The Flies Of Yellowstone

The Snortle

2011-07-28T08:07:00.000-07:00

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The Snortle, (spelling can vary,) is a typical silli-legs pattern that is tied variously by different local artisans. The recipe for the one shown above is:

Tail: 2 silli-legs about the length of the hook,
Body: peach Antron ribbed with scarlet Antron twisted on top,
Thorax: coarse hare's mask with two pair of silli-legs,
Hook size: 8, (unusual,) to 14, (a tough proposition.)
.. The most common variation is like the standard variety with black wool yarn substituted for the scarlet Antron. Some of the neighbors use a copper or lead wire under-body.
.. The fly is fished on a short, (5 or 6 foot leader and counted down to the weed tops or sides of the subterranean forest. A slow herky-jerky retrieve is the common action used. Brave and intrepid fishers let it sink into the edge of a weed bed and retrieve with a 2" - 3" motion with a 5 or 6 second pause in between.

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The Megafugly

2011-07-22T16:12:00.000-07:00

WHEN THE CICADA COME

A Recent Acquisition

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.. There's no denying the impact of the name. [[There is a rather raunchy and bawdy song with the same title by Australian Kevin Bloody Wilson. If you can stand that sort of lyrics click HERE.]]
.. The fly is rather straightforward and is pretty much in the stimulator family. As near as we can tell it's of Kiwi origin. It has traveled well to the United States and is occasionally used with orange foam as a Salmonfly pattern.
.. The fly is a pattern of Clark Reid and there are several references to it on the Web. It's growing popularity will certainly add more "clickable" sources.
.. The local recipe is:
-- TAIL = Bleached Elk Hair
-- BODY = Pheasant Herl
-- OVERBODY / HEAD = Green Foam
-- BODY HACKLE = Badger, or Grizzly
-- LEGS = Barred Mustard-Silli Legs
-- UNDERWING = Chrystal Flash / Midge Flash
-- OVERWING = Fine Bleached Elk Hair
-- FRONT HACKLE = Badger or Furnace
.. There are currently several local variants which include a down-wing and split-wing form. Several body dubbings are being tried. There's even one with a copper wire rib. Soon it will morph into something entirely different and some feather merchant will claim it as their invention.

* * * * *

.. References:
-- Illustrated Sequence #1
-- Illustrated Sequence #2
-- Verbal Instructions

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High Water Flies

2011-06-06T05:49:00.001-07:00

QUICK AND DIRTY

Throw The Rejects

light colors work best

THERE'S A FLY IN MY EYE

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The road to high water success

.. Gawd that's an ugly fly. Wasted a hook on that poor effort! Fingers get fatter and tremble more with age. Give those things to the trash. Put 'em in the reject jar. And so it goes.
.. During every fly tying session there's a fly or two, (in our case many more,) that don't quite make the grade. The proportions are wrong, there are too many fibers in the tail, the hackle is poor, the head is ugly, etc. etc.
.. Most of us either salvage the hooks and do it again, (hopefully better,) or put them in the "reject jar." These flies are just plain ugly. Well, a couple of the crusty neighbors have devised a way to use the rejected flies. In fact two of the old farts actually claim to tie ugly flies on purpose. We nod, smile, and for the sake of civility pretend to believe them.

A once proud dry fly

.. The flies are used as drowned morsels during the high water phase of our rivers, (right now.)
.. Preparation is critical. The flies are rolled and squashed between the fingers and the hackle is well-mussed up and bent.
.. Sometimes the body rolls and the damn thing looks not unlike so much lint from the umbilicus of an orangutan.
.. No flotant is used and the fly is flung with a hope and a prayer into the fishy places of our high water rivers.
.. Fish eat them. Fish eat them with surprising regularity. Fish eat them with gay abandon and gusto.
.. We're not advocating that you lose your hard won tying skills; no way, no how! But on that rare occasion when you mess up a fly we suggest that it may be a diamond in the rough. Choose it, use it, lose it - so what? It just may catch a fish that couldn't see the pretty fly.

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VIEW OVER A GREAT FISHING HOLE

Winter Worms

2011-01-24T08:07:00.000-08:00

USE THESE IN THE WINTER

MYSTERIOUS VISITOR FROM ENGLAND

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.. The switch to artificial worms is early this year. There are some skeptics that poo-poo the San Juan Worm as not fly fishing.
.. Well it may or may not be. Orvis sells them in their fly catalog. Orvis also sells several other "non-fly-fishing-flies." The neighbors love them. The fish eat them with gay abandon.
.. Even the Gob O Worms has made it appearance early and is scoring fish in the 5-pound class, (through the ice.)

