News from Blue Ribbon Flies

What's New
What's Happening in Yellowstone Country

Fishing the Bear Trap

Spring has arrived in Yellowstone country. The first grizzly bears of spring are coming out of hibernation. One has been walking the Rendezvous Cross-county Ski Trail area and another patrolling Muleshoe Bend along the Firehole River in the Park. Geese along the Madison are searching for nesting sites, blackbirds have returned and we expect the first bluebirds and robins to return in the next week. Too, we will see the first emergences of Spring Baetis mayflies on rivers like the Henry's Fork and Madison in the next 2 weeks. Midges are going great guns on all area rivers and fishing during their emergence times has been great on the Fork, Madison, Gallatin and Yellowstone. Livingston's spring creeks are fishing well during midge times and blue-winged olives are expected on these fine streams any day now.

One of the most spectacular sights in late March and early April is watching the Madison Valley's wintering elk herd migrate south, upriver from Indian, Bear, Wolf and Hyde Creeks. Over 4500 elk wintered in the valley this year and at times it looks like the Serengeti with the elk, pronghorn and mule deer making their way back to summer range along the river.

I'm still the nursemaid at our house as Jackie is still hobbling around but doing very now on her rebuilt foot. She even tells me she will be ready to fish again by the time Mothers' Day Caddis emerge on the lower Madison and Yellowstone in 6 weeks. I'm glad I did not give her elk rifle up as she says she is applying for a special elk tag this week too!

Yvon Chouinard and John Dutton were here fishing and working on Yvon and my book to be released late this year. John, our editor, kept us focus and with pens in hand most of the time however, we did sneak out a couple times to fish the Madison near Ennis. John had never fished Tenkara and he ended with close to 20 fine trout the first day fishing one. For those of you waiting, our Tenkara fly tying DVD and book are both back in stock and so are our famous BST Flies.

Bucky and I have been working on a couple special orders for flies and packing and dying materials. Jackie is working with the Madison River Foundation on a summer project. Cam and Dan just returned from Belize and Mexico where they had great saltwater trips and Dan scored his first permit. All of us at the shop are envious of their tans for sure.

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 summer and fall 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.