Tag Archives: Yellowstone National Park

For The Record

November 2, 2009
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.. Now the fun begins. The vast majority of fishers that invade West Yellowstone plan their visits to coincide with the 'summer season' in Yellowstone National Park.
.. Absolutely the best fishing in the neighborhood is going on right now and will continue for about four or five more weeks.
.. Postcard pools and willow-lined runs are visited by the neighbors on a regular basis. Worms, gear, flies; are all used by most. We somehow just haven't been able to fathom the intricacies of separating fishing from keeping in this part of the world. Among the best fly fishers in the neighborhood are some folks that haven't visited a feather merchant in years. They tie their own, (and very simple they are - the flies that is.) They keep and eat many fish.
.. They also release many fish. More than they keep. They select according to need: smoking, frying, baking, etc. It's a daily ritual for some and it lasts all winter.
.. They smile and nod when confronted with the catch and release religion. They then softly mention that most of the fisheries in Yellowstone Park & the neighborhood are artificial and composed of invasive species.
.. They wonder out loud why the religious fishers continue to encourage the demise of native fish by releasing invasive species. They, on occasion, can be heard muttering about the role that their tax dollars play in protecting the invasive fish of Yellowstone Park.
.. Then they return to the best catching of the year. The invasive species in Yellowstone are left to slowly and insidiously displace the natives by interbreeding and out-competing them.
.. The neighbors love killing Brown Trout. They smile when they fillet an eight pound Rainbow. Most release any thing that could be a Cutthroat. They catch enough that they don't have to keep the natives. They don't apologize for either action - killing or releasing.
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.. There's a note over at Chi Wulff about the ongoing Grayling catastrophe. It seems that there may be a review of the combined stupidity of federal managers and decision makers. We're not holding our breath. We've followed this stupidity for about five years. It's been bad for 25 years. It's getting worse.
.. Then again, we've heard that miracles do happen. Maybe the native fish of Slough Creek will be saved too - pshaw!
.. We'll write our letter. We'll send an email. Then we'll watch as the Big Hole natives go the way of the natives in the park. Oh well!
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211 Days & Counting

October 31, 2009
AS DR. SEUSS SAID:
"Don't cry because it's over. ---
Smile because it happened." **

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.. Yesterday was a 'bad hair day' for the girls on the west side of Yellowstone National Park.
..They dealt with it admirably and napped in the warmth of a beautifully gray afternoon.


.. Sunday November 1, 2009 marks the end of fishing in Yellowstone National Park. It's been a year of stories and memories not soon forgotten. From the record high Spring runoff to the return of fabled submarines from Hebgen Reservoir it's been a season of superlatives.
.. Although we sorely missed our Gibbon Canyon fishing, there were ample opportunities in the neighborhood that provided solace for it's absence.
.. And, next year promises a new look and new opportunities for dancing with rested fish. We'll be among the first to help bring them back to a wary state.
.. This week the gray days have persisted and the fish have loved it - fishers too. Squadrons of bugs hatching on the Firehole River have been greeted by only a very few fishers. The fish were there, in numbers, however!
.. Parking is not a problem and elbows have disappeared from many of the pools and runs. Fish on the Firehole River seem to know that molestation is about to end. They were seen cavorting in the air along the old freight road - in groups!
.. The gentle snow and moderate temperatures drew a crowd of stalwart fishers to the Madison River yesterday. It's possible that everyone that wanted a partner had at least a few dances. The weather is holding for today and tomorrow, and although not much fishing will be done on Sunday, it's a fitting end to a wonderful season.
.. There is still a lot of fishing to be done in the neighborhood - fear not. And with the closure of the park, the neighbors look forward to some of the best catching of the year. We'll bring you the blow-by-blow details; for sure.
.. Wrap-up report tomorrow. It's getting late, the coffee's cold and there's more fishing and catching to be done. It's time for our annual ritual: exercise of the Halloween Leech.
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Do It Now – Yes Now !

