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Greetings!
Welcome to another Blue Ribbon Flies weekly newsletter. Thanks for tuning in. Settle in and we'll tell you what's happening around West Yellowstone and our other favorite spots, show you the fly and the material of the week, and tempt you to plan your next trip with us.
We've got a lot to show you and tell you about this week, so settle down in a comfy chair and dig in. Take a break from work or play, grab a cup of coffee, and pretend you're leaning on the counter here at Blue Ribbon Flies.
We hope to see you soon, right here in West Yellowstone, but until then we wish you happy and healthy fishing and fly tying. All our best to each of you. We wish you were here, but until you are we'll keep you in the loop. Thanks for stopping by.
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What's New
What's Happening in Yellowstone Country
Sun Rise In West Yellowstone
I made a terrible mistake today. I believed the morning weather forecaster which called for gale force winds all day, 20-35 mph with higher gusts, up to 70mph in the mountain passes.
When i left work around 3pm and headed home I saw the winds were calm. Thinking that they'd pick up once I drove below Earthquake Lake I took my time cruising along at 55 in a 70 mph zone. Sitting in the traffic lane as a herd of 5 bighorn rams walked across the highway at the Earthquake Visitors Center I discovered the winds were calm there too. Once the rams cleared the roadway I sped up to 70mph and cruised the remaining 10 miles to our home. Crossing our bridge I saw our flag hanging limp from its pole I had made an terrible mistake and nearly let the entire dead-calm afternoon slip by without a single cast at a rising trout. FACT-if the winds are slight, or better yet totally calm no matter if temps are 20 or 45 degrees, midges will emerge in number and form mating clumps on the surface of the river without being blown off by a breeze---the trout will rise to them then from 10a.m. to 4-5p.m. Today I roared up our long driveway and by 4 p.m. I was wadered up and kneeling in the river casting to rising trout, thank goodness Patagonia had used my idea of kneepads in their latest waders as I often fish rising trout from my knees. I had over 30 glorious minutes before the wind did come up and blew the midge off the surface with the trout ceasing their rise to them.
The first fish, a 14" brown, came to one of our Soft Hackle Midge Emergers which I'd left tied to my 6x tippet last Sunday when finishing up an afternoon on the river. My second trout would not rise to a dry, just like the first fish, so I knotted the emerger on again and fooled a 14" rainbow brightly colored and looking much like the spring spawn may come sooner than usual. I moved upstream to the next midge pocket and there I saw several trout rising to midge clusters. A HI Viz Midge Clump was all I needed to take 3 gorgeous rainbows all around 13-14". When I hooked the last one, a plump hen, she ran through the pod of remaining risers and put them down. I turned around to head back to my truck and during my slow trudge back to my truck I came upon rising fish at my first spot. I knotted the well chewed Soft Hackle Midge Emerger back on and drifted it over the rising fish. It is sometimes not even fair to the fish, just how deadly these little soft hackles can be! I force fed the fly to a couple more nice trout and headed home in time to walk the dogs before darkness came around 6pm. Tonight I must tie more of this great little fly.
Next week Jackie and I will be in Phoenix and the following that I head to Salt Lake City with Greater Yellowstone Coalition program at the Alta Club where we will Meet up Scott Christensen, GYC's climate change program director, who will discuss GYC's work to conserve world famous rivers, restore Yellowstone's native cutthroat trout and how you can help.
I, will join Scott in discussing the importance of conserving wild trout and share an exciting slide show on fishing Greater Yellowstone's lesser known waters.
This is a benefit for the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. To see a copy of the entire invitation , click here.
While we are entering a period with travel and presenting Yellowstone country fishing shows and fly tying programs we too are looking forward to spring and the Mayfly Tours offering up some of the best fishing of the year so stay tuned here for our news and reports. Make sure too you are a member of our "Fly of the Month Club" which has really taken off the past year. It brings you the latest-greatest in fly patterns, materials, technique and so much more throughout the fly fishing year. You will be a step ahead of most when it comes to flies and all things fly fishing!
As usual in the rest of this issue, you'll find fishing news from Yellowstone Country in the weekly Fishing Report. You can see what's hot off the vise in the Fly of the Week, get a sneak peek at some of the best materials on our tying bench in the Fly Tying Material of the Week, and stay up to date with the guide staff and their trips in the Guide Trip of the Week.
