YNP has released a news post today detailed the facts surrounding the second death of a black bear in the Park this year.  Apparently over the past few weeks the bear had become increasingly aggressive in the Hellroaring and Yellowstone River drainages, taking food from backpackers’ packs.  The bear evaded multiple traps over a period of days, and was observed yesterday afternoon “in the act of ripping into the packs of a large group of backcountry hikers”. 

The news release reports further –

Based on his aggressive behavior, lack of fear of people, and its success at getting human food, the decision was made to immediately euthanize the bear.  The area was cleared of all visitors and the bear was shot.

There has been discussion in multiple venues about the more aggressive and visible bear behavior this year.  The Park staffs’ commentary sums it up pretty well –

Due to deep snows last winter, in combination with the very late spring we experienced this year, many bears are in poor shape making it more likely that they will seek human foods.  Once bears become conditioned to human foods they are much more likely to damage property and injure people in their efforts to obtain human foods.

We’d urge several action points to consider here –

• A fed bear is a dead bear; don’t even think about feeding a bear, and protect your food thoughtfully and carefully.  We see coolers left in the back of trucks every where we stop to fish in the Park.  Don’t. 
• Stay a safe distance from bears in the Park and the region at all times (one hundred yards or better).
• Study up on bear safety – there are lots of sources (we even have a category about it on the site here). 
• Bear spray isn’t perfect, but get canisters for all of your group, practice drawing and arming, and have it handy when in the backcountry. 
• Want more than bear spray?  You can’t carry legally in the Park, but for the region the choice is clearly a lightweight 44 mag.  Seems we’ve gathered a hoard of hunter and fisher stories lately of bear spray failures leading to use of sidearm to spook away or take a charging grizzly down.  We’ll have to share some this summer or fall – they’re pretty interesting to ponder. 

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As an aside, yes, we do have some culture here in Montana.  There aren’t many places you can have high tea served (it would be a very doubtful proposition in West Yellowstone), but most of the population in the state can read, we can color in the lines when we have to, and we even have libraries in most communities.  Bozeman’s new library is in fact quite impressive.  Heck, we even have some institutions of higher learning in the state. 

We are blessed to have one of the top notch Shakespearian theatre groups in the nation based right in Bozeman – Montana’s Shakespeare in the Parks.  This summer they are offering performances – for free - of Macbeth and All’s Well That End’s Well.  The troupe will be in West Yellowstone Saturday, and will perform All’s Well That Ends Well on the Library Lawn at 6 pm.    For those of you who would rather feast on a very good Macbeth performance, the troupe will be in Bozeman on Friday the 25th performing at Valley West at 6 pm.  You can fish the Gallatin and even go right to the performance in your fishing gear;  we’re pretty casual here in Bozeman. 

Yes, there will be a fine caddis hatch on the Madison Saturday evening, but the people hatch in West is just as interesting (if not more so in some respects), and you can boast to your friends back home that you met Shakespeare (not the tackle manufacturer, either) in West Yellowstone.  Hey, everybody comes to West to fish during the season, even some of the old dead guys.   

Just last week we saw Elvis in a pair of blue waders wandering out of a pub in West……

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There are so many wading boot manufacturers out there to count, and it seems like more and more and cropping up.  While some fisherman tend to get caught up in the “I have____ brand boots, what are yours?” and like to flash brand names around, most of us have other priorities on our minds on the river.  Like, oh yeah, actually… fishing.  Just for the sake of discussion, though, let’s take a sweeping view of some of the main wading boot manufacturers out there and what useful gear they are making for us.

I sell wading boots in my day job here in Bozeman, and of course try to steer my customers to the highest quality boots in their price range.  Economic times what they are - people are looking for great value these days, and this post is written with that principle in mind. 

Often considered an entry level boot, Hodgman has been around forever, and still makes a pretty good product.  Most of their boots are a blend of canvas and synthetic leather construction, and they use nice, thick felt soles.  Hodgman is coming out with more boots with a more upper-end construction, such as the Wadetech wading shoe, which features a lightweight, sturdy mesh and PVC build and a mild price of $74.99.  With average prices ranging between $34.99 and $74.99 Hodgman wading boots are an excellent choice for new fisherman.

