Start-of-August Report

I don't say "July has gone quickly". It was so dense and concentrated in many ways. Starting from DePuy's Spring Creek (www.depuyspringcreek.com), I've been anywhere fishy in my area. Hopefully August will also be filled with many days of fishing, various rivers, lots of trout, new flies, and most importantly good people!! It has started very well! Let's look!

At the stretch I had my "Busman's Holiday" the other day on Gallatin, my client's rod was bent by a hefty something!!

Again, Green Drake hatch was the secret "today's special"!! Westsloper couldn't resist!!

There was no apparent or visible Drake hatches for human eyes but trout stomach samples let me know so.........

This is the killer Green Drake Soft-Hackle (Master Angler Version)!!

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I had a fine teen rookie who fly-fished for the first time during the first ever Yellowstone family trip. He was one of the most quickly grown & improved beginners I had ever initiated. Brookies gave us lots of actions and joys. He will soon catch big ones!!

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Then another scouting day = Busman's Holiday = started like this!!

And ended like this!! Some of the best Yellowstone Cutty!!

2013 season is going strong. We are experiencing "cool & standard summer" and expecting positively to remain so till we feel the touch of the fall. So forget "drought & low-water" rumors that might be circulating in the fly-fishing community.

Till next report.......

Weekly Misc. Report

I've been running around, either on foot or on board. Also either in Montana or in Yellowstone National Park. Fishing has been wonderful. Also we are experiencing very unpredictable weather. It's totally up to each individual how it's taken. I, for one, am up to be outside under any weather condition! Let's review!

I had fine two teen brothers for Lower Yellowstone float trip! We had some huge golden shadows coming up to our large dry-flies!!! That will haunt us for a while..............

Veteran and Upper Cutty!

I initiated another rookie under Big Sky!

It's time!! ------ from 11-inch Cutty!!

We were hit by mud-plug but we kept fishing till the take-out. Our patience and perseverance paid off!!

Till next update............

Another Busman's Holiday on Gallatin

I had a day break from guiding streak. I could have slept in but the moment I was awake, I was like "where am I going today?". I decided to hit Gallatin within Yellowstone Park boundary (plus a little a bit in Montana). It was originally meant for scouting but I ended up having too much fun! Let's go look!!

Gallatin is very cold. It's no strange to wear waders (though I didn't). I don't think I'm wrong to say "Gallatin is a classic fly-fishing trout stream". What I mean by this statement is: trout are not willing to come up on dry-flies until water warms up a bit in the afternoon. Till then nymphing is very productive. I was so amazed by the feisty and healthiness of trout!! Very strong regardless of actual sizes!!

Then in the afternoon, I unleashed my dry-flies. I started with "searching attractors". I had satisfying actions within several minutes with only several casts!! I pumped one of them and found it very very interesting!! YES, Green Drake and tiny Leaf Hopper were present!!

At a glance Gallatin just looks like a typical "attactor-is-all-you-need" stream. Never ignore some insect hatches and corresponding trout behavior!! I tied on Extended Foam Green Drake!!

 At a certain pool, I had bites after rises!!

 See it!!

 This was very strong!! Acting like a submarine!!

After hatch seemed over, I prospected with terrestrial patterns. Now I was thinking about tiny leaf hopper I had found. Though size was different, color was accepted!!

Then I caught "Westsloper" in a very while!! Lovely!! & Happy!!

Some people argue and complain "Montana is experiencing low water and fishing is not good this year"........That's a huge lie and just an excuse of them for not catching fish!! Come and experience yourself!!

Misc. Report

Rainbow, Brown, Cutty, Brookie, on-foot, float, rain, mud slide,................ Miscellaneous things happened this past week. One thing in common: Dry-fly fishing!!

We are busy in the landmark year of landmark shop!

Brookies again help us introduce the essence of fly-fishing to "rookies" anglers!

I haven't rigged "bobbers" and "buggers" in my boat yet this year!!

Sunny day and then 5 minutes later........

Cut-bows are very strong!

Very popular menu of recent!!

Evening caddis brown!

Again, Brookie and Rookie!

Rare Upper Brown!

Large mouth Cutty caught on hopper!

This is the mud-slide-in spot......

Fish Thief of one afternoon!!

See you along the river!
Till then.....

Yellowstone River Float & Dry-Fly Fishing!!

So I was busy fishing and guiding in Yellowstone Park waters and Livingston's spring creeks. I have started to take float trips on Yellowstone River one by one.
To make long story (& thought) short, Yellowstone River is ONE DIVERSE river as it contains (or is made out of) all the characters of Park waters and spring creeks!! I always try to introduce insect hatches, water reading, and how to present dry-flies. I'm not a dry-fly elitist but whole process to catch trout with dry-flies is the classic textbook and enjoyment of fly-fishing, especially for novice and beginning anglers. Then, floating Yellowstone River in scenic Paradise Valley and eventually in rugged wild structures below Livingston is always a breath-taking experience even for local anglers.

Carbella to Point of Rocks, my favorite stretch. Winds were very uncooperative but boys did their best!

"The Bird" (Grey Owl to Mallards Rest)!!

This rainbow had one of most interesting stomach content.

It was full of small caddis larvae!! Never seen trout exclusively feeding on caddis larvae, furthermore in this small size!!

We could successfully meet Yellowstone Cutty!!

What about hot flies? One particular custom fly at Parks' Fly Shop (www.parksflyshop.com) is very successful recently!!

Contact Parks' Fly Shop to see this secret guide flies!! For better experience, float Mighty 'Stone with us!!
I gotta run! Till next post.......

The Other Mayfly in Trout's Menu

So Pale Morning Dun (click for details)hatch is still strong on spring creeks in Livingston. Various hatching stages of PMD are definitely main dish for trout. But also, the more I fish, the more I "learn & observe". As I conduct stomach-pumping, I have been finding a certain amount of another mayfly species. It's still considerably minor compared to PMD but as long as certain number of trout are keying on, I can't ignore. And I have developed fly patterns matching for spring creeks!!
Let's see my PMD patterns first.

Sawyer PT - Master Angler Version is the staple among staples.

My own Pheasant Tail Mayfly Cripple.

And this is the other species that has been ticking my mind and imagination; Mahogany Dun (click for details).

As you can see in the link, Mahogany Dun nymphs have distinctive abdomens. Then over all silhouette is thinner than PMD nymphs. So I modified Sawyer PT a bit.

I also adjusted Pheasant Tail Mayfly Cripple into Mahogany Version, that I like it myself!

At Livingston's spring creeks, size 18 is what's mostly seen.
Again, PMD hatch is the most important and that's what you should fish for. But if you want to add some spices on your days, or if you happen to observe Mahogany Dun are taken over PMD, then tie some on!