Lots of caddis in the afternoon today.  There was a period for about 1/2 an hour when the fish were snacking HARD on caddis.  The wind was dead calm, the sun was warming the rip-rap rocks, and the fish were like sharks in a chum line.  The rest of the float was relatively uneventful which isn't uncommon on bright days.  I suppose if we saw a blanket hatch they would have gone nuts, but most the fish we caught were smaller cuthroat and browns on a small caddis dropper - about a size 16.  We did get some eats on the big elk hair as well, but definitely not as many.  Huh - go figure.  Swept some seams with some streamers and picked up a nice rainbow but big daddy brown was still hiding from getting poked a few days before.  Wasn't a streamer day anyway, but it never hurts to practice if the dry fly fishing isn't red hot.  

With some sunny days ahead of us, this weekend should be killer.  I'd highly suggest getting out there before the mud hits.  The caddis should get thicker in the evenings, so see if the boss will let you off an hour early if you make it up next week... 

Floated a 1/2 day today.  We knew we were up against the elements, namely a brisk east wind, rain, and no caddis.  Despite all that, the dry fly fishing was actually quite good during the less windy windows.  There were tons of March Browns and baetis on the water, but the fish were keying in on the bigger bugs.  We got quite a few trout to eat an elk hair caddis, I think you could have been throwing lime trudes and done just as well.  The visibility decreased some by the time we pulled out - maybe only a couple feet.  We through some streamers for a while and had a nice brown on for a while but he got into the fast current and spit the hook.  Another brown chased and pounced on a streamer very close to the boat.  No hook up on him, but he was THICK between the eyes!  Tomorrow looks tough for caddis but should fish like today with dries and streamers.  

Today we are up against some rain and 15-20 mph wind from the east.  Visibility is good however, somewhere between three and half to four feet.  Tiny green tint to it, making streamer fishing a good option if you can handle the wind.  Not many boats at 9th street today, that's for sure!

This buck clobbered a big Elk Hair 

Dain T. Pouring it on!

Photos:  Doug Mcknight

The fishing over the weekend turned out surprisingly solid on dries.  River clarity is hanging in there, we suffered a small spike last night but already the river is back in shape and looking good.  You'll definitely want to get your fishing in soon however, because runoff is nipping at our heels.  As soon as we get a few days in the high 60's / low 70's the snow pack will come gushing down and the river will ripping with mud for a month or so.  This week looks safe enough for some more dry fly fishing.  As the clarity begins to decrease and the fish aren't rising as often, try dredging with your streamer rod.     

Mother Nature certainly has been teasing us this year.  Either this year is going to be a very light emergence, or most of the caddis are yet to come.  I saw maybe a couple hundred below DePuy's and a few here and there in town.  Keep forgetting the thermometer but its got to be close to 52 or better.  The good news is the river is in  great shape, plenty of visibility for fish to eat dries.  Sometimes the fishing is actually better when you don't see a ton of bugs.  Look for fish working the edges of the rip rap and row hard to get your buddy some good shots.  If you see a fish taking caddis, you should be able to force feed him within 4 or 5 casts.  Since the water is pretty clear right now, try to cast well down stream from the boat to avoid a big fish seeing your approach.  Often the best move is to pass a rising fish, pull in below him, get out and throw a few casts over his back.  Chances are you'll stick him right in the nose!  Don't forget some high vis patterns, the fish will be eating dries well after you're squinting in the dust to see your fly... 

Yellowstone Caddis Hatch Trout Buffet

(Hours 6:00 Am - 10:PM)

Skittering Caddis peppered with a hint of Midge  .............................. $2.15

Glazed Goddard smothered in Gink Silicone and Frog's Fanny   ................................$2.15

Fresh Caddis Larva Sashimi served with River Wakame .........................$1.95

Tangerine Baetis Nymphs Poppers  .................$1.95

Seared Golden Stone (Veal cut) ..........$2.25

Tossed Green Drake Salad with split shot croutons  .................$2.25

March Brown Special served on a bed of fresh Caddis Caviar  ....................$2.50

Golden Salmonfly Sandwich served with Pickled Caddis Caviar  ......................$3.95

 

What a day to fish!  The river looks absolutely gin, no george "W" so far, and warm enough temps for caddis this evening.  I didn't see bugs by noon, but I didn't really take a very close look either.  Tonight looks cold, which should keep the river from getting muddy for now.  Tomorrow looks like a slammer day to be on the water as well...

Talk about getting jerked around like a yo-yo!  The caddis (and fish) are probably just as confused as we are.  Waking up to 3 inches of snow isn't fun if you're a angler, but I'm guessing a lot less fun if you are a caddis fly!  On the plus side, however, the river is looking extremely clear today - almost 4 feet of vis.  That might change as lower elevation snow melts and enters the river, but hopefully it won't be chocolate.  Either way, this weekend is looking tough for caddis, but good for streamer fishing and baetis/MB's.  Don't forget your gloves and hat!

