Fishing Reports

Fish Story by Richard Heusinkveld Lansing, MI

A couple of weeks ago my wife and I had the opportunity to spend 2 weeks with friends at their condo in San Pedro, Belize (Anbergreis Caye). I brought my fly rod and some flies, including some Matthews Bone Biters. The first afternoon, while lounging around the pool, I was told by another guest that he had seen fish tailing out in front of some villas that were under construction on the lagoon side of the complex (about 200 yards from my unit.) I got up early the next morning and about 10 min before sunrise (5:45 am) was standing on the porch of the end unit that was under construction (see photo). I looked down and there was a bone right below me! I stripped some line out of the end of the rod, dropped it down into the water, and with one flick of the wrist and two short strips later, had my first bone on! I had to had my rod around the pillar at the corner of the porch, back up 10 feet to get to the steps.... down the steps and onto the ground and into the water. With no one around, I had to try and hold the fish and take my own picture (see photo). What a way to catch your first bone!

A Balmy December Day on the River

Yesterday I worked until 2pm then headed home as the temps rose into the 40's for the first time in several weeks, and I knew the river would fish well.
On the drive I passed a  cow moose with her calf near Beaver Creek. I saw several bighorn sheep near the Earthquake Lake Visitor Center , then a covey of Hungarian Partridge at the entrance to High Valley Ranch. There was a herd of a dozen or so elk at the Sun Ranch which drew my attention as one was a giant bull sporting 6 points on one side and 7 on the other. By the time I drove across our bridge it was nearly 3pm but still, I stopped on the bridge to check for trout rising to midges and was not disappointed.

I hustled home, suited up and drove down to Pine Butte. At 3:30 I had my first trout on a Hi Vis Midge Cluster, a whopping 11" brown but it came up in classic head-and-tail rise to my fly. In the next hour I took a few more trout, all on dries, before the sun dipped below the far bench, temperatures dropped below freezing and I headed home. On the 10 minute drive I smiled to myself. Where else could you live and and work, see the wildlife I 'd seen this afternoon and catch wild trout on dry flies with no audience save bald eagles and wandering elk?

This morning I'm scheming to head home earlier....maybe around noon, to take advantage of another day with above freezing temps. The forecasters predict a big cold front arriving tomorrow and lasting a couple days so I'd like to get some river time in before it arrives. 

Our 2011 catalogue is off to the printers, I have tied 60 dozen flies already this month...I'm trying to justify my time off today to myself and Jackie. Stay tuned! Attached are a couple photos I took yetesterday to show how the hillsides have bared off near the river as well as a couple shots taken near home. More will follow in the weeks ahead, I promise!

P.S. If you can't see the additional photos click on the title or "view full post"

A Windy, yet Fishy Afternoon on the Madison

I had tied up a few red midge larvae this morning. One afternoon last week I was releasing a rainbow that had taken a Zelon Midge when I noticed a tiny natural bright red midge larva between the teeth of the trout. Today I wanted to try my sparkling red pattern. I had taken a couple of Rick Smith's (BRF's Minori's husband) ideas from a fly he'd shown me last winter. One he and Minori had had great success with winter fishing the Gallatin River near Big Sky.

When I got to the river at 2:30pm the truck's thermometer registered 35 and the winds came strong out of the southwest. I slugged through stiff, windblown snowdrifts to the river. I remembered this time to knot on fresh tippet and a fly before I left the house. I knew the windchill would not allow me much fishing time this afternoon.

On the second cast I had a 12" rainbow on the red larva. A 15" rainbow came to my Ghost Net on the very next cast...I scored 6 great rainbows...the best a male just over 17" sporting pre-spawning colors and jumping twice before coming to net. I sloshed another 20 yards upstream and changed fles. This time I cut back my 5x tippet  to 3x and knotted on a big brown stone. After several casts and no takers I changed back to the red midge larva and caught 3 more rainbows on the water I'd just fished through with the stone nymph. I'm tying more sparkling red larvae this evening!

As is often the case fishing December and January, on the Madison in particular, brown trout seem to  lay low. I find once the days begin to lenghten in early February and the water temps warm a degree or two brown trout become more active and key on stonefly nymphs which come from under the rocks in the late afternoon hours to graze on algae. Then too, they might be taken more readily on midge imitations both on and under the surface.

The forecast is for colder temps moving in later this week, then a warm-up by week's end. I will bring you some more fishing news, and la  few photos from the river too!

Cam and I will be filming and tying a couple fly patterns this week so get your tying gear ready and follow along!

A Quiet Afternoon on the Madison

Yesterday, December 9th, at 3p.m. I decided to check the river for trout rising to midges. I'd made a run to the dump near Palisade, glassed a couple hundred wintering elk in the valley, watched a badger dig out a snowdrift from its den entrance. I had brought along my fishing gear and hoped to put in an hour on the river since the afternoon winds had laid down and the temperature broke the freezing mark.

I called Bucky at the shop and told him I'd have a fishing report for him by 4p.m. I checked a couple midge spots but even though a few midges skittered along the shoreline I saw no risers. I put on one of our new Telstrike Indicators and knotted an Original Brown #16 $3.00 Dip without a bead behind a General Manager Nymph. Bucky has been touting the new indicators and I have to say that I now believe everything he's been saying about them. I know I took many more trout than I would have had I not been using this awesome indicator. Not only does it float well, is easy to cast and see, but the stiff hi-vis center post is so sensitive that even the most subtle-gentle takes are detected through this little addition to the simple indicator!