.. And then there's the fly at the top of the post. We don't know it's name but it comes from England. We committed the unpardonable sin of stealing it from a neighbor's fly box while their back was turned, (toward us and behind a bush.)
.. We have apologized and further humbled our self in the effort to find out the name and source for this segmented wiggler - to no avail. Our misdeed has sealed the lips of the former friend. The damn thing looks like it's molded of vinyl or some such and reminds us of a sunfish lure, (even though it's not yellow. Now there's a thought!)
.. Several times each year we receive grief in major doses from the neighbors for revealing secrets of place or kind. This post is sure to bring down a flood of ire as well.
.. For the uninitiated we show the various non-flies that the neighbors are using right now. These things are usually tied at home but, many are now available commercially. Even if you avoid their use, they will provide excellent conversation starters and stoppers.

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SAN JUAN WORM

.. The San Juan Worm is often called THE DEVIL WORM. It has become a staple of fishers that want to catch fish. Many pretend it's an imitation of a Herculean blood worm. That may be. Perhaps fish dream of these things and lose control when one floats by. Currently the red variety is in vogue on the rivers while the purple or two-toned variety is being used under the ice.

GOB O WORMS

.. The Gob O Worms is a much disparaged cluster of San Juan Worms on the same hook. It has the distinction of being invented locally, (or so we've been told.)
.. It can spark vile and evil outbursts from fishers that are usually friends, (LINK.)
.. It is featured on websites around the region, (LINK,) and is now sold commercially by Idylwilde Flies, HERE. And sold as well by the Driftless Angler, HERE.
.. Purple, puce, flesh, and red colors are all being used right now. The fish are inhaling these at a record pace.


APPS BLOOD WORM

.. This year many of the neighbors that usually kindly provide us with flies have turned to the Orvis Catalog. There are some offerings that suit their fancy and they bought some for pattern prototypes.
.. The Apps Blood Worm is the current favorite from Orvis, (LINK.) It turns out that the fly is just a San Juan Worm with some "flexi floss" tied through the body and separated at the bow and stern. The little red darling is not as effective under the ice as on the river. But on the river it's quite the phenomenon.

MEDUSA (red)

.. Another San Juan Worm variant from Orvis is the Medusa, (LINK.) This is, presumably, a fly that will not get you funny looks from your friends.
.. It's supposed to represent a blood worm cluster, CLUSTER WHAT? It is sold in several colors which suggests that blood worms are chameleons, or have projectile tongues, or some such. This creation is yet another SJW variant with a fat body and clipped floss.

MEDUSA (pink)

.. The pink variety featured by Casters Online Fly Shop is doing well under the ice. It's being used with bits of garden hackle and the fish seem to prefer the artificial.
.. Most of the neighbors, feel that both varieties are the same species and that the folks that tie for Orvis ran out of red and used pink.

SHAKY WORM

.. A minority opinion is that the red is male and the pink is female. As soon as we capture some in the seine we'll let you know.
.. Orvis is kind enough to provide even another interesting worm imitation called the SHAKY WORM. It's similar to the rest of these SJW variants but has a pretty glossy body. It also comes with a bit of Phly Phising Philosophy.

MONEY QUOTE:

This is not fly fishing heresy. The fact is trout eat worms and not just the ones we fish with. Worms exist in the stream and imitating a worm with artificial patterns is no different than imitating an insect. If it works, use it. Trout fishing worm pattern in red.

.. We suspect that if these things catch fish in the numbers that the neighbors are reporting that feather merchants across the continent will get in on the selling.
.. It will be interesting to see if the local purists eschew profits for disdainful posturing. Now there's a can of . . . .

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Big-N-Little

2010-10-23T06:48:00.000-07:00

FALL FLIES RIGHT ON

Buggers Big

midges appear

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.. As the fishing season in Yellowstone National Park draws to an end, (just two weeks left,) we note that the Madison River runners from Hebgen Lake are taking Woolly Buggers with enthusiasm. Black and dark purple continue to be the favorite colors this Fall.

