Hi all! Been a hot minute since we jumped online and updated things for you. It’s been very busy around here since the opener on June 15th. We had a great annual opener party and an excellent turnout in partnership with Friends of Harriman. Fishing around these parts has been decent to good depending on who you talk to. We had a nice weather system move through last the weekend which has improved the fishing here in the Ranch and given us some much needed moisture. I mean MUCH NEEDED! There’s a good blanket of snow on the peaks. The long-term forecast, however, looks like summer is coming. Most hatches are running about two weeks ahead of normal; Brown and Green Drakes are done or are close to done and we are shifting into PMDs, Flavs, Gray Drakes, and Caddis as the main hatches. I’ve got the next couple of days off to prowl around the Ranch, and hopefully have a story for ya.
BoxCanyon (1100 cfs): Angling has been pretty consistent throughout the canyon stretch. It’s mostly a nymphing game using smaller beadheads like Perdigons, PT’s, Zebra Midges, Daggers, etc, but there are still some trout looking up for Flavs, PMDs, Golden Stones and Caddis. I’m hoping we see some Gray Drakes on the lower end soon as flows continue to increase. Don’t forget the streamer box as well. Island Park Reservoir is about 73% full.
Last Chance – Harriman State Park: Hit and miss. The better fishing seems to be in the middle of the Ranch and below Osborne Bridge. It’s been very busy, but I look for the crowds to begin tapering off soon. We are seeing PMDs in good numbers, some Green Drakes, Caddis in all shapes and sizes, a few Flavs, a smattering of BWOs when the weather’s right, Tricos, Gray Drakes, some remnant Brown Drakes, and Ants and Beetles. As always, have a stocked box of various Rusty Spinners #14-18. The hatches have been solid so far this summer with good to excellent numbers of PMDs around; a sight we haven’t seen much of the last couple of years. We finally got a great report of Flavs in the upper Ranch last night after some pretty serious thunderbumpers rolled through. Again, good number of insects so far, the hard part at times has been finding the bigger fish up and eating. My advice is to walk and hunt, looking for the big fish on the feed.
Warm River to Ashton and the Lower River (1650 cfs @ Ashton, 1880 @ St Anthony): The dry fly game has slowed down considerably on the lower river, but the nymph bite has been very solid. I wouldn’t hesitate running a Golden Stone dry of your choice with a bead under it. Perdigons, PTs, Daggers, etc have been doing the trick. Water temps below Ashton Reservoir remain in pretty good shape, but the upcoming forecast is beginning to look a lot like summer. The Warm River section is always a solid bet for anglers looking to catch good numbers of trout and whitefish. Successful anglers have been running double nymph rigs and throwing streamers when the clouds are around. The shop boys have done pretty well the last few days throwing streamers on the banks and slots.
Madison River (825 cfs @ Hebgen, 931 @Kirby): The Madison is fishing quite well. We’ve had a few boats venture over the last week or so chasing Salmonflies with good success. There are also excellent hatches of PMDs and Caddis to get the fish looking up. It’s very wadable on the Madison right now in the upper stretches.
Yellowstone National Park: Your best bets in Yellowstone will be the Gardner and Gallatin Rivers right now. Have PMDs, Caddis, Green Drakes, Golden Stones and other various attractor patterns for park waters. I’m sure the Firehole and Madison were fine the last couple of days, but with warmer weather on the way water temperatures will climb back up to where it’s best to leave them alone until Fall. The Northeast Corner is shaping up, but it might take a bit more time with all of the rain and storms the region is getting right now. The upper Yellowstone River opens July 1. Expect early season conditions. I’m sure some of the usuals will get over there for the opener and give me a first-hand report.
Henry’s Lake: I haven’t heard much the last few days, but early season reports from Henry’s were very positive with folks catching good numbers of fish bobbing chironomids under an indicator or slow-stripping leeches, PTs, Scuds, Renegades and the usual Henry’s Lake fare. It’s been a very windy Spring so far, so just be careful and keep an eye on the weather. Henry’s is no place to mess around during storms.
Hebgen Lake: The gulpers have been doing their thing already with strong Callibaetis hatches, some Tricos, and Caddis. The most successful anglers are dropping Chironomids and Callibaetis nymphs off of a dry.
That’s it for now, folks. Stop in and say hello and share some success stories We’re here in the shop everyday from 7am to 7pm.
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