October 28, 2009
COUNT THE DAYS
As Good As It Gets
one more silly weekend-------
.. There is some fine fishing and perfectly grungy weather to accompany it. There will be rain, and wind, and snow, and sleet, and other forms of bluster coming to a park near us. It's the stuff of stories.
.. Don't say we didn't let you know. Every river on this side of Yellowstone National Park is fishing well; the catching is almost automatic.
.. Join the throngs as they kiss fishing in the park goodbye. It will be a very long time before the fishing is this good again.
.. P.S. There is a local myth that goes like this: "The Gallatin River is too cold to fish." Choose your beliefs wisely!
.. Fish spawn in all waters or they cease to exist. They are aggressive when they spawn. There are fish in the Gallatin River. Hmmmmm!
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Roads To Solitude

October 19, 2009
SOME FISH TOO
Or, Maybe Not
(brief report)
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.. There are some less traveled roads in Yellowstone National Park that lead to fish. Good roads, (or trails that were roads,) that remain substantially abandoned by fishers. There are many and spurious reasons for this. Perhaps the number one reason is that most fishers are gregarious folks.
.. Despite the whining about crowds, they like to fish alone - together. Too, the aging fly fishing population seldom takes it's $30,000 SUV into the dust and dirt. And then, walking is hard on old legs.
.. The bigger roads in the park have many pull-outs. If you're lucky you can visit with celebrity fishers as they hold court in their folding canvass chairs. They will provide you with entertaining conversation, clever anecdotes and stories that you can take to the folks back home.
.. Little clusters of fishers dot these bigger roads. Waiting for the hatch - yup! Talking for hours - yup! Moaning about the current state of things and bemoaning the passing of time - yup!
.. This is entertaining and enjoyable - yup! As if fish didn't eat until the hatch - yup! The god Skues is diminished in these conversations - yup! The god Halford is revered - yup! Their names are never spoken; perhaps not known - sad!
.. There is good fishing in the long and riffled waters of the Madison River along Riverside Drive. The neighbors fish here. Nymphs, attractors, dry's, etc. Even in the bright October sun. Find the fish and you'll catch the fish.
.. The Brook Trout are in an aggressive mood on the Firehole River along the Lone Star Geyser Trail. There were no cars in the parking area yesterday.
.. We have precious little time to fish. When it's available we do it. We wave at the celebrity feather merchants.
.. We toot the horn at the neighbors. But with the days getting shorter and the park about to close we forgo the pleasantries of genteel conversation. We forgo the exploration of truth, (there's plenty of that in the fly fishing world.)
.. The weather looks to be making a slow crawl toward winter. That's a good thing. Last year it happened all at once. There's just time for a quick run to the park before work. We'll go.
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.. The Firehole River was a cranky tart over the weekend. A few persistent fishers waited for Baetis that showed in sparse numbers. They blamed the sun for poor fishing. The waiting might have had something to do with it too.
.. Double nymph rigs took fish in the sun and broken clouds. A Bead Head Prince, (size 12,) followed by a Speckled Soft Hackle, (size 16,) was the ticket for those that fished.
.. Several fish were taken in the big pool above Dipper Cliff on small Golden Stone Fly imitations. Some also fell to Gold Ribbed Hare's Ears, (size 16.)
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.. Catching on the Gibbon River has slowed down and there are only a few dedicated fishers willing to walk the distance to the good pools. There's plenty of parking and very little traffic with the road closure.
.. The fishing and catching centers on soft hackles and very small nymphs, (to size 20.) That's a bit small for our eyes. We rig a double loop connection in the gentility of the home place and manage to make it work on the water. When it's warm it's fine. We'll see what happen in the next 10 days.
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.. Nez Perce Creek is seeing a surprising number of younger fisher folk. These are young legs that can make it to the pools around the first old bridge. Again, soft hackles and assorted nymphs are the flies that are in play.
.. Midges and midge clusters are doing their part along the shadow lines and in the evening.
.. One trusted source reports that large, (size 8-10,) Royal Wulff and Yellow Humpy flies are working in the fast sections of the wide pools. We believe it.
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.. The Madison River continues to entertain. Persistence seems to be the watchword. One thing to remember is that there is a range of dark water and holding pools that are not near the turn-outs and traditional parking spots.
.. Not that we have any special piscene insight, - BUT - if 15 felt-soled pairs of boots charged through our resting place every hour for hours on end, we'd move to a quieter, (if less gentle, spot.)
.. Woolly Buggers, Woolly Worms, and Yellow San Juan Worms are all the rage right now. They work so why not? The Crackleback Worm is making inroads this year too.
.. Most anglers over the weekend groaned and whined about the bright sun and brilliant blue sky. It was different for sure, but, warmth is always welcome to these old bones. Fish will tell you how to catch them - just listen - even in the sun.
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The Bottoms

