Blue Ribbon Flies
Weekly Fishing Report

13 May 2008

For the next several weeks, area stream conditions will make things interesting. Due to our cool-wet spring following a huge snow year we are left with a lot of snow to melt! Rivers like the Madison have not come up yet, but this week the dam keeper has announced he will bump the river's flow up at least 20%; this coupled with projected warmer temps mean we will see the river's flow reach over 1000 cfs near the West Fork. This flow is pretty "normal" for this time of the year, but it will get much higher in the following weeks, maybe as high as 3500 or even a little higher so be prepared to fish nymphs and streamers.

When the river opens this Saturday, May 17th, anglers can expect slight off-color water with average flows. I still expect to see some rising trout coming to Baetis and March Brown mayflies along with scattered midge emergences too.

The ice is beginning to leave the shoreline of Hebgen and Quake Lakes and we feel there will be some fishing, from shore, on these lakes along with Cliff and Wade Lakes too.

The Yellowstone Park general fishing season opens May 24th this year. We look for the Firehole to be high and slightly off-color then and flow so for the following week or two. We are hoping for dry fly fishing sometime late the first week of the season during Baetis and Pale Morning Dun times, maybe an evening caddis too but this is very optimistic on our part! There is tons of high country snow to come down so it will be best to check with us before making the drive into Yellowstone. On a side note, there have been up to 7 grizzlies along the river, and the bison calves are roaring around in the meadows so it is a great wildlife time too in Yellowstone Park.

This spring has seen wonderful dry fly fishing on most of our area waters, with perfect weather and water conditions to bring on some heavy mayfly and midge emergences. You might want to check out our email newsletter, if you're not already a subscriber, which gives an angling journal, more fishing information, stream conditions, hatch information, new products, fly patterns and much, much more. Simply sign up in the box above and have a look! You will enjoy the photographs too!

Stay tuned for more fishing news...

 

"You should have been here last week!"

Click below to see fishing reports from last season.

2007 Fishing Reports

Trying to remember how the fishing was before last year? Take a trip down memory lane with us and check out some of the 2006 Weekly Fishing Reports.

2006 Fishing Reports

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Good luck, have fun, and certainly stop by if you are in the area. Let's talk fishing! Call us anytime for up to the minute info.

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Blue Ribbon Flies