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Paradise Valley Spring Creeks - January 17th, 2007
supplied by: Yellowstone Angler FISHING: Good
Winter on the spring creeks sees the midge as the primary food source for most trout. Once the fall brown trout spawn has ended (usually in late November) the red hot egg fishing is over. Trout in the spring creeks feed actively though, as the water temperature is a constant 52-55 degrees or so, unlike the Yellowstone, where water temperatures are hovering around 32-34 degrees.
In the months of December, January midges, scuds and sowbugs become the staples of the trout's diet. Fish scuds and sow bug imitations like our sparkle scud in light olive and tan in sizes 16-18 as well as a variety of sow bug imitations in sizes 18-20. If you are fishing Nelson's you'll find that there are more sowbugs here than in the Armstrong Spring Creek complex of the O'Hair and DePuy ranches.
Midges however, in their many forms, are the most fun to fish and usually the most effective way to catch lots of nice fish in the wintertime.
The most enjoyable wintertime midge fishing, when you can find it are the hatches themselves, when you can fish dry flies or emergers right in the surface film. You'll see big noses poking through the flat water, sipping in midge emergers and also the adult midges that are flitting around on the water's surface. In many instances you cannot even see the bugs from your fishing position, but take a close look in the surface film and you'll be able to see exactly what the fish are taking. Then it's just the simple matter of matching what you see with what you have in your fly box. The size is the most critical thing, then color. Most of the emerging midge pupa you'll see on the creeks are going to be shades of gray, black and off white.
Using one of the smaller insect collecting nets is helpful in looking at the stuff you'll find in the surface film. Another terrific way to determine exactly what the fish are feeding on is to pump the stomach of a fish, provided you can catch one!
In terms of good wintertime midge patterns, I love several of the Rene' Harrop dry midge patterns like the Lt. Gray CDC Emerging Midge, the Gray CDC Hanging Midge, and the CDC Transitional Midge, all in sizes 20-24. Our gray CDC midge emerger with a z-lon trailing shuck is another great fly to fish dry in sizes 20-22.
For emergers, my all time favorite is Rene' Harrop's Gray CDC Biot Midge Emerger in sizes 18-22. This fly is designed to ride low in the surface film, so it's tough to see, but it's deadly. No self-respecting spring creek trout can pass this up whenever there are any midges hatching. You won't be able to see it on the water, so get a feel where your fly is and set the hook whenever you see a fish rise in the neighborhood.
Other good emergers are the black biot midge larva, a copper nymph, the Black UV midge emerger, and different colors of the bead head zebra midges.
For adults, maybe the best pattern and the easiest one to see is a Griffith Gnat in sizes 20-22. Harrop's gray Adult midge in 20-24 is a killer also.
Much of the time you'll want to be fishing midge larva, especially where there are no midges to be found on the surface or any rising fish. You can fish these patterns without any weight in water that is less than a foot, but try a small lead micro-shot a foot and a half above the fly in runs where you need to get the fly down a couple of feet.
Our best midge larva patterns are thin, and most midge larva you'll find in the creeks are shades of olive, white, brown, red, or even black. Sometimes you'll find bright red midge larva in areas with less oxygen (the sides of the slow deep runs), or white midge larva in habitat with lots of oxygen (head of the riffle). Fish can really key in these colors, so make sure you have a few in your fly box.
Here are some of our favorite midge larva patterns for the Creeks: Rick's #18 Olive Midge Larva Rick's #18 Olive Lace Larva #18 and #20 Miracle Nymphs #18 Red Epoxy Head Midge
#18 or 20 Black Zebra Midge
So now you know the drill. If it's a halfway decent day you can avoid a severe case of cabin fever by grabbing your favorite #3 or #4 line rod, heading for the spring creeks and experiencing THE RETURN OF THE MIDGE. Just make sure to give us a call and ask about current conditions first, or better yet, stop by the shop... We'll give you a map and highlight all the honey holes for you.
Bighorn River - January 9th, 2007
supplied by: Montana Troutfitters FISHING: Good
The Bighorn is another winter fishery, at least as far as I'm concerned this is better in the off season, with less people, boats, and just as many fish. Don't confuse the offseason with fishing being worse, it's just less travelers. Midge larvae, some small mayfly nymphs, soft hackles, scuds and sow bugs, and a few big san juan worms, that should round out your needs for flies. Take along a few indicators and some microshot and you should be set. Concentrate on the first stretch of the river below afterbay because of the water temps being the most constant.
Kootenai River - June 2nd, 2006
supplied by: Kootenai River Outfitters RECORDED:85 °FISHING: Excellent
Koot is high but fishing well. Expect good flows all summer steadily decreasing as the season goes by. Water is clear bugs are out. Caddis and even some reports of PMD's. Real early though. Looks to be a great weekend. Look for fish tight against the banks, in the back eddies and channels and the softer water. Throw streamers, caddis pupas / emergers. Nymph deep and be stealthy!
