Hey boo, boo… what do you got in da pick-a-nick basket? This August I had the privilege of helping the outgoing outfitter of Spanish Peaks Resort, Matt Henningsen, and the new outfitter (formally of Paws Up Resort), John Way, on backcountry pack trips in Yellowstone Park. This summer, we went up Specimen Creek twice, to fish Sportsman’s Lake and up Slough Creek to fish the big Yellowstone Cutthroats. The trips were full of great fishing. Basically, at Sportsman’s Lake you just had to throw your fly out there and ask yourself  “How many fish do I want to catch today?” Sportsman’s is beautiful and a sight to see. It sits at the bottom of Electric Peak and is full of 12” to 14” Yellowstone Cutthroats. We also saw several bears. If you look closely at the picture, you can see the bear in the background that Matt Henningsen and I had to chase from camp. I used pots and pans to make noise, while Matt used his horse and the pack of mules to run the bear off. Meanwhile, Miles Edwards stood his ground, unfazed, for the picture. Nice job Miles!

Yes, there are big fish in Slough Creek, and lots of them! Slough Creek is full of big Cutthroats that aren’t as easy to catch as you might think. If you are on your “A” game, with a nice long cast, perfect mend and a gentle set, you may be rewarded with a 16” to 18” Cutty. I did get one fish a little above average, 22”, using 6x and a size 20 Betis Emerger. All and all, it was an August to remember in Yellowstone National Park.

Salmon Fly Season

This year’s Salmon Fly Hatch on the Yellowstone River was fantastic. I was able to fish for several days, two of which you dream about. One of those days was with local guides Bryce Connery and Will Fenoglio. We had tons of action all day. We saw Golden Stones and Salmon Fly’s all day. When we stopped for lunch, we all looked up and it seemed like we were being attacked by thousands of Salmon Fly’s.

The second day was with my dad and Will again. I was on the oars all day and didn’t even fish.  It was alright with me because I was having too much fun watching the old man get so worked up watching big Rainbow’s  inhaling  his Golden Stone.

The old man and I also spent two days on the Gallatin fishing Little Yellow Sallies. The Gallatin fished great with tons of action on the surface. Lightweight rods and feisty trout are a day I would take any time.  Getting to take some time and fish with your friends and family is always something to forward to.  What better time to make that happen than the Salmon fly hatch!

With summer officially here, the big bugs come, too! They are in Beartrap Canyon right now and with all the rain it doesn’t seem like they will be moving. With sunny and warm conditions, they should be popping out in Ennis by the weekend. They will be making their way to the river banks and so should you! Big Stonefly imitations like Rubber Legs, will be the ticket. Keep your eyes open for the big boys flying around and get them on the surface. You don’t know until you try! Don’t wait for tomorrow - there is no time like the present! If you see them flying around try the dries!

What can I say about spring in Montana? The weather is precarious so in the mornings it’s sunny and bright and by mid-afternoon a thunderstorm is brewing. But we need the moisture so no complaints here! It seems like all of our reservoirs are filling and that’s going to make for a fantastic summer. The wind has howled and the rain has poured almost each day I’ve been on the rivers. All the wind and rain can make for tough fishing conditions, but the fish have still seemed to cooperate nicely. Saturday, June 20^th, showed us a weather reprieve with sunny skies. We were able to catch some good fish, with little or no crowds. My friend and client, Rob, stuck a real nice brown at the Warm Springs boat ramp on the Lower Madison. The Upper and Lower Madison both produced good fish. The Gallatin has been great, also. We have heard of the big bug, but have not yet seen them. I am sure with the warmer weather around the corner they will be making an appearance soon. Stay tuned…