October 11, 2009
DISTRIBUTARIES
WILLOWS, MUCK, BIG FISH
Patch Your Waders
take a boat
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.. Last night's snow is a blessing. The temperatures will be down. The frail elbows will disappear. The fish will become 'antsy.' It's time to hit the local holes.
.. If you promise to avoid the duck blinds, AND promise not to scare the ducks, AND can negotiate the shallow sand bars and weed beds; you won't eat #6's and will catch big fish.
.. The delta bottoms of Grayling Creek & Duck Creek have big fish and few fishers this time of year. They are an invitation to fish and catch and celebrate the Fall.
.. There is quicksand, and muck holes, and slippery cobbles, and line-eating snags at every turn and twist. For most fishers this kind of "adventure" does not comport well, in their minds, with the pleasant outing associated with 'fly fishing' .
.. This is neighborhood fishing at it's finest. Specialized techniques, current local knowledge, and familiarity with the creeks are not mandatory but are useful in enhancing the catch rate.
.. There are far fewer fish running up these creeks than there are in the Madison River. Happily they seem to come in 'waves' and they are 'podded-up' in their migration. If you find one, you find many!


.. There is a good hole in every distributary channel. There are several in most. We tend to practice a bit of anthropomorphizing with these critters when explaining their distribution and position in the creeks. We use phrases like: 'they're resting,' 'they're getting used to the water,' 'they're lost,' 'they're waiting for their buddies,' and so forth.


.. You already have the right gear; it's the combination that's a bit strange. A long rod, (9 - 10 foot,) over lined by at least two weights is the standard fare among the neighbors. Some use a level line, others cut the forward taper short on a weight-forward line.


.. Short fast-taper leaders in the 6 - 7 foot range are a good place to start, and stout is the watchword for these. Waders with good knee pads, or some carpet-layer knee pads are a boon when crawling around the cobbles and overhanging willows.


.. Short and very accurate casts are a necessity. Most of the holding pools are draped with willows and dead wood snags. Some of the best pools, on the other hand, are near lake level. They are deeeeeep, and slow as molasses.
.. They are not gin-clear this year - more like vodka. You will get one or two casts and drifts if you are lucky. These pools give a new meaning to the term "dead drift." The fast moving shadows are the fish that could have been caught.


.. It would be too capricious to call the fish indiscriminate when it comes to eating flies. However, they are an eclectic bunch of predators. They will take both large and small flies. Beauty is in the eye of the fish, we suppose. The last two days they ate Sillilegs, San Juan Worms, Gob O' Worms, Prince Nymphs, and Bead Head Glitter Nymphs. They shunned our perennial favorites: Feather Duster and Dark Spruce.


.. Sunken and dead-drifted size 18 Midge Clusters were hot for about two hours on Friday. Very small Drowned Caddis were consistent fish-foolers most of Saturday. It's a crap shoot - and it's fun.
.. It is possible to traverse the willow jungle from the road to the lake. It is also tough. There are trails and tracks that can be used, just be "gear-conscious" as you charge into the thickets. Be bear and moose conscious too!


.. Access by boat is easier, but just a little. There are shifting channels in the weed beds, many of the shallow sand bars in the deltas must be walked across - boat in tow. Some recent sand and mud deposits are quick and deep - waist high in an instant is not an uncommon, (and sinking,) feeling.
.. For the visitor none of this is worth it. For the neighbors it's a traditional venture. The fish are wild and unmolested. They can be 18" or more long: most are 14" - 16" and bright as a new chrome lug nut.


