We Wanted You To Know
 

There's never a good way to share bad news.

We wanted you to know Mike Seim passed away last Wednesday, August 18th, 2010. Many of you have fished with Mike and gotten to know him through the years, and we hope you will join us in grieving his loss and sharing our memories with his family.

From the words of his obituary, "Mike was Montana. He can be seen in the rivers that he fished and the land that he hunted. His life and heart were invested in the mountains and Yellowstone country and he will be remembered in every sunrise and sunset."

He is survived by his wife Kate and their two sons, in addition to parents, step-parents, in-laws, siblings, and extended family. Our deepest sympathies are extended to everyone mourning Mike's loss.

There will be a memorial service for Mike on Wednesday night here in West Yellowstone. It is going to be a time of remembering and celebrating, and we would love to see you there. The service will be held at 7 p.m. at the Community Protestant Church on Electric Street.

We are collecting stories and pictures of Mike to present to his sons. We hope you will mail or email your letters, stories, memories, and photos this week please. Jackie's hope is to arrange these in a scrapbook to give to Kerrigan and Cormac in the near future. Please contribute anything you'd like as a gift to the Seims.

Finally, a memorial fund for his sons has been set up at First Security Bank in West Yellowstone. You may call Maggie Anderson at 406.646.7646 if you would like to make a financial contribution.

We are sending this week's newsletter in honor and in memory of Mike.

 

 Fishing Report
 Weekly Conditions and Tips

August 23, 2010 Fishing Report Craig Mathews

This past week Blue Ribbon Flies lost one of our own. Senior guide Mike Seim passed away on August 18th. Always a favorite here at BRF, Mike will be sadly missed by all his friends and clients.

This report is dedicated to his memory. A Celebration of Life remembering Mike Seim takes place this Wednesday, August 25th at 7pm in the Community Protestant Church, 505 North Electric Street, here in West Yellowstone.

Mike will be sadly missed in so many ways: his enthusiasm, hard work, love of the sport and teaching it to others, infectious laughter and huge grin.. ..and so much more.. ..

Blue Ribbon Flies would like to welcome The Federation of Fly Fishers to town this week for the international conclave. Lots of events, workshops and classes are being offered by the FFF here in town. John and I are putting on a workshop on tying effective flies for Yellowstone. I am doing an on-stream workshop on evening fishing on the Madison River and a slide presentation on fishing Yellowstone waters. See the FFF web site for more information.

The Madison River in the park is picking up as more and more pre-spawning fish enter the river from Hebgen Lake. Both brown and rainbow trout are upstream as far as Riverside Drive and can be taken on fall soft hackles like September Songs and Shakey Bieley's as well as streamers and grasshopper flies. The river below the dam is fishing well now too, mostly with nymphs like our Guide and Krystal Serendipity trailing a Brush Hog. Some hopper, beetle and ant action can be expected on sunny days. The evenings have been slow. The river below Earthquake Lake has been good during ant, beetle and bee times. The grasshoppers are beginning to show up along the river as grasses brown out on the upper benches. We will see some very good hopper fishing in the following weeks. Morning and evening midge fishing has been good and searching the water with small mayfly and midge nymphs and larvae will produce well for patient anglers. Floating anglers can expect strong hopper fishing during bright-warm-windy afternoons but, do NOT forget beetles and ants. If a fish comes to a hopper and refuses do not show it the same fly, instead change to an ant of beetle and it will come to the smaller fly.

The Firehole has been good during the Morning Midge emergence, 8-11am as well as when beetles and ants are on in the afternoon hours. Evening caddis are just getting started.

The Henry's Fork is fishing better each day. PMD's, hoppers and ants are producing well now on the RxR Ranch section.

Soda Butte is fishing well during pmd times in the morning. After lunch put on a Longhorn Beetle or Yellowstone Bee and you will connect with some very nice cutts and rainbows as well as hybrids.

The Lamar is ready during cricket, hopper and beetle times. Some of the cream colored Baetis we refer to as Slough Creek Baetis are emerging now too. Stalcup's and Guocho Crickets are required as are Charlie Boy and BRF Foam Beetles. For Baetis have a #22 sparkle dun. Evening action can be great during midge times with a #22 Improved Zelon Midge. All the same with Slough Creek but have a Griffith's Gnat Emerger, #22 dark too. The long hike into the first and second meadows are best.

The Yellowstone and Gallatin Rivers are fishing well both in and outside the park. Expect terrestrials such as those mentioned above to work well along with Baetis Cripples on overcast afternoons. Anglers willing to walk and stalk the Yellowstone above Mud Volcano can be pleasantly surprised on the right day.

Hebgen, Earthquake, Cliff, Wade and Hidden Lakes are fishing very well now. Check with us for best flies which will include Spruce Moths and Callibaetis, ants and beetles. Rent a canoe or kayak at Wilderness Edge on Cliff Lake or Wade Lake Resort on Wade Lake and have some incredible lake fishing.