News from Blue Ribbon Flies

What's New
What's Happening in Yellowstone Country

There's a lot going on these days at Blue Ribbon Flies and beyond. Despite the snow earlier today, we've had some balmy weather - enough to get outside and fish, provide a little community service, and to see a few really big bugs! Things are shaping up for a tremendous season here in the shop and here in our favorite part of the world.

Tim Lawson gave us this beautiful image of a salmonfly and chokecherries on the Henry's Fork earlier this week. Spring, and maybe even summer, has definitely sprung. We're seeing familiar faces again in the shop, including Tylor, Aaron, and Jen, and we're on the lookout for you. We've been busy unpacking boxes and making labels for all our favorite fishing products, and getting all the tying materials organized, packaged, and ready for you. This weekend marks the opening of Yellowstone National Park to fishing, and we are doing our best to get the chores done so we can greet you and go fishing!

Upcoming events are crowding the calendar. Get your pen and highlighter out, or grab your electronic calendar, and mark the following dates:
The first meeting of the Madison Recreation Management Plan Citizens' Committee will be held May 30th from 4 pm to 8 pm at FWP Region 3 HQ in Bozeman. This meeting is open to the public and time for public comment will be available.
On Friday June 1st, volunteers will meet at 10 am at McAtee Bridge to plant 600 willows purchased by the BLM to restore native riparian vegetation along the Madison. This event is sponsored by the Madison River Foundation, and will include a free lunch!
The 10th Annual "Guardians of the River" Gala Banquet will be held at the elegant Lodge at Sun Ranch on June 23rd. The Lodge is set amid the sprawling 26,000-acre Sun Ranch. The evening will feature gourmet dining by Executive Chef Daniel Wendell and live music by the always popular Steve Hulse Jazz Trio. Contact us or the Madison River Foundation for tickets.
Our annual BRF/Madison River Foundation Day is July 9th so stay tuned for more details here.

The shop is looking great as our little remodel job is finishing up and new products are arriving daily. You will find lots of new and innovative fly tying stuff to peruse this year as well as some exciting new fly fishing gear and the latest in clothing and so much more. Our library is filling with lots of special titles and the long awaited book, "Astream" has been shipped to us. This book has so many wonderful fly fishing stories from great angling authors like Keaton and McQuane, Lyons and Harrison and others. Look to this report in the weeks ahead to feature new products each week.

Last week BRF was proud to help the US Forest Service with their annual "Bear Creek Days". Jen and Tylor had a great time working with Montana youngsters and bringing them a knowledge of beginning fly fishing, stream ecology, and more. This week Tylor spent a day guiding a local student in the first annual "Take A Kid Fishing Program" sponsored by the local high school, local guides, and local funders. He represented us well. We still hope to have pictures of these events in upcoming newsletters.

Lots of conservation programs are gearing up in the Madison Valley with the Odell Creek restoration project continuing.Yellowstone National Park continues its Yellowstone Cutthroat Program which we have highlighted in the past here in this report. We are still helping fund the $6m needed. Some conservation easement and water lease programs to Trout Unlimited are in the works, with a special invitation from TU later in this newsletter. There is also a Wildlife Conservation Society bird study and wolverine program in the works. All these and more we will report on throughout the summer. Summer 2012 promises to be the best fly fishing summer in many years due to last year's record runoff bringing some very large fish back on our river, lakes and streams. It also looks to be the busiest summer season for conservation and wild trout projects and programs which need our support, so stay informed by reading this weekly news which will highlight these fine programs and more.

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 spring and summer 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.