.. We enjoy the solitude. The views of the surrounding landscape and lake are stunning this time of year. They can't be done justice with a little point and shoot camera.
.. On a nice day with temperatures in the 20's and the sun shinning you can eat both lunches in the protected and bright hollows of the willow jungle. If it's blustery, and the low teens are the high, a small fire is a wonderful psychological placebo, even if it provides little warmth. Winds can bring a quick chop to the lake and it's best to dress for both fishing and boating.


.. We think the rewards are worth the effort on these creeks. If you're into crowds & drive by fishing, and runners on the run there's always Baker's Hole, the Barns Holes, and the rest of the Madison River and Firehole River in Yellowstone National Park.
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A Bit Of Weather

October 7, 2009
THE BUGS ARE HERE
The RUNNERS Are Here
the boats are here
the snow is here (kinda)
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.. Despite the ominous weather warnings fisher folk are crowding the Firehole River and the Madison River - and - many of the neighbors have taken to their boats to intercept the runners in the major estuaries of Hebgen Reservoir.
.. The Madison River and the Firehole River are jammed full of anticipatory fishers.
.. The total amount of fly gear entering the west entrance of Yellowstone National Park on any given day amounts to an estimated $4,769,123.00. This does not take into account the gasoline that powered each and every $40,000.00 SUV or $2,000.00 fish car.
.. Boat fishers on the reservoir are taking large fish on Kastmasters, Rapala Trout, and Rooster Tails. They are doing very well with aluminum boats and an "Old Pal" tackle box.
.. Fly fishers whine about the gear fishers. They forget that the Madison River Fishery in Yellowstone Park is artificially inflated by a man-made structure: Hebgen Dam.
.. PPL Montana is pleased to inflate the fishery and egos of the Madison River. They are busy repairing the dam right now.
.. Things on that front are progressing apace despite the lack of interest shown by fisher folk and the fly guys of the region. Despite the nation-wide realization of the harm that dams do: this is one dam adored by the fishers of the world.
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.. It would bring barf to their mouths to let the elite know that most of the gear fishers also troll with a streamer fly. They would curl up and whimper to know that many of the gear guys tie their own streamers. They would lose enormous amounts of vitriolic conversation to discover that catching fish does not require wading belly-deep in the holes where the fish were.
.. Can it be true that some of the neighbors can cast a fly rod accurately - and - place a worm precisely with a gear rig?
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.. The weather brings bugs and boats. It brings tales and tails. It brings a classic confrontation of Weltanschauungs. Do we torture fish for our own recreational pleasure and then release them to be tortured again - or - do we catch and kill them for food?
.. Seldom do the gear guys and the fly guys discuss this. They visit different pubs. They have different sorts of jobs. They each assume, (righteously so,) that their practice is proper and holy. Neither bothers to remember that they are partaking of an artificial situation.
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.. Well, the weather has changed. The boats and bugs are here. The runners are running. The Baetis are emerging. The fishers are fishing, and the construction continues on Hebgen Dam. May artificiality be forgotten and may the torture and killing begin.
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Across The Pond

October 6, 2009
MONTANA INROADS
Brits & Flies & Yellowstone
my, my, my
(Enormous image - will stretch or shrink for wallpaper.)
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.. A wandering fisher on the Madison River, (location not to be divulged,) was stammering and stuttering about the surprise fish taken on a size 10 Montana Nymph. "I was just trying to relax," he muttered to himself.
.. He was visiting Yellowstone National Park from Newport, (the one in jolly ol' . . .) He knew nothing of the Fall run of fish from Hebgan Lake.
.. He did know about the legendary fishing in the park. He brought a 5-piece, 7-weight, bamboo, travel rod and some advice from his friends back home - "Use Montana Stone Flies."
.. He showed us his giant fly box, (he only carried one.) Nicely arranged on one side was the most diverse assortment of Montana Nymphs we've ever seen. He had tucked them in his baggage with the rod and came to fish a bit on the Madison River. He took an enormous 21" trout. He also took several 12" - 14" trout.
.. The flies, (including the highly revered skwala, and a cute little rubber legs creation,) all came from Fishing and Flies in Cardiff, (the one in jolly ol' . . .) Nice they were too!
.. He asked that his name not be used. He would not let us take a picture of the flies because they were still a rather well kept secret ("back home.") We parted on congenial terms. He returned to the river and I did sneak a picture from the car. {we borrowed the illustrations from the home site - not too big of a secret.}
.. His technique was simple. Find a deep run. Stand at it's head. Cast across and down with a heavy sink tip line. At the end of the swing, (with rod tip under water,) make a few short quick strips, then cast to the other side of the pool and do it again.
.. In a most unbecoming manner he walked - two steps at a time - down the middle of the run. Worked well.
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Fire & More

