Yesterday I left my house in Livingston for Yellowstone Park. It was late on purpose (mostly for Part 2!!). I chatted some at Parks' Fly Shop and headed to, deciding while driving, Lamar River. It's just about time for Green Drake!! (Photo from last year).
I started with Green Drake imitation along with Foam Attractors and ants. I caught a so-so one and pumped its stomach. I was guessing just right.............
My favorite is Furimsky's Extended Body Foam Green Drake (click for tying video by Hopper Juan!) that I modified some for my own intention. I wanted it to be more slender and sparser. Yet my tie is unsinkable as tied with foam and synthetic wing!!
Then I hit a JACKPOT and earned a top score!!
This is THE BEST Yellowstone Cutty for me!! Solid, massive, and heavy!!
Only several minutes later, I caught the second best!!
A bit tired and sore from summer bites.........
Lamar can be very popular = crowded. However, as a guide and an angler, I can navigate through the river and crowds and get into fish!! This was very satisfying but it was not all for yesterday....... To be continued to Part 2.
Nice fish!! Gotta love those Green Drakes...big flies that are easy to see and when they're on em trout just seem to be a little more reckless than when they're eating something smaller.
ReplyDeleteGonna be on the Frying Pan next week and hope to see some Drakes coming off there with any luck.
Thanks. Indeed, actual (visible) hatch/insect was sparse to none but trout were feeding on surface as if routine.
DeleteTry this foam drake. It's good enough but also very visible as a point fly above less visible emergers, cripples, floating nymphs.
Some advice needed. How long into the Fall does the Green Drake pattern "generally" work? Heading out your way in 4 weeks, and tying flies like mad. Mostly soft hackles, but if a foam Drake will be useful in early October, I'll tie some of those, too.
ReplyDeleteIn 4 weeks = in October. Probably not much Drake actions that I know of or expect. I will focus on BWO (fall baetis) and midges for dry-fly fishing. But then trout can be opportunistic so they might look up and take Drake imitations (Salmonfly patterns were taken this July after hatch was over in the air....). I also suggest to assemble nymphs and streamers as well. If you can let me know rivers you intend to fish, I can give you better idea (flies, tactics, etc).
DeleteAwesome, thanks Mr. Yamamoto. We will be fishing the Madison inside the park (west, or downstream, of the junction), also on the Firehole where the Nez Perce Creek joins it (picnic area near Fountain Flats. We usually head over to the Madison between Quake and Hebgen Lakes, along Ghost Village Road, and to Barns just inside the West Entrance. We will try a hike to Trout Lake one day, just to check it out. My husband likes to swing streamers, as well as double rigged nymphing. I like to nymph (usually a zebra behind an emerger) and LOVE to dry fly... Adams, BWO, Caddis. Haven't used soft hackles very much, so will try to fish those whenever possible. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
ReplyDeleteMadison - both Park and Montana sections, you can expect dry-fly fishing with BWO. Typically 1-3PM on cloudy (even some rainy, snowy) calm day. Then nymphs and streamers!! Between Lakes and anywhere in the Park can hold large browns (followed by rainbows and whitefish!). Especially in Barns or other riffly runs, get my COYOTE ready! Swing large soft-hackles!
DeleteFirehole - BWO fishing should be fun! Soft-hackle (not as large as COYOTE of course) is very useful. Especially winds are not helping your casting and presentations. Fountain Flat is good but also try Muleshoe Bend.
Trout Lake & northeast rivers - I'm supposed to know this side better as it's closer for me........Trout Lake can be fishing well after summer crowds are gone. Along the way, you pass Lamar, Soda Butte, Slough, and Yellowstone. Again BWO is expected and can be good. However if it gets too cold (or whatever other reasons can be.....), fishing might shut down for the season on this side of the Park.
Probably you already know: Try Gibbon above Madison Junction for fall-runners! Then if you come to Trout Lake = NE side, fish Gardner River for fall-runners too!! I might be around too.
For more detailed information, there are couple of good shops in West Yellowstone. And if you come this way, drop by Parks' Fly Shop in Gardiner, MT (www.parksflyshop.com).
Have a wonderful trip!
Thanks for all your help. If we come up to the NE side of the Park we will definitely stop in at Parks Fly Shop for up to the minute advice and to get some flies to supplement our boxes. I hope you don't mind one more question. We have fished the lower Gibbon at about the halfway spot between Madison Junction and the Falls, where it's fairly close to the road and the river makes a sharp 90 degree bend. We've thrown stone flies, nymphs, buggers... Never had any success there. Do you have a particular spot on the Gibbon that you could point us to, and perhaps some fly suggestions?
ReplyDeleteThanks again, you've been great.
Gibbon can be good upstream from Madison Junction. Rather than naming spots or accesses, I'd look for structures = trout holding spots (which can be applied to every river). Then use type of flies accordingly (nymphs, streamers, and dry). I'm not being ambiguous. To target fall-runner, stonefly nymphs and streamers are way to go. Then again, look for structures!
DeleteThat is one huge trout. Do you also do guided hikes in Yellowstone and Montana? Thanks for sharing your experience.
ReplyDeleteI don't offer (am not authorized) solely "guided hikes" though we do hike into mountains or take trails to rivers & lakes for "guided fly-fishing trips". I am a licensed guide in Montana and am signed up by an outfitter who has Montana public outfitter license (of course), National Forest Permits, and Yellowstone National Park Permits. Not all Montana outfitters and shops have the latter two, indeed very rare! So if I could be any help, let me know!
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