Loch Leven (7 miles) This float can be made even shorter if you are up for an Adventure. You can either pull out at Mill Creek bridge (which is steep with loose gravel and deep spin out holes) or Paradise, (which depending on water levels - has a steep drop off). Grey to Mill Creek is 3.5 miles, Grey to Loch Paradise is 4 miles. The best part of the float is where Mill creek flows in.
Mallard's Rest to Pine Creek (3 miles) This section is probably not worth the float, since many people access Pine Creek from the bridge.
Pine Creek to Carter's Bridge (7 miles) This is a fun float with beautiful scenery. Even with mud the tall "Weeping Wall" is worth anchoring up to fish with buggers. There is also a nice river right riffle below it. This is the section where Dana's and DePuy's pour into the Yellowstone.
Mayor's Landing to HWY 89 Bridge (6 Miles) Fleshman Creek enters the Yellowstone directly below the put in (river left). Fish that hard, as well as the cliffs on river left.
89 to Sheep Mountain (4 miles) Less than a mile down you'll see where the Shield's river enters on river left. Since the Shield's is a river, you can even walk up it a little (as long as you are within the high water mark).
Sheep Mountain to Pig farm (3 miles) Look for Mission Creek to pour in on river right. Mission Creek is a Private Spring Creek that you can book through the shop.
Mace what do you think about litter on the Yellowstone? |