.. One slight variation is appearing in the boxes of the headhunters = yellow bodies. These are holding their own with the solid colors in the catching. Both the solid colors and the two-tone jobs can be adorned with just a very small bit of flash in the tail. Mylar, tinsel, and even silver wire is being used with success.
.. The big fish on the Lamar River and The Yellowstone River are eating the same offerings this year and the catching of substantial numbers of good sized fish is a topic of conversation in our pubs during this late season.
.. The clouds of Baetis may still arrive, however, the bright sunny days has kept the Caddis imitations on the water.
.. Happily the Midges are out in force. These are the staple trout munchies from now through the winter. There seems to be fewer elbows on the water in all the familiar places. Rises are going wanting and the fish are feeding with gay and unmolested abandon. More power to 'em.
.. A happy note accompanies this post: the Gibbon River road and bridge project is about done and traffic is proceeding along the new superhighway apace and unimpeded. Minimal local delays may continue until the end of the season, but the trip across the park is far less painful right now.

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Late Summer Flies

2010-07-30T01:44:00.000-07:00

JUST BEFORE HOPPER MADNESS

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.. As August and the terrestrial season approaches we're going to give it one last go with the less clumpy flies. Flies that even look like flies.
.. We've poked a few local favorites into a mini-box and we're headed to the Gallatin River to exercise the more tastefully constructed flies available to us.
.. The big, ugly, atrocious, effective creations of foam, plastic, and other synthetic extravagances will have to wait until next weekend, (or beyond.)

.. For now we're using some stuff that would be recognizable as flies to even the most effete among us.
.. These are neighborhood flies and most are variations on classic or well known patterns.

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.. We've never been sharp enough to pick the "correct" pattern for the hatch. We've never been skilled enough to to deliver a perfect cast to the perfect spot for the perfect drift with that correct pattern. And our eyes just can't see a fly that's less than a quarter inch long in a thick foam line moving at over 10 mph.
.. So, flailing away, we use a Zelon Royal Coachman. Usually it's a size 8 - 14. It bobs merrily along it's way flying a white wing and floating as high as a cork, (well, nearly!)
.. It takes fish when the pros are spending precious minutes trying to get their tippet through the eye of very dinky hooks.
.. The only non-Zelon parts are the peacock herl, gold Mylar rib, and furnace, (or badger hackle.) The damn thing is nearly indestructible. We like it very much.
.. Underneath the water's surface, right now, it's hard to beat a woven Antron and hare's ear rubber legs fly
.. We've seen a dozen names for this fly, (tied a dozen different ways.) The neighbors introduced it to us as the Woven Sally.
.. It works as a Yellow Sally Nymph. Or Stonefly nymph, or any other sort of big wiggly nymph in streams with heavily-cobbled beds. The sizes we use are 8 - 12.
.. Should you not care to fiddle with a simple woven body there is another nymph that will serve just as well. The Yellowstone Sally is always in reach and available to us.
.. It ties quickly and seems to attract quite a lot of trout. It works well on the lakes as well. Sizes we find most useful are 6-8, & 14.
.. For 40 years, or so, we've carried a Sierra Bright Dot.
.. The classic pattern is reminiscent of an anorexic Royal Coachman. The original pattern is less visible to us now than the chartreuse variant.
.. Sizes from 4 to 18 are in our box but we usually gravitate toward sizes 12 - 16.
.. This little darling, on a long, fine tippet, with a 10' rod can be used for dapping along the edge of the stream where the dark and deep undercut banks hold shy but hungry fish.
.. The generous amount of hackle allows the wind to skitter the fly delicately into position. Many of the largest fish on the Gallatin River are introverts and need a dancing morsel to entice them to the surface. This one does the trick very nicely.

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.. When we suffer the slings and arrows from the neighbors for being just too idiosyncratic in our fly selection we tie on a Fuzzy Adams that was introduced to us as the Silver Adams.
.. It's nothing special to look at, but the Zelon body twinkles nicely and gets the hecklers off of our back for a short period of time. It catches fish too.
.. Tied in traditional sizes this fly has always seemed to mimic the current hatch, (even caddis.) By using appropriate sizes for the bug on the water this fly can masquerade as any of several different mayflies as well as mosquitoes.
.. If the neighbors refuse to allow us to stick with the Silver Adams when the mosquitoes are sucking the life from us all, we then use the Quill Bodied Mosquito or a Quill Bodied Adams.
.. This version can be used as a searching fly in the larger sizes and when a hatch can be identified on the Gallatin River the right size will suffice to poke a few trout in the nose.
.. We often start our prospecting with one of these in a size 10. During mid day on the Gallatin River the body contrasts nicely with the slightly greenish cast of the river.
.. It's a fly we can see. It's a fly that is often refused in a spectacular fashion. We like that.