Tribs are just awesome right now. Drakes, Salomonflies, Golden Stones are all out. This is a two or three week window at best folks. The higher up into water sheds the better right now but as the next week or two go by water will be lowering and the bugs will slowly move down river. Water is still running high but dropping quick as most of the snow pack has melted. Throw streamers and nymphs deep in the pools during the sunny part of the day. If you get into rising fish a Green Drake Cripple has been deadly. Some very nice fish are being caught now and that should continue for the next couple of weeks. I can't stress enough that this is some of the BEST fishing of the year. Right now. Get out and fish!
Rock Creek - October 31st, 2005
supplied by: The Kingfisher FISHING: Great
River Levels [click here] Rock Creek Montana FWP Guide [click here]
Tandem nymph rigs that include red or Barbie San Juan worms right off the bottom will work today. The streamer action on the lower 1/3 of the river has been productive with yellow and other light colored buggers and bunnies. Don't expect that to last too much longer. Rock Creek is a great mid winter fishery on nymphs as long as the road stays managable.
HATCHES: Baetis, midges. FLIES: Wulffs, adams, comparaduns, thorax ties, etc... Keep these in the 14 to 18 range and you'll be fine. Smaller bunny flies and buggers in natural colors. San Juan worms and bigger stonefly nymphs. WEATHER: Today: Isolated rain showers early in the morning...then rain showers likely. Highs in the mid 40s to lower 50s. Southwest winds to 15 mph. Tonight: Rain showers likely. Lows in the mid 30s to lower 40s. Southwest winds to 15 mph. Tuesday: Slight chance of rain showers. Mostly cloudy. Highs in the mid 50s to lower 60s. South winds to 15 mph. Tuesday night: Chance of rain showers. Mostly cloudy. Lows in the 30s to lower 40s. Breezy with south winds 15 to 25 mph. Wednesday: Rain showers likely. Highs in the upper 40s to mid 50s. Southwest winds to 15 mph. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: We update our hatch reports DAILY from March 15th to October 31st religiously! This year we missed updating only one day. Last year it was 4 days. Beginning November 1st, the reports will be updated occasionally as conditions warrent. Not much to say really other than baetis fading by mid November then midges until March. We hope you've found these reports helpful this past year and that you'll look for them when the fishing gets going again next March! Thanks VERY much for the positive feedback, it means a lot when these things are being written at 3:30 or 4 in the morning during July/August . . . especially when the fishing SUCKS and we readily report that!
Stillwater River - September 21st, 2005
supplied by: Montana Troutfitters FISHING: Good
Fishing has slowed down a bit, but is still good. Flows are fluctuating in the 400cfs range, so floating is a tough proposition right now. The upper section is not doable for floating, so if you're going to float, plan on putting in below the Rosebud confluence below Absarokee. Various hopper patterns, Yellow Stimulators, Madame X, Yellow Humpys, Hi-vis Parachute Adams, continue to take fish "on top". A "dry dropper rig," with something flashy with a beadhead like a Copper John, BH Prince Nymph, Lightning Bug, or Flashback PT, will also take fish. Olive, brown and black bugger streamer patterns should also produce fish in the runs and deeper pools. There are also occasional PMD and Caddis hatches later in the day. The nights have been cooling off nicely, so no need to hit the water too early. It will soon be time for the Browns to start to move up out of the Yellowstone. A 3-4 pound, 24" Brown was recently taken out of the West Rosebud. Regards, Chris
Milesnick Spring Creek - May 28th, 2005
supplied by: Great Yellowstone Flyfishers FISHING: Good Stream Flow: n/a
River Conditions: n/a
Hatches: BWO's
Flies: Caddis larve, BWO emergers and small stone fly nymphs
Nymphs: Caddis pupa tan #16, Super green caddis larve #16, Pulsating caddis tan #16, RS-2 gray #18, Baetis wonder nymph #16-18, Soft hackle copper john #16
Streamers: Small black wolly bugger black #10, Super daves bugger #10, Bow river bugger #10
Fishing Conditions & Comments: We got some recent good reports from the M-Z. One of our guides took a 26in Brown yesterday! It is definetly the BEST option right now and the fishing will be great! Call our shop 585-5321 for their number!
Soda Butte Creek - September 19th, 2003
supplied by: Great Yellowstone Flyfishers FISHING: Good
Hatches The BWO hatch has been great recently with the terrestrials to follow on warmer days. Look for size 20 black flying ants along with a larger 14-16 cinnamon fly ant. Fish love these little guys so be sure to have some in your box.
Dry Flies: BWO Sparkle Dun #14-20, BWO Cripple #14-18, Parachute BWO #14-20, BWO Emergers #14-18, Foam Beetles #12-14, Black or Cinnamon Ants #14-20 in both flying and traditional ties. Nymphs: San Juan Worms 8, Lightning Bugs 12-18, Copper Johns 12-18, Princes 8-12, Hare's Ear or FB Hare's Ear #12-16, Sparkle Pupa #12-16.
Streamers: Try Black Wooly Buggers 4-8 and Black Leeches 6-8.
Fishing Conditions & Comments Soda Butte is fishing well, but is being fished hard by lots of fishermen. Attractor Dries are working well, and make great indicator flies for the small BWOs.
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