Bite and Chota, both relatively (in the grand scheme of things) new on the wading boot scene, are bringing with them some new and fun angles on the wading boot.  Bite wading boots and sandals feature felt soles only on the forefoot and heel of the sole, and a very, very stiff ridge reaching from the sole to about 1” upwards.  This ridge provides protection from stubbed toes, rock rubs, and other river accidents.  Bite products range from $54.99 to $129.99.  Chota has helped bring along black felt technology, which we discussed in an earlier posting.  Black felt lasts much longer, is sturdier, and also a bit ‘stickier’ than traditional white felt.  Chota boots range from $49.99 to $119.99.

Korkers, who we also discussed in an earlier post, bring removable and changeable soles to the market.  Without question the most popular new technology out there, Korkers changeable soles allow angler to hike in with a rubber soled show, quickly change to felt to fish, and then change back again for the hike out.  Korkers also has many other soles available; pretty much whatever you need soles for, they have them (even, believe it or not, golfing soles!)  Korkers retail prices range from $79.99 to $159.99.

There are many other venerable, high quality brands out there today that I have not touched on.  Orvis, Strouds, Simms (a Bozeman company!), and Patagonia – these are just a few of the other wading boot manufacturers who make unique and quality products.  One of the guys I fish with has just glued his Patagonia boots back together for their fourth season – a record for him.    Keep looking for the wading boot that fits your needs and, oh yeah, your feet.  It’s out there somewhere!

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There are still a few spinners around in the mornings, but the hatch has waned quite a bit at this point.  There are a few terrestrials around – we’re not seeing or hearing reports of lots of hoppers, but there have been beetles and ants on the water during the day. 

It’s pretty much a given that the Madison is fishing much better out of the Park right now, and if we were making the trip to the Park today, we’d probably wait and fish the Caddis hatch for an hour either side of dusk, it’s been a healthy hatch that’s still going strong. 

If there isn’t hatch activity present, you could throw streamers or double nymph rigs (deep in the slots), but we’d head for more active water this time of year, and come back for the Caddis in the evening.

Flows this morning near West (0515) were 486 cfs, with today’s average 462 cfs.

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Flies to have in the box:

Dries:  Caddis - EHC, X Caddis, Electric Caddis, EC Caddis, CDC Caddis, Spent Caddis - tan, olive, black; PMD – Parachute PMD, PMD Sparkle Dun, Harrop PMD; Yellow Sally – Headlight, Glasstail

Nymphs: PT; BHPT; BH Hares Ear, Copper John, olive; BH Prince; Lightning bugs, gold, silver, green/olive;  PMD Wonder nymph, Electric Yellow Micro Mayfly

Terrestrials: Beetles, Ants;  waiting on the hoppers

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

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Another evening Yellowstone fix - the Madison last week just about sundown, and a very young elk calf with mom along the Madison.  Sorry about the picture quality on the elk calf, it was just about dark they were a fair ways off…

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One thing quickly becoming more and more prevalent is the use of black felt on wading boots – made popular by the brand Chota.  This black felt is simply a regular felt sole infused with a rubber compound.  As a result, the soles tend to last longer than traditional white ones, and also are to be easier to clean.  Some manufacturers are even building in a layer of anti-fungal into the black soles, which can be a great boon in you fish in many different waters, helping to prevent cross-contamination.

Probably the new trend in wading boots that has been the most revolutionary has been the invention of changeable outsoles.  Who are hasn’t hiked in to a river, wincing at every step as the felt soles on your boots were chewed to pieces?  Or considered buying another pair of boots for winter, sick of gaining three inches of height as the ice built up on your felt soles?  (Been there, done that.)  Brought onto the market by Korkers, changeable-soled wading boots are the new rage.  Within minutes, one can switch from rubber to felt, then back again.  Soles with studs are available in both rubber and felt, as well as several other “non-fishing” soles, such as a boat sole and an aquastealth sole.  Truly a multi-purpose boot.