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.. As the days heat up and sun gets lower in the sky we find ourselves fishing the shadows of morning and evening with the Simple Silver.
.. This heavy streamer casts like a lead turd but swims nicely on long swings through the sinuous bends of the Gallatin River.
.. Given the right shadows, deep undercut banks, and a 7 foot leader this fly will wake up both the fish and fisher.
.. The heavy hook, tinsel and twist body, and sparse dressing allow the fly to get down quickly. The silver hackle wing, red throat, and peacock topping catch whatever color light is available. The wood duck tail is a perfect target for trout in dim light, (so we've been told.)
.. Our concession to the currently proliferating population of land dwellers is a CDC Ant and, perhaps surprising to some, a large Griffith's Gnat.
.. The CDC Ant is a straightforward pattern with CDC substituted for the traditional wing. We use sizes in the 10 - 14 range and apply no flotant. We fish the ant near the bank and dry it often. Ants are prolific right now and we certainly ain't going to pass up the opportunity to use them.
.. The Griffith's Gnat, (tied very tightly with dark hackle,) can be greased and massaged to the point that it makes a more than passable beetle, (or something,) imitation.
.. It's a fine small dry in sizes 16 - 20, and an excellent "terrestrial" in sizes 6 - 12.
.. Of course we have 'real' beetles: green ones, black ones, hair ones, foam ones, cork ones, and most of the others.
.. Over the last few years we've taken a liking to forming these little gnats into the beetles that our imagination tells us that the fish will take. Sometimes we're right.
.. The hoppers are visible. They are beginning to get their wings. Soon we will all be driven to "HOPPER MADNESS." It will become a genuine madhouse if the predicted blight arrives in Yellowstone National Park.
.. But for the next few days we will exercise flies that look like flies, (mostly.) We will usher in the terrestrial season with one last flurry of floaters and sinkers that seem to be copacetic. We will succumb to the pressure of the neighbors and "fish the way we ought to." But not for too much longer.

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Summer Box - 2010

2010-07-14T10:31:00.000-07:00

(Please click on images for high resolution views)

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.. Here's our annual report on the summer fly box. It looks very similar to last year's box, but we've continued with our growing fondness for the Shop Vac.
.. Sizes have become in some instances larger, and in other instances, smaller.
.. The Prince Nymphs are absolutely gigantic, (6 & 8,) and working wonders in all waters.
.. The stimulators have also grown in size, (6 to 10,) while the Elk Hair Caddis have both grown and shrunk, (6 to 16.)
.. The bead head nymphs are now outnumbering the unweighted variety about 6 to 1.

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.. The itty-bitty Bead Head Caddis, (14 &16,) is doing a number on even the most educated fish on the Madison River and the Gallatin River.
.. The eensy-weensey Shop Vacs, (16 in particular,) are pure death from above on the gullible Brookies of the Upper Gibbon River and the cold water Firehole River.
.. Old favorites continue to be very productive and haven't been relegated to the museum yet.
.. Feather Dusters, (original and yellow in sizes 10 to 14,) are still the go-to fly for soft riffles and dark shallow undercut banks.
.. Jacklin's Rock Worm and the Madison Mauler, have a reserved place in the box as well. These flies are particularly useful in the seams and long slicks at the heads of pools as well as the long tail-outs on the few dark spots on Fan Creek and Duck Creek.
.. The Irresistible Bumble Bee is both decorative in the fly box and a surprisingly effective fly on big water like the Madison River below the lakes.
.. For some idiosyncratic reason we always have a few Goddard Caddis in the box.
.. They don't seem to perform any better or worse than the elk or deer hair variety, but they appeal to us and we use them quite often.
.. The Madame X is useful as a caddis imitation and also, with it's broad wing, doubles as a spruce moth or white miller caddis. We choose to use these in sizes bigger than the bugs on the water. They take their fair share of fish.

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.. If you bought the box and flies, fished them judiciously, and lost only a few - the full compliment would set you back about $250.00. These flies will work all summer and need only be augmented on a whimsical basis: Hoppers, Beetles, Ants, Damselflies, Dragonflies, and Kerploppers.
.. Should you choose to tie up a mess of each fly you'll certainly have at least $1,000.00 invested before you buy the box to put them in. About as much fun as you can have cheaply in this day and age.

