The Yellowstone River in the Park remains a fairly challenging target this late summer.  We have been hearing all summer that there are simply not the numbers of fish in the river this year as compared to years past.

The Yellowstone River below Seven Mile Hole remains under special regulations right now - basically the river below Seven Mile Hole is closed from 2 PM to 5 AM.   As you’ve probably read already on the site, there is an unconfirmed report out there that all restrictions in the Park, except the Firehole’s, will be lifted tomorrow.  The official declaration from headquarters has not been released as of 0930 today. 

There is some good news - the weather continues to moderate just a bit.  The Yellowstone watershed did receive over 1.5 inches of rain late last week and through the weekend, greatly helping the Columbine Fire, but muddying up the Lamar, Soda Butte, and the lower Gardner.  The Lamar’s flows are trending back down, but there is a spike this morning on the Soda Butte’s gauges.  I just checked the Coolworks Electric Peak/ Yellowstone River webcam and it looks like the river is still a bit stained this morning at 0920, but cleary better than yesterday.

Flows remain very low overall - at the Yellowstone Outlet today flows are 927 cfs (average 1910 cfs, the 20% marker is 1370 cfs).

The best strategy below Fishing Bridge right now probably is to target the ever waning early PMD hatches; otherwise you’re looking at searching with big attractors and terrestials (think big hopper) with nymph droppers, or maybe with a double nymph rig.  Evening caddis are sporadic, but can be productive, and you can fish after 2 PM on this section.  We keep hearing reports of folks seeing a few Drakes, but we suspect they are for the most part gone at this point.  This remains pretty challenging fishing - not the place for the impatient or inexperienced.   The fire camp at fishing bridge should be demobilizing this week.

Yellowstone Canyons - throw a big attractor rig or hopper with a dropper (beadhead of your choice, we still favor the old warrior the Prince).  We’ve had success with a Turck’s Tarantala as well as Stims here.   There are caddis coming off in the late evening, though the river is closed after 2 pm (see note above).

Down near Gardner (and below) we would suggest terrestials or maybe a small attractor with a dropper rig, and with the restrictions lifted off the Yellowstone from the Park to past Livingston, expect evening fishing to be good.  Don’t forget last week’s rains put the Stone off, and it may be Thursday before it’s back in prime condition. 

We have a full report available (updated yesterday) for the Yellowstone River outside the park on Best Fly Fishing Montana.

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Flies to have in the box:

Dries:  PMDs - parachute, sparkle dun, sprout, cripple, CDC emerger, PMX - yellow, peacock, royal; Parachute Adams; Lime Tude; Stimulator, olive, yellow; X-caddis; Goddard caddis;  Turck’s Tarantula; Drakes, life cycle

Nymphs:  Lightning bug, green and gold; Hares Ear, include BH;  Copper John, various colors; FB PT; SH PT; Prince - BH, your favorites

Terrestials: Hoppers - Grand, Whit, Dave’s, Carnage, Kicking  ; Beetles- Fire, Foam, HiVis, Sam’s;  Ants - Chernobyl, ParaAnt, black and cinnamon, CDC Flying ant, black, brown, cinnamon; Epoxy, same colors
 
Streamers / Others:  Wooly Buggers, brown / black, rubberlegs; Bow River Buggers; Girdle bug; Zonkers; Yuk Bug

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