September 27, 2009
PICK YOUR SPOTS WISELY
Catch All Day
take a lunch or two

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.. Done right, it's possible to exhaust oneself and catch fish all day on the west side of Yellowstone National Park.
.. The fire(s) near Yellowstone Lake caused an intermittent road closure and it's best to check the road conditions before travel in that portion of the park, (CLICK FOR ROAD INFO.)
.. The plume of smoke is visible from the Gibbon River, The Madison River, and the Firehole River - that's more than 30 miles. Helicopters with water buckets from Hebgen Lake thumped overhead all day Saturday.
.. For our part a 14 - 18 hour marathon blitz is a mandatory exercise when the catching is as good as it has been the last few days. The beautiful weather has not hampered catching, and the upcoming cooling, (snow?) should only enhance the prospects.
.. The Madison River is a bit low and sluggish right now. Pick your spots carefully. There are many traditional holds that are just too slow to collect the submarines from Hebgen Lake.
.. A wonderful mix of residents and runners is in the offing for fishers with a varied fly box and techniques to match it's contents.
.. The morning offers surface fishing to flies that imitate a spinner or a crippled emerger. There are still beetles and hoppers trying to swim by mid morning on these warm days - use that to your advantage.
.. The Firehole River is abandoned by most fishers during mid day. Pick a well aerated riffle in a long run with some shade and you should get to dance with some eager resident fish.
.. The same holds true for the Madison River, (although the shade is a bit fleeting, use the undercut banks and cover a lot of water.)
.. A thermometer is a useful tool right now. There are both cold and hot springs in these rivers and if you find the right ones you can dance for hours.
.. By 5:30 or 6:00 PM it's time for caddis. They are becoming a bit scarce. However, there are continual very small hatches of very small caddis and if you luck into the big ones the fish will pay attention. Elbows proliferate starting about 4:00 PM.
.. Dusk, (8:00 PM,) is a good time for your second lunch. Big flies, ripped through pools and streamers with soft hackle trailers drifted around snags is good and frustrating fun in the dark. Hang-ups outnumber hookups ten to one - that's O.K.
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.. Just before our second lunch we stopped to visit with some fisher folks. Bless their indulgent hearts! They agreed to allow us to try some stop action photography as they exercised the Firehole River and it's fish.
.. The video below is a brief primer on the subtleties of the reach cast and the way to find dance partners in mid day. No fishers were hurt during this exercise. And, a big thank you to the kind and selfless fisher folks.

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.. Today and tomorrow promise to provide exercise and entertainment despite the unseasonably warm weather. It just goes to prove the old adage that "FISH GOTTA EAT."
.. Watchword for the current warm weather = aerated cool deep water! Watchword for the upcoming cold weather = aerated cool deep water. We anticipate that the conga lines will continue to grow.
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What A Terrible Place