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The Neighbor's Nymphs

2010-05-21T20:53:00.000-07:00

TATTERED, TORN & RUSTY

Just The Way Fish Like 'Em

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.. Jacklin's Rock Worm. We've highlighted this one before. See our original post HERE.
.. Visit Jacklin's website to see the video HERE.

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.. The flies below have no "official names." They are tied during fits of creativity after turning over rocks, watching the aquarium, deep reflection and discussion at the pub, or having a dream that soaks the shorts. All are proven fish-getters. All are used flies that the owners grudgingly parted with after being plied with appropriate liquid inducements.
.. No warranty is implied or given. They may prove to be a bust if you tie and fish them. The patterns are not quite standardized, but can be replicated by most fishers with common materials. There is nothing exotic about the little darlings.
.. The photos are not meant to obscure. They just came out that way. Sorry 'bout that. Click on images for larger view.

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.. JERRY'S NORMAL: just another nymph with a brass bead head. The body is shredded mylar twisted with peacock herl, and ribbed with black thread. The thorax is dubbed hare's ear. The legs are partridge. The wing case is pheasant tail. The only unusual part is the orange goose biots used for the tail. Sizes are usually in 12 - 14 range but can be bigger or smaller.
.. JOHN'S STILLBORN: a very big, (for hook size,) bead head in front of a prickly body. The body is a mixture of hare's ear, antron, and muskrat. It is ribbed with Mylar tinsel and uses bits of badger fur for the tail. Sizes are usually in the 14 - 16 range.
.. CAL'S FUZZY: a quick and dirty stream side creation that has lasted for several decades. Red thread with a hare's ear body is wrapped with French tinsel. The legs are coarse pheasant tail fibers, most of which are cut short. The tail is fibers from a furnace hackle. Big ugly heads are the norm, and no bead heads are used. Sizes are usually in the 14 - 18 range but are often larger.
.. JOHN'S ESCAPEE: a tightly dubbed and wrapped two-tone body of pink wool and hare's ear - followed by steel blue antron all over-wrapped with sanded copper wire. The legs are butt-fluff from either badger or furnace hackle, and the tail is badger fur. Heads are giant wads of thread, heavily lacquered with a spit shine. Sizes range from 8 to 16.
.. DEBBY'S DELIGHT: a good sized bug with all kinds of internal action. The body is red wool, purple antron, purple Mylar, and blue hare's ear. Shredded in Deb's coffee grinder and tightly dubbed and wrapped. Tubular rubber legs are covered with pheasant neck feathers and are followed by a tungsten bead head. Again, the dyed goose biots make their appearance as a tail in the neighborhood. Sizes can be as large as a 4 or 6, and may be as small as 10.
.. MADISON MAULER: a neighborhood collaborative effort. Just a bit of plug-ugliness that works.
.. Time was when we complained about tying on small flies, then about not being able to hold them, and now about not being able to pick them up - or even see them.
.. Kind folks in the neighborhood put a bunch of these on bits of tippet for us. We can still tie a knot.
.. The 'body' is big , fat, flat, green, tying thread that is heavily waxed and wrapped on the hook. It's some sort of mysterious space-age synthetic, (Kevlar?)
.. The abdomen/thorax/legs portion is dubbed antron of three colors: yellow, followed by deep purple, (a single twist of peacock-eye herl is often used,) followed by lime green. Artistic license is granted in the tying. It is a football shape with legs that is the target. Heads vary and run toward the messy.
.. Hooks are small. Sizes range from 14 through 22. They all work very well. Pick your hook style. There is currently a bizarre argument about up eye vs. down eye. We're just not savvy enough to even participate.

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Spring Nymphs

2010-05-05T07:39:00.000-07:00

NUTTY FOR NYMPHS

Get Out The Spring Nymph Box

fish 'em low and slow

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.. The flies shown here are designed to work well in a variety of conditions and in that sense are "generalized flies."
.. There are some that could be considered 'imitative,' however most will fall into the 'attractor' class - that's O.K. with us. Gott'a attract a fish to catch it.
.. Most of what look like dry flies or surface attractors are just that. In the Spring these can be mauled and messed up and fished in the film . . . works good.