If you haven't been over here the last couple days, you haven't missed much.  Today the sun was out early, but eventually the clouds took over and the snow started falling.  There would have been a decent chance for baetis and MB's if the wind hadn't rolled in with the front.  But hey, can't complain about that, we'll take all the moisture we can get right!?  Saturday looks like the day to float with a high of 50 and partly sunny.  Sunday is calling for a high 53 with 30% showers.  Your dry fly rod has a good chance for the starting line up, although I bet your streamer rod won't be bench warming all day either... 

Caddis slide show

The weather man hasn't exactly been batting 400 lately, but he is calling for more streamer weather.  Seems like the mornings have been better streamer fishing with darker skies and cloud cover.  Afternoons have been a better chance for sun and bugs.   Got to deal with the cards we've been dealt I suppose.  Today that hand is some royal WIND!  Still, I saw at a few hundred caddis crawling on the rocks, many mating with attached tails.  Only saw one baetis who was hanging on for dear life, there were some midges too, but they were hiding out of the wind under the loose rocks.  No risers but the visibility was incredibly good for this time of year.  Be patient, I think good things are to come over this way... 

The game is on!  Today was the first day of good dry fly fishing that we've had since the cold spell.  Although the forecast is calling for more snow, I'd certainly make sure you have a 4 or 5 weight cocked and loaded in the boat.  Flows are ripping along well through town - that type of water is probably best fished with an Elk Hair caddis, or a pattern that won't sink as easy.  If you are hitting up the Valley, I'd probably go with a Hemingway or a Butch caddis.  There spot on for both color and shape of Brachycentrus Occidentalis.   If you're headed down low prepare for a some chocolate milk coming blending in from the Shields...  This is the time to get out there and fish.  Call the boss, we heard there's a serious case of Brachycentrus going around.  "Hmm... you know I never did end up taking that powder day..."

Hey there little buddies... hang tight when that CFS hits 20 G's and we'll see you next year!  The plethora of bugs is definitely yet to pop.  Usually when you flip over a rock this time of year, you'll see hundreds of these alien brains attached.  Certainly a healthy number of caddis have already popped in and below town last week, (although they have since been blown to central North Dakota).  Looks like more rain and snow at least until Wednesday which is awesome for streamer fisherman, but not so hot for the hatch hunters.  The visibility was excellent today - "green is good" and ready to rumble.  I'd throw white, that definitely seemed to catch their attention better than anything else yesterday, but as the river clears olive and brown should be good too...

More Pics of "Sha nay nay"

Sorry bird watches, no photos of swallows today!  This beast of a hen crushed the streamer, perhaps 25 feet off the bank.  I'm not sure if she followed it out from in tight or not but she definitely felt like the bottom at first.  Marcus turned around to see what all the commotion was about to see my rod bent in half and a monster brown thrashing around like a gator.  The fight wasn't what you'd expect, more or less 30 seconds of fear and loathing until Marcus got her in the net.  Hank called her a "Day Ruiner" but for me it was the fish of a lifetime.  We taped her at 27 and change with a girth of 16!  

Obviously the day went down hill from that but we managed to put a few other nice ones in the net, an 18, a 19, an 20 got off... Mostly browns and all on streamers.  We saw one march brown, zero caddis, zero baetis, and the birds were back on the midges.  Visibility was between a foot and half to two feet.  Got to love Mother's day Caddis Hatch!  (Even if you don't see a caddis all day)...   

The wind was absolutely ripping today.  It was snowing pretty hard around Livingston and the fish were definitely not on.  I saw one rise in the shields, which was equally colored up as the Jelly, maybe a foot and a half to two.  Seems like yesterday's rain spiked the stone a bit, but looking at the charts, it is back on its way down.  Between 40 mph gusts a slung a streamer close to the rip rap but didn't move a thing.  Chalk another one up for paying my dues I guess.  I did see some caddis eggs under the few rocks I turned.  Nothing crazy, just globs or 4 or 5 or so here and there.  The only consistent activity I saw were birds picking bugs off the surface.  They were prowling along the rip rap to stay out of the heavy wind.  At first I was excited, thinking that baetis were coming off, but after looking more closely they were eating midges.  I don't have much hope for tomorrow, but with the Stone you never know... 

Sharpen up those size twos and one oughts - the streamer fishing is looking awfully good this week!  This nasty forecast was the exact kind of weather when we nailed the big ones last year.  The time to dead drift a sculpin is well behind us now, I'd go straight into your bugger barn and take out whatever looks like a slightly malnourished, winter withered rainbow or brown and tie it on with 02x!   The visibility hasn't gotten much better from yesterday, but is still between 2 and 3 feet of visibility - perfect for big fish hunting.  Slap the banks hard and make your fly look like lame lamb in the flock...