Wade Fishing Starting to Turn On

Flows are dropping and some spots are beginning to be fishable on foot. Crossing Rock Creek, the Rosebuds or the Stillwater is impossible, so be content with the water on your side of the river. The bite is good on both sides!

Fish are looking up for Stimulators, PMX, Chubbies, etc. Yellow is the best color. PMD’s are around on the Stillwater and fish are eating them in flat spots and along banks.

Dropper flies are deadly. Use a long dropper line because the flows are still high and fast. Two to three feet, depending on depth and speed. Prince, pheasant tail and Montana prince are getting hammered.

The Yellowstone is marginal right now. People are floating it and catching fish nymphing deep. Throw something big and ugly with rubber legs. Streamer fishing is fair to slow. The water is still pretty dirty.

The high mountain lakes have turned on. Try a black or olive bugger with a prince trailing it. A size 16 parachute Adams is a good choice for dry fly fishing. Black ants are always a winner.

 

 

Flows Coming Down, Fish Eating the Big Bug

Rainbows and Browns living together… chaos.

Flows are dropping fast on the Stillwater. Fish are starting to look up. The golden Chubby and the yellow PMX both saw action today. A pheasant tail dropper killed.

Rockin’ on the Stilly

Run-off is still in full swing, but the float fishing on the Stillwater is excellent. Wade fishing any of our area streams is still out. Floating the Stillwater or anything else is not for the inexperienced, but the fishing is great. Nymphing with small black bugs is really getting it done. PMD’s are hatching pretty much all day, but fish won’t come up through all that fast water to eat a size 16 bug. They are feasting on the nymph. A #16 pheasant tail or copper john is killin’ it fished deep.

I saw one big stonefly on the water yesterday. The first I’ve seen this season. Chris says he did well on the big bug dry today. About time. I’m tired of chasing a bobber down the river!

Flows are coming down again, but things are still spicy out there. Keep your wits about you.

Stillwater Coming Down and Turning On!

Flows on the Stilly have moderated enough to float fish and the fish are willing! Water temps are coming up and the flow is going down. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still rippin’ out there. Wade fishing any of our area streams will be dangerous for a while yet, so be smart. Best to stay away from moving water if you are on foot for a week or so at least.

There have been PMD’s coming off on the Stilly every day for the last four days. Fish were not on them for the first couple of days due to high water. They are just now starting to eat the small bugs on the surface with any regularity.

Streamer fishing has been good, but nymphing is producing the most fish. We fished a big dry with a dropper today and killed it. Got a couple of nice fish on the Chubby, but the dropper nymph was red hot. Pheasant Tails and red Copper Johns were the big winners. Long dropper lines are the key. Three feet is a good starting point.

Started fishing with Paige when she was 8 or so. Always has been an Angler!

It was a real thrill to get Paige’s husband into his first fish on a fly rod today!