YNP Opener (for ME) - Firehole The Insect Factory

Although I fish every single month of the year, opening/closing of Yellowstone National Park waters is always something special. It pretty much coincides to our fishing/guiding prime season. I usually don't hit the exact "Opener" (Saturday May 25th this year). I'd rather hit sometime in June, starting from very minor waters. This year, for some reasons, I hit Firehole, which is generally fishable right after the season opens (though I still avoided weekend).

Just as I was expecting and informed, Pale Morning Dun hatch was in full-swing and trout were eagerly rising!!

I missed a couple then this little yet feisty Rainbow was my own Opener!!

 Hmmmmm..........just checking.........

To be honest, pretty much any PMD dry-flies in right size with well-presentation worked.

However, for a little period of time, I experienced typical Firehole Conundrum!!  = Rising trout & something hatching, but can't take trout!! Big light-colored caddisn, White Miller (Nectopsyche), came into play. Cross-over period between PMD and White Miller was really hard to figure out.

I observed lots of pupal shucks floating on the surface.

As PMD ceasing, situation became a bit friendly for me!! Now trout were keying on White Miller Caddis!! I tried several different patterns, but this X Caddis with bleached deer-hair was the most  effective!! Other deer-hair pattern tied with regular (natural) color didn't do well.

Another feisty 'Bow!

 Just checking......

 Then I got a really nice Browny!!

 Indeed he was feeding a lot on PMD but he wasn't full yet.......

White Miller hatch seemed ending. Yet trout were still rising though somewhat less than before. With cloudy sky with mix of rain, Blue Winged Olive were hatching, just as I expected!!

Over all I enjoyed lots of dry-fly actions with these 3 major insect hatches!!

I swung by Madison, which was amazingly very fishable at this time of year!. A typical Madison Brown caught by a "Typical" Madison method (guess what!?).

I have just stocked up some X Caddis with bleached deer. Also I noticed a recently acquired material = Snowshoe Rabbit Feet dyed in Cream. I substituted with deer hair. See how it works when I hit Firehole next time.

It was a great day for me. Yellowstone Park waters are in great conditions so consequently Southwest Montana water will be in great conditions through the season!! It's not late yet to plan great fishing trips over here! See you in YNP!!