You'll be seeing a new email newsletter most every week throughout the fall and winter to keep you tuned in to all things fly fishing and fly tying in the greater Yellowstone area and beyond. Throughout the seasons, we'll keep sending you news of hatches and fishing holes around West Yellowstone. So without further delay, go ahead and jump right into the newsletter. And as always, don't hesitate to give us a call or shoot us an email if you have any questions, or if you just want a little fish talk.
Read more from Blue Ribbon Flies...
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Fishing Report
Weekly Conditions and Tips
By Craig Mathews
The snowpack is shaping up nicely here in Yellowstone country after a slow start. Lots of fresh snow in the past week and it is stacking up. Cross country and downhill skiing are excellent, but so too is the fishing! Rivers like the Madison, Gallatin, Henry's Fork and Yellowstone Rivers are all fishing very well both during midge times as well as periods when no insects are bringing fish to the surface. Then you will want to fish small nymphs. Remember too, it is nearly February and that means longer/warmer afternoons when big stone nymphs will become active and come from under their rocks to forage and graze. It is then that some get swept off the rocks and become food for the fish. A big rubber leg stone becomes deadly over the next several weeks so be ready with an imitation. Always keep in mind that trout key on midges during our winter months. The number of midge patterns required for successful fishing is minimal; a larva and pupa pattern such as our Slough Creek Midge Larva and $3 Dip patterns along with an emerged like our Soft Hackle Midge Emerger and an impaired-cripple adult such as or famous Improved Zelon Midge. When a mating cluster of midges is important to imitate have a Hi Viz Midge or Griffths Gnat. That's it! You will crack the code to successful midging. If you want to learn more about midge patterns and fishing make sure a copy of "Modern Midge" is in your library. Without a doubt midge fishing is some of the most demanding and yet rewarding there is, let us help you though it!
We've got a ways to go before Baetis and Mother's Day Caddis times but in a month we will be talking more about these important species to Yellowstone country fly fishers in the early season. Our days are noticeably longer, some 40 minutes longer on the evening end of the day, and now daylight arrives about 15 minutes earlier than it did last month.
As for a couple spots to try: on the Madison you will want to fish the Beartrap area as well as around Varney Bridge since the gorge has not set in this winter. Too, try the Madison near the West Fork and Raynolds Bridge for trout rising to midge activity. The river downstream of Hebgen dam is beginning to fish very well as rainbows stage to spawn. On the Yellowstone look to the area around Pine Creek and Mallard Rest or right in downtown Livingston. As for the Henry's Fork the Ashton stretches are still the best bet for midge action as well as fishing small midge pupa patterns and large stone nymphs. The Gallatin River can be awesome now around Big Sky, Snowflake Spring and Swan Creek. Have red $3 Dips and GM Nymphs and you will catch fish.
Give us a call and let's talk some good fishing times, when to come, flies to tie, where to stay and more. Our guided trips are filling up in July so if you are planning on taking a guided trip it is best to reserve a guide now to make the most of your time here and avoid disappointment. We will have exclusive booking rights on some Madison River lodging opportunities near the Grizzly Bar with great access to some very nice water. Give us a call and stay tuned here for more and more coming to you soon.
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Fly of the Week.
New For 2012!
Soft Hackle Midge Emerger
In September Craig set out to tie a midge emerger which would work on the ultra-selective fish sipping late season midges on rivers like the Henry's Fork, Lewis, and Firehole at Muleshoe Bend, lower Slough and Iron Spring Creeks and other smooth waters where big trout selectively taking emerging midge pupae have proved next to impossible to fool. This one, although so easy to tie, is simply without question, or doubt deadly period! It, like so many effective/tiny patterns, looks like nothing much to our eyes, but to the fish it is simply irresistible. I'd like to say I came up with the fly on my own but like most fly patterns know to man, it is a result of the input and testing of other anglers and fly tiers.
How does the old saying go? Something like: "Originality in fly tying is merely undetected plagiarism". If you fish big trout taking midges and your fly does not work, this one will.
Had a little trouble with the editing software this week so the video is a little rough but you'll still get the idea.
Click here to watch Craig show how to tie this fly!
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Fly Tying Material of the Week
Soft Hackle Week!
