Yellowstone Park Waters:
Jul-18-2007
Yellowstone National Park has instituted VOLUNTARY angling closures on many of the streams inside of Yellowstone between the hours of noon and 6:00 PM. The closure was a blanket act for almost all of the roadside fisheries in Yellowstone and doesn’t reflect actual stream conditions on all of the rivers it was imposed on. We urge anglers to carry a thermometer and not fish a stream if water temps are in the 70’s and especially the high 70’s or higher. However, some streams affected by the voluntary closures have had water temps in recorded in the low fifties. These temps are ideal for trout and absolutely no harm will come from catching and quickly releasing fish in these conditions.
Madison River: 7/18/07
The Madison inside the Park is one of the streams listed in the Park Service’s midday closure. The Madison is quite warm and should probably be left alone after the morning fishing concludes. We are still seeing good Trico hatches early in the day making the fishing peak early. After the Trikes are done, go do something else.
Firehole River: 7/18/07
While the Firehole is listed as being closed to fishing from noon until 6:00 PM, it should probably be completely closed to all fishing until cool weather drops the water temps. This river is best left alone until cool fall weather takes the water temps back to reasonable levels.
Gibbon River: 7/18/07
The Gibbon below Gibbon Falls is listed as closed to angling between noon and 6:00 PM. Use your thermometer and best judgment on this one. If you choose to fish in the Gibbon look for fast water stretches as these will have plenty of dissolved oxygen. Fish in these pocket water reaches tend to eat attractor dries like Parachute Adams and Trudes.
Gallatin River YNP: 7/18/07
The Gallatin is one of the few roadside streams NOT listed in the Park Closure and we’ve had some great fishing in the Park section. PMD’s and Caddis have hatched in the mornings. Probing likely pools, runs and pockets with PMD Parawulffs, Elk Hair Caddis and Iris Caddis has been very good. Later in the day switching to pure attractor dries like Stimulators and Wulffs has continued the good fishing. Late in the evening caddis and mayfly spinners continue the trend in good dry fly fishing. A simple Parachute Adams works great for poking around. Steadily rising trout can be tempted with more realistic patterns like Calf Wing Rusty Spinners and CDC Caddis.
Yellowstone River: 7/18/07
The Yellowstone opened below Fishing Bridge for angling on the 15th. What was once an annual event generating excitement and the promise of excellent angling was instead marked by a shrug of indifference by most of the area’s anglers. Fish numbers are still very low keeping the Yellowstone above the falls off the list of the Park’s top fishing destinations.
Slough Creek: 7/18/07
Slough Creek is listed as one of the streams with a voluntary closure, though water temps remain in the low to mid sixties. Fishing has been very good on Slough as the river’s native Yellowstone Cutthroat have been actively feeding, but these fish aren’t pushovers. A good drift with a close imitation is necessary to catch fish most of the time, though surprisingly, trout will at times eat something totally outlandish. The water is very low and clear so keeping a low profile and carefully approaching likely pools is always a good idea. Small PMD’s (down to size 20), Baetis, and Midges dominate the aquatic insects. Ants and Beetles are playing an increasing role in fooling these fish.
Lamar and Soda Butte: 7/18/07
Both Slough and the Lamar are listed as streams with a voluntary angling closure between noon and 6:00 PM. Water temps on these rivers are in the fifties, however, so there is no danger of killing a trout provided it is quickly and carefully landed and released. Fishing has been very good on these streams and the large number of fisherman is a testament to this. PMD hatches are thinning out but fish are still eagerly eating a well presented PMD Parachute, Floating Nymph or PMD Emerger. Lime Trudes, ants and beetles have also been good flies on both of these rivers. Hoppers are more abundant in the grass than they have been but fishing imitations has yet to be fruitful.