NE Corner - Ultimate Match-The-Hatch Again

This morning as I went outside to throw away ground coffee beans from my coffee pot, it was cold. I saw frost on my boat since......last time when it was cold!! Today I went fishing to Yellowstone Park with my outfitter's good friend again. It was his last day of vacation.

Like last Friday, we got to Lower Slough around noon. But today it was sunny day. Temperature was 40s to 60s but sunshine was still stunning in the car. But we could still expect some hatches. At least we hoped trout would look up. My first choice was this Green Drake Foam Nymph. Yes, it was ragged, chewed, and ripped.......I should have taken a picture last night!!

My day opener took it confidently.

A nice healthy hard-fighting cutbow!!

We noticed Green Drakes were in the air sporadically. My next choice was Green Drake Sparkle Dun size 12.

WHAM!! This is one of the best Yellowstone Cutty!! Hard-fighter too!!

Cloyd stayed in the same spot and he kept catching with Green Drake patterns. Meanwhile, I looked around another up-stream. Trout were feeding there too. I didn't see many or any large Drakes on the water but I thought it would be the same scenario. Trout came up to my Sparkle Dun and refused it for several times. One particular trout at a certain spot kept doing it. Something must be funny. I looked around water surface and I saw this struggling mayfly. Size 14 and somewhat gray..........

I didn't have exactly the same or close imitation but I figured down-sizing might do the trick. Fortunately I had the same Sparkle Dun above tied in 14 for Western Drake. BINGO!! That picky trout took in confidently with the first drift!!...........then gone by breaking the line..... I had one more and it got another attention in a few casts!!

Cloyd kept working on the same spot and he was telling me that he was fishing with Sparkle Dun I gave him. Meanwhile, I said "SET!!" Trout was bending his bamboo rod!!!!

It didn't come easy for net and camera as it was a fine 18-inch Cutbow!!!!

Nice work, Cloyd (& my fly)!!

As we head back to the car, we cast some at a pool. Apparently Drake hatches were ending and as we were expecting baetis hatched in Lamar, I tied on baetis patterns. After a few close calls, I got the biggest one on size 20 ICU Baetis (sorry, forgot to add a picture but you can click the link). I caught up with Cloyd!! It was another 18-inch Cutbow!!

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In Lamar, we held another nice piece of water all by ourselves. But it was funny again!! Large Drakes size 10 or 12 (not as large as Drakes in Slough = size 8 to 10) were blown in the wind along with tremendous amount of midges!! From their rise forms and sounds, I bet they were after blown Drakes. So the same Sparkle Dun worked!! Always happy to see native Yellowstone Cutty!!

Drakes were over and we found baetis in the air (somehow trout didn't seem interested in midges) and I took another fine Cutty on ICU Baetis. But also we found another species of mayfly. It was about size 14. Heptagenia? If anyone has any idea and suggestion, kindly let me know.

At 6:30PM, Sun went down behind the mountain and everything shut down and we started to feel chilly.

It was another great experience at both Slough and Lamar. When hatches are on, trout here get very selective, as selective as those in any other spring creeks. Particularly in Lower Slough, it's both exciting and frustrating that trout come up to our flies, chase several feet, and inspect several seconds........they may bite and may not...........This ultimate match the hatch will last 47 more days!!