Cecelia’s first fish on the fly!
Well, it’s that time of year! Area freestone rivers and streams are full of snowmelt. Probably won’t be fishable until late June, early July. Luckily, the Trout Scout has access to some beautiful lakes in the Beartooth Foothills. Trips start at $295 for two anglers!
Rock Creek was a real treat today. Beautiful spring day and beautiful, willing trout! There are plenty of bugs around, but no concerted hatch of any one kind. There are March Browns, caddis and baetis. Along with miscellaneous mayflies of all sizes and colors. Fish were eating a size 14 Prince dropped from a big Purple Haze in the early afternoon. Later in the day, clouds started showing up and the bugs came out. A couple of fish refused the Purple Haze, so I took that as a sign. Switched over to a #14 brown parachute dry fished without the dropper. While no fish were actively rising, they were chowing on my parachute. The Prince took larger fish, but it’s always a blast to catch fish on a dry fly regardless of size. Get out there soon. This warm weather means run-off is right around the corner.
We’re still in a holding pattern for our spring hatches. The extended winter weather and fluctuating flows seem to have put things off. Some March Browns and baetis are around almost every day, but never in enough numbers to get fish rising. Even a few caddis pop here and there. But when you check the bushes, it’s hard to find one. Maybe the famous “Mother’s Day Caddis Hatch” will actually be on Mother’s Day this year!
Flows are really fluctuating right now. Expect the clarity of the Stillwater to change over the course of a day. Last Monday, we started out with a couple of feet of visibility. By 2 pm it had cleared to about three feet. By 5pm it was back to 2 feet.
The fishing has been tough. Big rubber legs and brown worms (oh my) are sticking a few fish. Throw a big #12 Purple Haze for a dry and you may stick a fish on well defined foam lines. Streamer fishing has been slow, but no slower than anything else! You really have to throw some meat, meaning big flies, to get much attention. Black is always better when the water is off color.
It was good to get out with Jimmy Brummel from Texas again after three years. He and Julia were my victims last Monday. We had fun on a rainy, cold day. Even if the catching wasn’t the best!
Montana Trout Scout 