The Fall River and in fact the entire SW corner of the Park is looking better again this week;  there’s been a run of at least cooler weather (not cold), and more is due this weekend.

As we shared in our Bechler Report yesterday, we spoke with a Bechler Ranger Station ranger yesterday, as well as three guides working the area, and the concensus was that as of yesterday the fall hatches were not out in great numbers - most guide groups have been keying on terrestrials, waning Tricos, and streamers. 

There is only one flow gauge on the Fall that is continuously monitored, it’s on the river outside the Park border, above the Yellowstone Canal near Squirrel, ID.  The river was flowing at 425 cfs this morning at 0545, with today’s average 624 cfs, and the 20% flow marker 457 cfs.  Flows have been fairly steady the past week.

Summer hatches have been gone for several weeks - though there are still some midges and a few caddis later in the afternoon and evening.  There are sporadic and scattered Trico spinner falls mid morning (think pools below the riffles).

Cooler and overcast weather  will foster baetis, Fall caddis, Grey Drakes, and Mahoganies - yahoo!

You still have two best choices for prospecting until the fall hatches present consistently  - a terrestrial dropper rig (hoppers, beetles and ants are working, generally smaller sizes) as well as an attractor - dropper rig.  Standard nymph droppers will work, though many folks are using smaller pheasant tails given the large number of mayfly nymphs in the water.

On the cooler morning and cooler, overcast days  consider a streamer or streamer-nymph set up too.

This area can provide some of the finest fall dry fly fishing in the Park system, and is oft overlooked.  If you’ve been in and have some firsthand information, please fire us an email and we’ll credit you for the data.

If you’re new to the site, check our How to Best Use This Site Page.

Flies to Have in the Box:

Dries:  Tricos -Trico Spinner, CDC Trico Spinner, Thorax Trico; baetis - BWO, Blue Dun, Olive Sparkle Dun, Para-adams; Caddis - EHC, X Caddis,  - tan, olive, black; Mahoganies - GTs, Sparkle Duns, Zlon cripples; Grey Drake - life cycle; your attractor package

Nymphs:  BHFBPT; SF PT; Copper John;  Caddis - Pulsating/Electric, Super Pupas; Prince / MegaPrince / BH Prince; Lightning bugs, gold, silver;

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 / Other:  Buggers - black, olive, brown, dark yellow; Bow River Bugger; Girdle Bug; Orange/brown rubberlegs

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