As a point of interest, there has been a slight uptick in the number of seismic events (that’s earthquakes for our relatives in Texas) in Yellowstone over the past weekend. 

Yellowstone is obviously one of the most seismically active places in the world, and is closely monitored by those crafty geophysicists and seismologists with an interest in the area.  The link will take you to the University of Utah’s seismology site’s Yellowstone map which can be update with a simple click (that’s one mouse click for those relatives again). 

I wonder if the ice creaked and groaned on the Lake when these tremors rumbled through?

This should shake some of the Yellowstone Caldera and the Coming End of the World folks out of their closets again…

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It’s winter in Montana.  It’s a cold winter in Montana.  Even with yesterday’s Chinook like weather, many of the rivers are sporting a layer of ice on their legendary waters.  The Yellowstone leads the pack for cold, risky to fish rivers in our neighborhood.  Cold, windy, icy… what can I say?  Don’t go?  Streamer fishing is over and the nymphing is difficult and slow with all of the shelf ice limiting access. 

We’d put our money on the Spring Creeks right now, they’ve basically been ghost towns of late and fees are at their lowest point of the year.  It’s still cold, but they’re fishing pretty well for those willing to work hard for it. 

Or stay at home and tie flies, getting ready for next season.  Go out for drinks with buddies.  Dream about bonefish in Belize.  There are simply better things to do with your time right now than freeze to death on the banks of the Yellowstone.  Save her for next season or at least the spring melt out which still seems a long ways away with a new storm due today. 

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“The real sportsman does not hesitate to dress his share of the trout or to scour the dirty dishes in the sand. He helps the less-experienced angler in any way that he can and does not fear the competition that may result. There is a brotherhood among anglers.” - Ernest G. Schwiebert, Jr

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Another one of our New Year’s resolutions here at Best Fly Fishing Yellowstone is to help you figure out how things work; the natural world is full of wonder.   

For instance, there are a lot of misconceptions floating around (no pun intended) as to how tsunamis get started.  Sure, they may be caused by undersea earthquakes or volcanic activity, but most are caused by overweight Americans diving into pools and the ocean. 

Many folks are intrigued by the weather, as are we.  Wind is of interest to the fly fisherman, and here’s a layman’s wind measurement tool that a friend in friend in Wyoming gave us.  It has never failed us yet. 

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“The solution to any problem — work, love, money, whatever — is to go fishing, and the worse the problem, the longer the trip should be.” - John Gierarch

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We’ve had quite a few emails asking about the recent snow and snowpack conditions; Bozeman got about 12 inches Christmas night and yesterday morning.  Big Sky is reporting 10 inches new over the past 48 hours and Bridger Bowl received 12 inches in the past 24 hours.  The powder light is flashing downtown.

We’ll update snow pack early next week…

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It’s been cold, cold, cold over on the Missouri this December – even the old timers have been talking about the chill in the air (and water).  Times may be a changin’ over the next few days – it’s forecast to be in the mid-30’s in both Helena and Great Falls through Monday with cooling to the high twenties on Tuesday. 

Sounds like wind will be an issue today, but tomorrow and Monday sound like plausible river days. 

Our buddy Steve from this neck of the woods is visiting family in Florida and apparently even getting a little fishing in; he’s promised to send pics of some nice Redfish and a couple of bones too.  He said he may not come back until March if he can charter a few runs with Guide Gina.  Read about her fly fishing for reds here…

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“The recollection of what has been and the anticipation of what is to be; the quiet discourse of men with like tastes, of past successes and of anticipated triumphs; reminiscences of river and lake and forest and camp-fire, make up a series of prospective and retrospective pleasures akin to those experienced by the old soldier fondling his trust matchlock and “fighting his battles o’er again.” - George Dawson

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If it seems to you that most area rivers are looking unusually slushy and icy, well, you are right.  Even the Bighorn, which usually stays clear of most slush throughout the winter, is looking pretty damn cold.  It looks like temperatures will be moderating in the next week – we shall see – but, regardless, there is still some decent fishing to be had on the Bighorn.  Just remember your hand warmers, wind shells and something fleecy and warm.

Fishing has been decent on nymphs and pretty good on streamers.  Look to use little nymphs on the faster (hence slush free) water and darker colored streamers in the deep runs.  Baetis nymphs, Sow Bugs, San Juan Worms, and Scuds are working just under the surface.  Weeds are still a bit of an issue but improving. 

The Browns spawn late on the Bighorn and anglers could see them well into January – don’t bother the trout while they are on the gravel beds, but be ready to fish right below the gravel… the fish are there, just be patient.

Flows are up 50 cfs from this time last week; this morning flows near St. Xavier were 2360 cfs, with today’s average 2650 cfs.

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“If you are a passionate angler, the chances are that someone caused you to be that by hooking you on fishing when you were young. Those of us who are hooked young, by someone who knows what he (or she) is doing, rarely get off, and often we turn into fishers of kids ourselves. ” - Charles Gaines “The Next Valley Over”

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