September 21, 2009
SUZUKI SIZED
MOSQUITOES
Impenetrable Willow Jungles
bears & bison & moose
lots of fish too
(All images are 'clickable' - some are huge!)
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.. It's just not a wholesome place to visit. The Duck Creek Meadows are six or seven times the size of National Park Meadows.
.. They are closed right now because of bears. Bison haunt the pine and willow thickets. Moose gallop from bog to marsh. The flats are dusty. The road in to this place is dusty & full of tank traps.
.. There are dark pools in the rivers. Campanula Creek drains the uplands, Richards Creek drains the high meadows. Both join Gneiss Creek to form Duck Creek in the self-same tangle of mosquito bogs and dense willows. The meanders are so convoluted it's hard to tell which creek is which.
.. The neighbors want you to become mired in the muck and goo. They have even erected a sign so that you don't get lost. Just follow the arrow.
.. The NPS is vigilant in it's warnings. This is now & always has been, one of the most clearly marked boundaries in all of Yellowstone National Park. Enter at your own risk!
.. Despite the terrible road & despite the dust & despite the fact that the guides and feather merchants ignore this bit of paradise; the neighbors visit regularly.
.. Armed with bear spray, ribald songs and hoots like drunken owls they trudge the paths and game trails in search of fish. Some even catch fish. There are tagged fish to be caught and they should be reported.
.. There is "mouse water" right at the boundary between the forest and the park. It's best in the glow of twilight. That's when the trout turn into bass. They cavort in the darkness. They splash as would a brick dropped from a mosquito. They eat things full of calories and fur.
.. The scenery here is drab and mundane. The pedestrian surroundings have kept the gawkers and casual visitors from this vest-pocket wilderness. After all, it's necessary to leave your car behind. The best catching water is out of sight of your vehicle - horror of horrors!
.. Guides spurn the place. Internet forums tell and retell tales of once visited - twice shy experiences. After all, the glory of fishing in Yellowstone National Park is narrated in terms of waters adjacent to the roads. We're pleased that this is the case.
.. The cosmopolitan fishers write the books and articles. They go where others have gone. They relate the same stories of the same places and vicariously wade in the footfalls of long dead authors and current celebrities. [Hint: rivers do change!]
.. We catch hell every time we make mention of the neighborhood fishing holes. Rightly so! This is a bit of paradise that requires intimacy. It's not a simple fishery. You don't just show up and catch.
.. Walking is required, (a tough task for aged legs,) but it's worth it. Frequent visitation will allow an understanding of the personality of the meadows and their waters. Wet years are best - for fish, fishers, and mosquitoes. The holes are darker: the willows thicker, the visitors fewer.
.. Experts and authors become instant novices in the face of the six little creeks in this basin. After all they only have a few hours to visit. Guides can't brag about the number and size of their mosquito bites. Feather merchants haven't developed the "perfect fly" for these waters. It's just a wasteland.
.. Campanula, Cougar, Duck, Gneiss, Maple, & Richards Creeks are not storied in "THE LITERATURE."
.. The fish that are caught are small and few - so say the visiting fishers. They probably never caught a fish in Gneiss Creek or, for that matter, Maple Creek. Not in the legends! Too hard! Too small! How many springs dot the shores of the creeks? Not mentioned in the guide books! How about the beaver ponds on Richards Creek? Where?
.. We spent the weekend on the edge of the bear closure. There was rain each morning, and on & off all day each and every day. The mosquitoes loved it. We caught some fish. We reported a 13" tagged rainbow.
.. We can't wait until the September, 30th opening of Area "B": then we can visit the springs and swamps, and pools, and snags, and mosquitoes, along Richards Creek. It should be just in time for some submarines. But, you didn't hear it here!
.. Appearing below is a little video compiled in the dark of night. A warning to the adventurous: stay out of this wasteland. You have to abandon your car and walk to the catching!
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Low & Slow

September 9, 2009
FISH THE OBVIOUS
Catch The Fish
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.. They are not big but they are feisty! The residents are waiting to dance with you. The cool, clear, low, and under fished waters of Grayling Creek are a wonderful destination right now.
.. The Yellowstone National Park sections of this quaint little creek are running just a bit low and it's an easy read.
.. The slicks are beautifully defined. The dark water is easy to find.
.. There are still some hoppers, caddis, and scattered mayflies all day. The sun and shade hits the water differently by the hour. The trees and bluffs create shadows that invite probing. Get there now.
.. Just about any attractor in size 8 - 16 will draw some action. Follow it with a nymph and the fish will find you. We like the "Royals" this time of year - Humpy, Coachman, Wulff.
.. We're having a quick breakfast. Then up the road to visit the fins in that bit of water just north of the park line. There's a culvert pool we know of with at least one pretty girl in it.
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