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Fishing Reports |
Yellowstone National Park Fishing Report
August 29, 2003
Last Friday night we received our first fall rain and everyday since we felt the difference in the air. We are definitely moving into fall. It won’t belong and the Aspen will be turning, changing mountain side to gold.
As temperatures have been slowly declining in the past week or so, the park has opened both the Gibbon and the Madison for Fishing – with the opening of the Fire Hole readily approaching. Although these closures may have limited some of the fishing options within Yellowstone National Park, people in the know understand that these fisheries historically do not fish well until early September anyway. In one fell swoop, the rivers have again opened to fishing and with cooler temperatures becoming the norm the fish will be hitting their fall flair. Expect some very nice action on hopper patterns, mahogany’s, baetis, and several types of caddis.
The July 15th opener of the Yellowstone River from Fishing Bridge to Canyon started out fishing very well but in the last month we have seen a dramatic decline in the fishing. Fish have been caught, however, maybe not in the numbers people have come to expect from this fishery. Here in the shop, we think the downfall in the number of fish can be attributed to the high heat we received throughout July and mid-August. Of course our hypothesis is up for discussion, but we believe these high temperatures may have caused the fish to prematurely leave the river for the cooler depths of Yellowstone Lake. Furthermore, we may be seeing the effect of the aggressive nature of the Lake Trout or Mackinaw that call Yellowstone Lake home. Lake Trout are an alien species that poses a significant threat to the indigenous fish of the region. Again, with the cooler temperatures becoming more of regularity, the resident fish that have held in the Yellowstone River should become more active and their feeding more dependable.
The Lamar Valley has been fishing very well all summer long. The fishing in this region as a whole should continue to fish well as we move into the fall months. Now is a good time to think about terrestrials, hoppers, Chernoble Ants, Turck’s Tarantulas, and various other attractor patterns. The Lamar Valley also has a reliable Green and Gray Drake hatch through the early fall. Upright wing patterns such as the Ausable Wulff, Jacksons’Snake Drake, and even Royal Wulff’s should give you some consistent action throughout this time of year.
With the magnificent scenery and active fish, Yellowstone National Park can’t be beat for fabulous fall fishing.
Good Fishing
Trevor Wood and Howard Cole