India Hen Capes and Much, Much More
This is "Soft Hackle Week" at BRF. Cam, Bucky, Jackie and I have been busy tying flies, preparing soft hackle materials like our special Bobwhite and Valley Quail and ruffed grouse skins, English Grouse feathers are back in stock, so are prime starling as well as India Hen Capes. Pearsall's silk threads and flosses are once again on our shelves and so are dyed Sharptail wings in PMD and Baetis Olive, ruffed grouse and Hun wings and much more. Too, we often forget to mention the dubbing blends we use behind the soft hackle and we have so many new special blends we've spun up this year to tie with. Heck, I am getting excited about tying and fishing soft hackles just typing about them and the materials we use to tie them with! This report will feature all you could ever ask for in materials for tying the most creative and effective soft hackle flies on the planet.
As most of you know, the materials used in tying soft hackles are beautiful as well as inexpensive. Our birds are WILD, not pen raised, so each feather is strong and perfect with no peck marks which are found on pen raised birds. We dye our own feathers and fur and process our dubbing blends and more, all of which we are proud of. Same with the soft hackle fly patterns we have come up with at BRF. Flies like our Ephemerella Emerger, PMD Soft Hackle Emerger, Orange and Ice, September Song, Shakey Bieley, Beatis Soft Hackle Emerger, Mighty MIdge Emerger developed by our good friend and fishing partner Yvon Chouinard, and our new Soft Hackle Midge Emerger, and many more. You know how effective these flies are when fished, how nice they look in a fly box, how fun and easy they are to tie, as well as the long history behind most of the classic soft hackle patterns. Make sure you watch our short video on tying the Soft Hackle Midge Emerger in this report and make sure you have lots of soft hackle patterns in your fly boxes for the upcoming season. We are all working on our soft hackles for the shop, and our own personal flies too!
Not sure which Soft Hackle material works best for you? Let Craig guide you through it in this video.
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2012 Catalog Entries.
Love For Yellowstone by Katie Krill
We could not fit all the entries that we received into our 2012 catalog, so we thought that for the weeks ahead we would put these fine entries into our news letter. Thanks to all of you who sent these entries they are very much appreciated.
Photo by Sam Tucker
Article by Katie Krill
My love for Yellowstone Country is near impossible to put into words. But I must document my thoughts so when I'm feeling down or frustrated with the daily grind, I can reflect on my time in Montana and Yellowstone and remember why life is so grand and what I love the most about it.
The drive from Salt Lake is not bad; five hours or so. But as soon as I turn off Interstate 15 onto Idaho highway 20, with the Tetons in view, pines as far as the eye can see, and the knowledge that I am so close, the serotonin in my body begins to dance in my bloodstream, making me feel infinitely happy, optimistic, and blessed. The final stretch, past Henry's Lake, with the Madison valley in the distance, oh, the euphoria!
Everything about Yellowstone makes me happy. The people (especially those at Blue Ribbons Flies): who want nothing more than to share their knowledge of the area and foster my experience here to be the best yet. The places: so quaint, so warm and inviting, simply lovely! The wild: the underrated, unassuming, intensely wild places that transform with each mile traveled... one minute, you are walking along a quiet, steady river, soon to arrive upon a rushing, glorious, powerful falls. From desert-like scenery to a million trees to finally descending upon the hidden mountain lake, surrounded by brilliant wildflowers, ever blue, pristine, untouched, and mind-blowing. The tastes of danger: that little bit of fear of the wild (bears, wolves, bison, moose) that keeps your heart rate up, your mind alert, and the irresistible desire to keep going. The fishing, which conveniently combines all of the loves previously mentioned. What a peaceful experience... in these wild places, with trout so colorful, picky, and so much fun to fight! Finding the perfect balance of tautness and slack; so slimy and beautiful; and even more beautiful after regaining strength and being released back into the current, slowly wiggling out of my hands. Then, I look around me, surrounded by indescribable beauty, and I am at peace. Clear, uncomplicated, and simple peace
One cannot visit this area without making definite plans for next time. The adventure, the conversation with locals that was cut short, the lake that I didn't make it all the way to while hiking, the huckleberry pancakes that were left uneaten, the Big Sky Brewing treasures left un-sipped... countless things that were not accomplished on this trip that require a follow-up trip. I cannot wait until my next adventure in this special place!
I love Yellowstone Country.
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Hope you enjoy the latest issue. We'll keep 'em
coming, keeping you up to date on the best
fishing water, tips, and gear we can get our
hands on.
Thanks for spending time with us. We'll see you soon!
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