I took 10-11 trout, 8-9 rainbows and 2 browns from 11-17" in less than an hour and I covered only 20 yards of water. All rainbows took the GM Nymph and the 2 browns came to the $3.00 Dip. I had a wonderful time....so quiet and peaceful on the river with only the song of a Water Ouzel mixed with the soft murmer of the currents to accompany the lively splashes of the trout I brought to net!

Today, December 10th, I'd hoped to fish again but 20-25 mph winds from the north made even our long Cross-Country Ski trip a saga. Jackie and I had a tough time negotiating our trail as a huge bull moose had left its hoof prints in our skinny ski trail causing our skis to chatter/skitter as we descended down a couple steep grades. By the time we got back home at noon a new cold front had arrived in the valley and wind chills dipped into the teens....maybe Sunday! 

Fishing Report for late Sept.

Its late September in Yellowstone Country, and I’m trying to split my time between bird hunting and fishing. As it has been mentioned before we are in a transition time between hatches, the recent fair weather has kept terrestrial fishing alive.

Northeast of the park (Soda Butte, Lamar, Slough): There has been some really good ant and hopper fishing on these streams, especially when the wind has been up. The appearance of Drake Mackerels and Baetis has persisted and even on sunny days.

Madison in the Park: There are a few fish from the lake, but we have had a lot of sunny days which is not optimal for spawner fishing. A few have been taken on soft hackles and big prince nymphs or rubber legs. The White Miller Caddis have been have strong hatches as well. Soft Hackle fishing has been solid.

Firehole River: Yesterday there was a strong Baetis hatch on the Firehole. This can make the fishing technical. A pop top BWO or ICU Baetis in size 20-24 can be used to fool fish. White Millers are always prominent in September.

Madison outside the Park: The river has been on and off. We have been seeing some flying ant hatches and the hopper fishing has been hanging on. We are still eagerly awaiting the Fall Baetis. The morning has been productive with Midges.

Hebgen Lake: The cold nights have the slowed the dry fly fishing significantly, but you may still be able to find a few. It may be time to switch to sub-surface fishing.

The Morning Midge

Yesterday we climbed high above the Madison Valley in search of bugling bull elk. The morning before the sounds of bulls bugling in the harems echoed from every canyon and stream bottom in the valley and yesterday was the same. Thursday Brain Worley’s hunter scored a fine 5×6 bull at 30 yards. Friday we chased bulls for nearly 13 hours before heavy fog came in with an approaching cold front and the winds cranked up so we called it a day at 7pm. We’d covered some ground…leaving the vehicles by 6am and at 6600 foot elevation we climbed to 9600 feet before coming down. We had bulls approach to within 80 yards but couldn’t get them any closer for our bow hunter. Our bugling, cow calling and calf mewing was good, I thought, but not good enough to bring in a good bull within range.  The guides and hunters are out again this morning.

The condtions today are foggy, calm and cool. After some office work I am going looking for trout sipping Morning Midges and hopefully taking Baetis Mayflies when they emerge this afternoon. The Morning Midge action has been strong on the Madison near the West Fork along with the park’s Firehole River. Baetis action has been spotty but should get stronger with each day from this time to the end of the park’s fishing season on Nov 7th and on the Madison River in Montana until Thanksgiving. Stay tuned, I will get you a report!

Slough Creek Report

Provided by Art Hanel

Hello BRF!

Here’s the fourth of four pictures of the castle of Slough Creek.

Notable is the size of the willows.  Walking upstream from here, it was difficult to see the patrol cabin because of them.  The wolves have taken a bite, literally.  This displeases the outfitters who guide hunters of elk off the boundary this time of year.  I’ve returned to this site most years for the past 10-15 years and this was the most striking change I noticed.

Of note also, the hatches were fine and much larger / diverse than in past years.  What’s salad for elk is condos for bugs.  The bugs are happy.  The beavers had yet to dam the width of the creek.  Two partial dams were in place.  No bears were sighted.  2S2 had been opened up; two weeks prior it was closed owing to the trashing of 2S3 by the rogue black bear, which was put down and made the news.  And the weather you see is what I enjoyed for the four days I was there.

Fishing pressure was moderate.  Each of the days, two guided horseback day-trips to the cabin came in and used the corral.  The fish were wary.  The ant was the ticket.  Rises every evening and mainly sub-surface (head & tail forms).  Always looking up in the morning.  Wind from 10:00 to 18:00.

And again, thanks for your efforts with the blog.  It differentiates you from all the others.  It’s nice to see how effective flies can be cranked out in two minutes or less.

All the best,

Art Hanel

And all the best to you Art. Thanks for your time and your report!

Hebgen Lake Fly Fishing with Craig and Yvon

Craig and Yvon Chouinard fish for Gulpers on the lake

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Still not interested in lake fishing?

Fishing the Lamar River

I hiked into the the Lamar the other day and had a great time catching small cutthroat and a few nicer ones. I walked up on this run and saw a fish refuse my royal PMX size 12. After putting a size 16 PMD Sparkle dun I was able to get him. Where he  originally rose was in the middle of the screen. If you watch the center of the screen you can see the fly drop all the way on the right and the fish take it. Again not the best video work, but I hope you enjoy.

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One of the nicer fish of the day.

Cutthroat Fishing in Yellowstone

I fished the Yellowstone and was lucky to catch a great salmonfly hatch. Craig just bought a hat cam that I was testing out and haven’t quite figured out the best angle to use it. I try to hold up the fish but obviously over shot it. Forgive me. The next ones will be better I promise.

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