The Yellowstone Now that September morning chill is here we’ve noticed the fish are sleeping in a little. This time of year 9:00 starts make more sense, with fish starting to look up around 10:00AM. Although we’ve seen some mega-hoppers out there, (which work well in or along the sides bigger wave trains), smaller hoppers have been working better. Also we’ve seen a switch to smaller attractor dry droppers including size 16 Purple Haze, Parachute Adams, various Wulff patterns, H&L Variants, trudes, ect. We should start seeing some Hecuba fall drakes soon as well. The streamer fishing should also get better, especially after work with the cooler weather/water.
Yellowstone Park
The Park has been fishing very well lately with hoppers, crickets, black and cinnamon flying ants, beetles, Flavs, fall drakes, drake emergers, and beadheads. If you are able to fish late, we’ve heard of some fantastic spinner falls on the Lamar and Soda Butte. Slough Creek continues to fish well, especially the second and third meadows. For bigger fish, look for deeper holding water. There have a lot of Grizzly sitings near Soda Butte and the Lamar, so it would be a good idea to bring bear spray with you.
Spring Creeks
There have still been a few PMD’s around. We’ve heard of sparse PMD activity from 1:00 – 2:00PM. Sulfurs have been starting after that from 2:00 – 5:00. Most everyone has been throwing smaller hoppers, ants, beetles, and other terrestrials when the hatches are not going. Streamers have also been working if you get desperate. As far as nymph fishing goes, bring a mix of sparkle scuds, midge larva, PMD nymphs, Sulfur nymphs, emergers, thin stonefly nymphs, crane fly larva, and spring creek leeches.