07-13-2004, 12:54 PM
Yellowstone River - July 11th, 2004
supplied by: [url "http://www.fisheyesoup.com/redir.php?recKey=91,re"][#0000ff]Yellowstone Angler[/#0000ff][/url]
FISHING: Fair
Stream Flow Information [[url "http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mt/nwis/current?type=flow&group_key=NONE&search_site_no_station_nm=yellowstone&format=html_table"][#0000ff]click here[/#0000ff][/url]]
Water conditions have been variable over the last couple of weeks. The river got dirty early this last week, partially due to rains on the Lamar, but some of the off-color water was coming from a big landslide on the Gardner River between Mammoth and Gardiner. The river cleared enough to be fishable with nymphs and streamers by Thursday, and we heard good reports of dry fly fishing yesterday (Friday, 7/9). In a low snowpack year, it is hard to complain about rain, but it is nice to have the Yellowstone back in shape.
Most of the hatch activity is now a mix of several kinds of caddis, along with Yellow Sallies. The fish don't often key on any particular bug when these mixed hatches are coming off, so general attractor patterns are usually the best bet. Lime Trudes, tan Elk Hair Caddis, Stimulators, and Hare's Ear Parachutes are all good patterns now, all in sizes 10-14. Fishing these attractors in tandem with a small bead head nymph has become a standard technique for many anglers on the Yellowstone.
Flows are now about 5300 cfs, which is still high enough to make the sections in the middle of the Paradise Valley very productive. The sections below Mallard's Rest will fish better and better as water levels drop, and the riffles in these faster sections become more defined.
supplied by: [url "http://www.fisheyesoup.com/redir.php?recKey=91,re"][#0000ff]Yellowstone Angler[/#0000ff][/url]
FISHING: Fair
Stream Flow Information [[url "http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mt/nwis/current?type=flow&group_key=NONE&search_site_no_station_nm=yellowstone&format=html_table"][#0000ff]click here[/#0000ff][/url]]
Water conditions have been variable over the last couple of weeks. The river got dirty early this last week, partially due to rains on the Lamar, but some of the off-color water was coming from a big landslide on the Gardner River between Mammoth and Gardiner. The river cleared enough to be fishable with nymphs and streamers by Thursday, and we heard good reports of dry fly fishing yesterday (Friday, 7/9). In a low snowpack year, it is hard to complain about rain, but it is nice to have the Yellowstone back in shape.
Most of the hatch activity is now a mix of several kinds of caddis, along with Yellow Sallies. The fish don't often key on any particular bug when these mixed hatches are coming off, so general attractor patterns are usually the best bet. Lime Trudes, tan Elk Hair Caddis, Stimulators, and Hare's Ear Parachutes are all good patterns now, all in sizes 10-14. Fishing these attractors in tandem with a small bead head nymph has become a standard technique for many anglers on the Yellowstone.
Flows are now about 5300 cfs, which is still high enough to make the sections in the middle of the Paradise Valley very productive. The sections below Mallard's Rest will fish better and better as water levels drop, and the riffles in these faster sections become more defined.