The Firehole has been pretty steady this past week, basking in the sunshine of a week with above normal daytime temperature and little if any rainfall.

The Firehole’s flow rate today at 0600 near Madison junction was 221 cfs, with today’s mean 263 cfs, and the 20% marker 239 cfs.  She’s been pretty steady in this range for the past week;  there’s been no meaningful rain in the drainage this past week (showers in the area yesterday afternoon and evening). 

Water temps on the upper river have looked much better all week - at the upper Firehole gauge station near Old Faithful peak temps have been 60 or less all week.  The lower river below the canyon is still heating up quite high during the sunny days - temps have been in the range of 71 - 72 almost every day last week. 

For this warm and sunny weekend coming - smaller terrestrials (mainly hoppers) and attractors with droppers probably make the most sense;  with a smaller tan caddis prominent in the afternoons and early evenings, as well as a few small (18-20) midges.  Baetis (and Mahoganies) will be available on the cloudy and overcast days - looks from the forecast like that won’t happen until at least Monday / Tuesday. 

The Firehole is at this point a cool cloudy day and morning fishery - we’d still suggest other waters on the sunny afternoons, and you shouldn’t be on the Firehole in the canyon or below at all until things cool a bit more.  It shouldn’t be long….

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Flies to have in the box:

Dries:  baetis - BWO, Blue Dun, Olive Sparkle Dun, Para-adams; Caddis - EHC, X Caddis, Electric Caddis - tan, olive, black;  Midges - Suspender midgle, disco midge, your favorites you can see; your attractor package

Nymphs: San Juan Worm, red, brown, tan; PT; BHPT; BH Hares Ear, Copper John, olive; BH Prince; Lightning bugs, gold, silver, green/olive

Terrestials: Hoppers - Grand, Whit, Dave’s, Carnage, Kicking, Hoppinator; Beetles- Fire, Foam, HiVis, Sam’s;  Ants - Chernobyl, ParaAnt, black and cinnamon, CDC Flying ant, black, brown, cinnamon; Epoxy, same colors

Streamers:  Woolly buggers, brown, yellow, olive, black; Sparkle buggers, same colors; Girdle bug; Zonkers, assorted

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