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THE FLIES

.. Montana Duster: We use piles of these all season long and start the Spring nymphing with it. This pattern, and the original Feather Duster are staples in our Spring assortment. The yellow color is most popular. However, about this time each year the pink makes an appearance - probably taken for an egg - who knows? Sizes: 6 - 18.
.. Yellowstone Coachman: The occasional day in early Spring that allows a good hatch is an unanticipated joy. The fish are seldom very selective, (well - sort'a,) and this fly works wonders. Sizes: 10 - 18.

.. The Yellowstone Cinch: This is our other choice for early Spring dry fly days. It is a local adaptation that floats like a cork, and can be quickly tied at home or on the water. Size is the key to this and other early season flies in Yellowstone. Later the fish become much more selective. Sizes: 10 - 18.
.. Yellowstone Spruce Fly: This fly was developed by some neighbors that use a bubble on a spinning or casting rig for Fall fishing. It is an exceptional fly when cast with a fly rod in the spring. It's a bit gaudy for many of our purists, but with a nice slow presentation in the cold waters of the early Spring it looks like a big sack of groceries to hungry trout. Sizes: 4 - 12.
.. Yellowstone Morning Glory: This is an all season fly that we like to keep handy for fishing in the film, or slightly submerged in the Spring. It is a traditional 'early morning' fly for those that find the right foggy morning after the rare early Spring hatch. In the Summer it's a useful attractor. There are many flies similar to this local variant and most will do - we use this one. Sizes: 10 - 16.
.. Yellowstone Winter Grub: This looks like nothing other than something to sample - or some such. We fish this all Winter and carry it into the Spring. It's a heavy fly, though it casts well, and is useful for 'dredging' those big fish that you know are there. It's apparently an old fly from the Salmon & Challis area in Idaho. We usually have this in a variety of sizes for the desperation moments. Sizes: 4 - 10.
.. Woolly Worm: Spit the words out of your mouth if you must - it's a great Spring fly in Yellowstone Country. Sometimes we use small ones on the surface when the snow flies are out. Black or yellow seem to be the colors of choice, we've got more yellow ones. Sizes: 10 - 18.
.. Yellowstone Badger: This prickly little devil is one that serves a multitude of purposes. Float it, sink it, splash it, strip it, or just dap it - it is a winner. This fly is similar to the other nymphs that are popular around here - the Pheasant Tail, and the Hare's Ear. We use them all, but keep coming back to this one. Sizes: 12 - 18.
.. Stiff Hackle Nymph: This variant of the soft hackle variety is not a favorite among many folks in the fly fishing community. It does work well and it is used by some of our 'more mature' neighbors. We've used it since the 80's and found it to be a useful resource - but we tend to forget it too. This is an all season fly that we just put in the fly box because we have them. Sizes 12 -18.
.. Deer Hair Caddis: This little fly we borrowed from Jason Neuswanger over at The Trout Nut. We fished it all last year along with the local versions and it was a standout performer. It's a dark fly that is consistent with some of our early Caddis hatches and we like it very much. Sizes: 10 - 18.
.. The Quick -N-Easy is one of those flies that makes many a fly fisher cringe. It is gaudy, flashy, big, and effective. It is famous for its spectacular refusals, and that's it's purpose. Tie it on early and then fish the fly that the fish are taking. This will show you that there are really fish in the water, and it may even catch one or two. Sizes: 8 - 14.
.. Hellifiknow: This pattern is reminiscent of the Black Nose Dace and Micky Finn patterns. It is useful when the water is murky and you need to get a bit of twinkle down deep. It's a Spring staple and often a 'what if ?' kind of fly for prospecting. Sizes 4 - 12.
.. Scarlet Ibis: We've carried this fly since the early 60's. Back then they came on a card and you got four for a dollar. They were imported from Japan and attracted the novice and expert alike. A bit of color never hurts the old fly boxes. This traditional wet fly is one that we fish for fun. It may be taken for an egg, a flying saucer, a cowboy's bandanna, or "who knows what?" - but it takes a few fish every year. Sizes: 8 - 14.

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.. Here's a note about the Shop Vac. It's proven its worth in subsurface fishing over the last few seasons. Tied a bit larger than the traditional sizes it is a fine upper fly in a tandem rig and can be seen on a slow shallow swing.
.. We have an irrational fondness for the local Feather Dusters, (Original, Montana, Egg,) yet we always have a few Shop Vacs as well.
.. For year-round success this pattern ranks very high. Most people use the bead head variety. Contrarians that we are, we stick with the fluff sans bead.
.. The recipe lets you know why we're fond of these by the dozen.
Recipe. Hook: size 12 - 18, Thread: black, Body: pheasant tail fiber, Rib: medium, (or fine,) copper wire, Wing: gold or white Zelon, (cul de canard works fine.)
Instructions. Move thread to the rear of the hook, attach pheasant tail fibers and the wire, return thread and fibers to head, counter wrap the wire rib to the eye, tie off, attach zelon, (or cul de canard,) on top of the hook shank, whip finish a large clunky head.
.. These can be greased up real heavy and floated if you choose. The smaller sizes float very well.

