On The River

This is the journal entry from last week. As of this typing, Yellowstone River slightly got colored due to warm weather. This means we are facing the most sentimental and emotional period about "'Stone": "Will it blow soon?", "will some cool weather arrive and tame the water down some time longer?", "just one more shot for spring-streamer!", and our biggest curiosity = "Will we see Mother's Day Caddis?"

So this is the typical of spring hatch fishing on the Yellowstone. Most readers and people who know me around here assume, due to my blog, that I am interested in and fishing exclusively spring creeks. That's not totally wrong as I spend lots of days at creeks, yet over all mistake. I love to fish our "Mighty 'Stone" too, as it flows right along the town of Livingston! Also, I have to guess there are many anglers out there, locally and nationwide, who would think/imagine big Western rivers such as Yellowstone and Madison are fished with nymphs, streamers, and attractor dry-flies....... We do so that's not totally wrong. However, I can't emphasize big rivers around here do have excellent aquatic insect population and hatches!! Sometimes, it can be as complicated as or even more difficult than Livingston's spring creeks. I'm always a learning student.

Midge and baetis hatches on the Yellowstone are simply fun!! Trout seem also having fun to feed on the first and constant insect hatches. But also I admit these are not as complicated as these at spring creeks...... Again, it's just fun. After my brain had been twisted by complicated mood of hatches and trout and by trying to decipher them at spring creeks, these actions at the River can be relief also.

One afternoon, I just hit the right spot at the right time. This cute little Rainbow was my first catch!

And of course Yellowstone Cutty!!

Sizes increased as I caught more.

So I conducted stomach pumping. See? Trout in the river are feeding the same insects as those in spring creeks.

Take a look! Beetle!!

This was a nicer Cutty!!

 Then I caught even nicer Cutty!!

Furthermore, this one was prized!! ---- this is a part of Montana Fish, Wildlife, & Park program. There will be some visiting anglers who will catch these tagged trout so please refer this site: http://fwp.mt.gov/fishing/guide/taggedFish.html

Tag seemed either gnawed by trout or beaten by swum through rocks. After I got home, I was playing some and found it was algae. I could scratch off and identify the fish!! I did send in the form!!

This little brown, coming up on a size 20 attractor dry-fly, had a jaw structure of 30-inch brown!? He has a potential!?

Premonition of runoff doesn't mean the end of baetis and midges. When & If the condition is right for caddis, baetis and midges can join the circus.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Then, Guide Season kicked off on the other big & famous Western river in our area: Madison.

With the predicted high & abundant water year, my guide season on surrounding rivers will be better than ever!!