Another new development worth talking about is the use of “Boa” systems.  Simply a stainless steel cable attached to a twisting reel, Boa systems are being used more and more by manufacturers.  It is literally impossible for a Boa system to become untied while you are out fishing; you must pull out the reel to release the system.  Quick, easy, and clean- definitely look to see the Boa system more in the future.  (There’s a picture of a boa system boot with yesterday’s post.)

So, whether you are a novice or a life-long fisherman, the new advances in wading boot technology are definitely worth taking a look at.  Manufacturers are finding ways to solve many problems that have plagued fisherman for years; and the addition of these new boots may just make your time on the river that much more enjoyable.  (Although, really, when you are out on the river catching a spectacular evening rise, why would you be thinking about your feet?)

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I was off yesterday afternoon but had to stay in town for some errands - this was the first of two hail storms we had in town yesterday.  Would have made an interesting afternoon on the Madison or Yellowstone in a drift boat….

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What a difference a year and a decent snow pack makes;  flows are a little below average this week, but so much better than the last few seasons.  The system has fished well again this week, though summer heat will begin to have an impact during the long afternoons.  Don’t forget that the forest and plains surrounding the river are still quite dry, and fire season precautions are in order. 

 Looks like another pretty morning this morning on the river from the web cam shot above.

Flows today at Island Park (0730) were 1040 cfs with today’s average 1250 cfs. 

The Box Canyon – nymphing well, with the dry fly guys are seeing some caddis (late morning), and are still turning a few heads with Yellow Stims / Yellow Sallies, and Golden Stones. 

Harriman and Last Chance – PMDs, Caddis, Flavs and rusty spinners are the go to bugs, Drakes are on the wane. 

Riverside CG to Ashton – still offering caddis, Golden Stones, and Yellow Sallies for those willing to expend a little more effort. 

Ashton and Points Downstream –the summer pattern of better morning and evenings prevails, with PMDs, Caddis, and a few Golden Stones still on the menu.  Green Drakes are about done from what we’ve heard. 

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Flies to Have in the Box:

Dries:  Mayflies – PMD – your favorite, include a cripple; CDC Biot Flav Emerger and cripple; have Green and Brown Drakes just in case; Caddis – X Caddis, tan and gray, Henry’s Fork Caddis, EHC, Headlight Caddis

Nymphs:  Prince, BH Prince, Montana Prince, PT, BHPT, Copper John (red and copper), Lightning Bugs, various, Green Drake nymph, CDC Bubble back Caddis Pupa

Terrestrials:  Ants and Beetles, Hoppers soon!

Streamers: Woolly buggers, assorted colors; Sculpins - Coneheads, Sheilas; Zonkers, olive; Slump Busters, olive; Double Bunnies, white; Leeches, BH peacock; Clousers – chartreuse, light brite

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Due to the rather spectacular storm that passed through the region last night, however, the Lamar will likely be high and pretty dang muddy for a few days.  (Hopefully no one was out tent camping or was caught out on the river yesterday afternoon… wow!)

If you must get on the Lamar, we’d try for some slower pools – these have been the most productive until the water drops and clears.  Streamers and nymphing the obvious locations still probably makes sense, as does a run with your attractor arsenal – Stims / PMX’s / Trudes, etc.  Be ready for PMDs and Caddis.  

Flows today near Tower (0815) are 1460 cfs, with today’s average 745 cfs. 

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Flies to Have in the Box

Dries:  PMDs - parachute, sparkle dun, sprout, cripple, CDC Emerger, PMX - yellow, peacock, royal; Paradrake, gray, green/olive; Parachute Adams; Lime Trude; X-caddis (higher); Royal Trudes (higher); Stimulator, olive, yellow; Humpy, yellow; Parachute Caddis

Nymphs:  BH PT; Prince and BH Prince; Micro Mayfly, olive, black; Barr’s PMD Emerger; small brown caddis nymphs

Streamers:  Woolly Buggers, brown, black, olive (smaller); Sparkle Buggers, same colors

Terrestrials:  Beetles, Ants - Chernobyl, ParaAnt, black and cinnamon; early for hoppers

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