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April 19, 2012 
 News from Blue Ribbon Flies
 Fish With The Best
In This Issue
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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.

 What's New
 What's Happening in Yellowstone Country

As you can see by the photo everyone is fishing, even John Juracek got into a little action, unbelievable!!

What a great week of dry fly fishing we've had in Yellowstone country! Fine emergences of Baetis and midges and the first strong March Browns coming off rivers like the Henry's Fork, Yellowstone, Stillwater and others. Our Spring Mayfly Tours are in full force and everyone is having wonderful times on our rivers, and some lakes too!

Ideal weather conditions for bringing on strong hatches of mayflies looks to continue as cool-wet weather patterns persist so dry fly fishing will remain good into the near future.

Fishing the edges of Earthquake Lake remains our "sleeper bet" of the week as big trout cruise the shoreline in search of both fish and midges. The areas around Beaver, Rock and Eagle Creeks have been very good as well as both the outlet and inlet to this great lake.

Our rivers are all fishing well during Baetis and midge times and March Browns are showing up in big numbers on some rivers now too. It drives us nuts to cruise into Yellowstone Park along Grasshopper Bend on the Madison and Midway Geyser Basin on the Firehole and watch Brachycentrus sp caddis emerge with trout rising everywhere knowing we won't be fishing the river until opening day, May 26th this year! It is fun to watch but oh how we'd love to wet a line!

The shop is taking shape now as our little remodel is coming together, Bucky and Craig have been dying up loads of pheasant tail clumps this week and we will "special" feature them in next week's newsletter so make sure you check out our PT special then.

Craig is off fishing and spring turkey hunting and his report to soon follow on his spring adventures. In the meantime, c all us anytime for up-to-the-minute fishing info as well as stream flow reports, fly patterns and any questions regarding places to stay, when to come or anything else fly-fishing you have on your mind!

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... 


 Fishing Report
 Weekly Conditions and Tips

Josh Chiles Photo Josh Chiles Photo Thanks for the photo Josh!

By Craig Mathews

So, you might ask, what can I expect to fish this week in Yellowstone? Check out our options below. I recommend you book the next flight out and get here quickly as this is shaping up to be a great early season of angling in Yellowstone. Our snowpack was about "normal" this past winter so our streams will all be in good shape much earlier than last year when we saw 200-400% of "normal" moisture. And, to make it even better, the Firehole River in the park opens in only 5 weeks!!!

The Henry's Fork should continue to give up strong Baetis hatches and the March Browns should arrive on the lower river in fishable number this week. While you may see some fish working midges they are really keying now on the mayflies.

The Madison River continues to fish strong as more and more rainbows arrive between the lakes, below Hebgen dam, in preparation to spawn. The river downstream of Varney Bridge is giving up some very nice fish during Baetis times. Blind fishing a big Royal Truce Cripple has accounted for some big fish who, we believe, take this great fly for an early season stone fly of March Brown mayfly. Below Ennis Lake the river has fished well when the water is clear. There are times the wind comes up on the lake and colors the water below so give a call before making the drive. The same can be said for the Gallatin River as the Taylor Fork can mud things up below its junction with the river.

The Beaverhead has fished well as has the Ruby during Baetis times but nymph and streamer fishing has been the best bet on both of these awesome waters.

The Yellowstone and Bighorn Rivers have fished well on our guided Mayfly Tours. And Livingston area spring creeks are great now too. Mothers' Day Caddis time is fast approaching on the "Stone" but we aren't there yet so stay tuned here.

 


 Fly of the Week.
 Micro Wulff Cripple

This week's fly is our famous Micro-Wulff Cripple tied with our premium peacock, EP Fiber wings, Tri-lobal hair in seal brown or mayfly brown zelon for the shuck. This fly is a guide favorite as it is very visible and effective when both Baetis mayflies and midges are bringing trout to the surface on rivers like the Beaverhead, Madison, Yellowstone, Bighorn and Ruby.

Be sure to watch Craig tie this fly by clicking the link below.

Watch Craig Tie This Fly! 


 Fly Tying Material of the Week
 EP Fibers

Enrico Puglisi fibers are THE material for all of Blue Ribbon Flies cripple patterns. Not only easy to work with, this material, when dressed, floats like a cork!

Enrico Puglisi fibers, EP Fibers, are 10 inches in length, amazingly translucent, and have an action between marabou and bucktail. Large flies tied with these fibers are lightweight and can easily be cast as the first backcast removes all the water from the fly. Use your imagination, and there is no limit to the flies you can create with these fibers, from the smallest rainbow to the largest billfish flies.

For this and other fine materials check here! 


 Peacock Herl
 Fish go nuts for peacock!

Perhaps no other natural material has as many fish attracting qualities as peacock herl. It is one of the most used materials in fly-tying. We see peacock herl in Princes, Copper Johns, Pheasant Tails, Royal wulffs, and even our Micro Wulff Cripple, not to mention hundreds of other patterns.

What attracts fish to this material? Is it the color, sparkle or simply the "buggy" look it gives to a fly? What ever the case may be this material alone is responsible for catching thousands of trout.

As most tiers know, good peacock herl has been extremely difficult to come by the last several years. We have finally garnered a supply of some nice stuff-the best strung herl we've had in a couple years. This is longer and fuller peacock than we have been able to find for a quite a while.

 


 Tenkara
 A different Style of fishing.



Friends of Bucky and Craig continue to fish their Tenkara rods on our rivers. Al from California has had his 11 foot Iwana rod for over a year now and refuses to go back to his old ways of rod and reel. Instead Al casts his Tenkara daily to rising trout on rivers like the Madison and Ruby. His best fish this spring is a 19" rainbow. Last Friday he had 14 fish on and landed 11 and never busted one off fishing midges. Al credits the soft tip which protects fine tippets allowing him to land big trout on his favorite rod.

This spring BRF will teach dozens of beginning anglers with the Iwana. Jennifer and Tylor will be instructing dozens of beginners and veterans the Tenkara way so stay tuned for photos and their reports to follow. It is addicting and brings kids and adults easily into our sport with the simplest of fly-fishing method and equipment.

Blue Ribbon Guides, fish with the best! 


 Fly Sale!!
 Thingamastones

In trying to keep up with our promise we made at the beginning of the winter, we have yet another fly sale for you.

Thingamastones

If you fish nymphs you already know how visible thingamabobbers are and how well they float. Incorporating tiny thingamabobber like indicators in this fly is ingenious. You will not have to wonder where this fly is. This has been a great pattern for Salomon flies as well as Skwalla's.

Once again we will let this fly go for only $1.00 a piece or until we run out.

Check out our blog... 


 Leaders, Lines, and Tippett.
 How old is your terminal tackle?????

Our fresh tippets and leaders have arrived as have this season's new fly lines and accessories like nippers, indicators, forceps and more. Now is the time to check your equipment and get things ready for the season. Craig just replaced all my tippet and loaded up with fresh leaders, Frog's Fanny and CDC floatant and he is breaking in a new Sports Tool nipper. Now is the time to get ready for the 2012 season

For all of your fishing gear needs click this link 


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!