Fishing Report
Yellowstone National Park
The waters on this side of the park have been coming down and cleaning up recently.
The Firehole, Gibbon, and Madison have really shaped up and the dry fly fishing is starting to get good. PMD’s are hatching in the morning, caddis are hatching throughout the day, stoneflies are beginning, and evening egg laying caddis are being seen.
Firehole River
The Firehole is fishing great! Pale Morning Duns 10am-2pm, some days the hatch is strong with lots of rising fish. There have been a few days when the hatch isn’t as good and things don’t get going until noon.
Tan caddis will hatch throughout the day and lots of evening egg laying activity is going on. White nectopsyche caddis are also showing up in big numbers. If there is no insect activity then use soft hackles like peacock and partridge #12, #14, or PT soft hackles and swing them in the riffles.
Madison River
The water is slightly colored. We are seeing some PMD’s and caddis hatches, and these hatches will get better as the water clears and temperatures come up.
Salmonflies are just about to pop, so look for some good activity at the end of the week. Nymphing with rubber legs, San Juan worms, and caddis nymphs has been very good.
Lamar River, Soda Butte and Slough Creek
Not much to report accept that they are all big and dirty.
Madison River in Montana
The flows have been dropping out of Hebgen in order to fill the lake. Cabin and Beaver Creeks are still dirty and below Quake Lake there is about a foot of visibility.
Nymphing at Raynolds and Three Dollar has been excellent lately. All the nymphs have been working nicely, especially rubber legs #4, #6, black ones and brown ones. Best droppers are pink sparkle worms, green glo-bugs, hares ears and flashback PT #16.
Hebgen Lake
Good chironomid hatches, your truck will be covered as you drive the north shore. Only a few good reports coming from fisherman using indicators and ice cream cones. You will pick up fish with woolly buggers or a leech stripped. Most fisherman are reporting that the fishing is ok.
Henry’s Lake
It is fishing real good if you’re using leeches and buggers. Last week it was olive colors, but this week we are hearing brown colors are working better. The best one is the California leech.
Henry’s Fork
Lots of bugs are hatching. PMD’s 9am-2pm, caddis throughout the day, mostly tans #14 and #16. A few goldens in the Box. Salmonflies are done on the Henry’s Fork. The fish might still eat one, but I would drop a bead head nymph off of it.
In the evening it has been good for egg laying caddis and a few mayfly spinners.
