Summer
Hopper Action & Current Water Conditions...
August
is the time of year for large trout on big terrestrials; grass hoppers,
ants, and beetles. It's a rare breed of angler that doesn't relish
the thought of throwing big dry flies to aggressive trout. August
on the Yellowstone
River offers this
exciting fishing each year. This year is shaping up to be one for
the record books. Our guide staff hasn't been this excited about
the late summer fishing since before we can remember. Why? Well,
as of this newsletter we have nearly 110% of our average annual precipitation.
We are still getting moisture and have yet to have a day over 55
degrees. In other words, we are looking at more water in the local
rivers than in the past 8 seasons. Will the old adage "a full
river fishes best" hold true? Join
us this August and see. We're betting
that you won't be disappointed.
If you haven't made your summer fishing reservations yet please contact us as soon as possible. Space is limited on many weeks and we don't want you to miss out on what's sure to be a banner fishing year at Yellowstone Valley Ranch. Please contact Paul Robertson for reservations.
The
trout are rising on an overcast day, they are sipping steadily but it’s
difficult to identify what they are eating. Sounds like
springtime
in Montana. Upon closer investigation we can identify
midges and baetis on the water's surface. These hatches are consistent
in terms of the time of year they hatch as well as insect size. Midges
and baetis are both small insects ranging from 16 to 24, or in other
words: minuscule. Not only are we dealing with small
flies, but these insects also tend to hatch on overcast days when visibility
is challenging at best. A dilemma for the angler to be sure; small
flies plus tough visibility.
Have no fear. Those rising trout sipping nearly imperceptible insects
are prime for the taking. These fish might be in deeper water,
foam holes, or mid-river seams but all of their attention is focused
on the upper water column, constantly searching for emerging midges and
baetis. While many anglers prefer the dry fly it’s not always
the best tactic. After decades of experience both fishing and
guiding, my favored method for approaching these trout is shallow nymphing. This
allows the angler to fish small flies without the challenge of spotting
small dry flies. I would suggest fishing ...
For the rest of this article and even more tips from the pros, visit our Notes from the Tying Bench. We have also added gear recommendations and a sample fishing itinerary to the website.
If you have specific fishing questions please contact Eric Adams. If you would like to make a reservation please contact Paul Robertson at 1.800.626.3526.
For More Information, call Paul Robertson at 800.626.3526 or 