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Iconic Feathers

2010-03-22T12:49:00.000-07:00

GET ONE

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Some Fall Flies

2009-09-06T20:59:00.000-07:00

FALL FLIES FOR
THE MADISON RIVER

The Big-N-Ugly Box

they work wonders

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.. Fall is when the trout in the Madison River are at their intellectual peak. They have seen flies from the four corners of the earth and rejected most of them. They have refused the offerings from both sage fishers and first-timers. They have figured out just what real food looks like.
.. The fish are experimenting less and gobbling more. They've seen it all - almost. The flies below all work well for galling a trout on the Madison River. They work best in the Fall when a sack of groceries is on the mind of sex crazed trout. The combination of impending winter, (less food,) and the urgency of procreation, (more energy used,) join forces to make the following flies worthwhile - starting now.

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(All images are huge - just click on them.)

.. Thunder Creek. When was the last time you heard someone recommend that old fossil? Who do you know that fishes it? They are either very good liars or just plain secretive. The trout in the Madison River haven't seen many of these. They usually eat the ones that they see. Fish it on the swing. Let it straighten out. Wait a little while then strip it in real fast. Old ways. This specimen, (rust, dead head cement and all took a nice fish at 7-mile bridge last October.)
.. Original Olive Matuka. These are tied commercially but their sales are way off. Although infrequently used these days, there is probably one in your fly box. There may be several. They most probably are unused and forgotten. Drag one out and give it an honest try. The early morning is a good time for the darker ones. Dead drifted or stripped downstream in the undercuts may just surprise you.
.. Chenille Matuka. Bright and boisterous, this variant is also tied commercially. It looks too gaudy for most "serious" fishers. It is a visual disaster in just about any fly box. It's not on the lips of the romantic poets of Yellowstone lore. Yet this variety is as good as or better than the original. The tail is splayed and provides nice action in the depths of dark pools. Sizes up to #4 and 4XL are not uncommonly found stuck in the noses of eager trout in the willows below the Highway 191 bridge.
.. Bead Head Rubber Legs. There are a bazillion rubber legs flies. They have secret names as well as commercial names.
.. They can be "Silli" - "Spooky" - "Madisoned" - "Fireholed" - and "Henry's Forked."
.. We use several of them this time of year and all are just grand. This one may be the grandest of all. It gets down quick and is good for 'snap-casting' right above the big roll that ended with a baby splash just over your left shoulder. The combination of long hackle, wiggly legs, copper wire. and a prickly body are often irresistible when slow-drifted across the bottom of a dark pool at sunset.
.. Guide's Secret Rubber Legs. Not a secret any more. Seven or eight years ago this pattern was hidden in dark places and fondled frequently in anticipation of Fall fishing. There are many variations of this fly: the chenille, the number of legs, the head and tail treatment, the size and hook. All seem to work just fine. There are now many commercial versions. Some of the local, (Cameron, Ennis, West Yellowstone,) versions are still proprietary. So be it.
.. Hackle & Legs. Here's another rubber legs pattern that has been embellished with long widely spaced palmered hackle. This one can be made to float with enough goo, or what ever is your favorite flotant. On still, or slick, water in the light of a Gallatin Moon, (July, August, September,) The many dimples create little lenses that allow the light to be seen. Strikes can be explosive - especially after a slight twitch.
.. The fly can also be drowned or fished on the swing in the film or down deep. It reminds us of an augmented Wooly Worm. It's good for a change of pace and is an excellent conversation piece.
.. Woolly Worm. The poor thing: fallen into disuse and disgrace. Often mentioned in the same sentence as the San Juan Worm. The Fall sizes and variations are not within the traditional range for this old sweetheart, (how many do you have?) Sizes in the 2 - 6 range are not uncommon. Long hooks are used by the neighbors. Red buck-tail is used for an afterburner. Very long, (for hook size,) hackle is the norm for this time of year. Traditional yellow and black are frequently the choice for the area around the Barns Holes and the Local Hole. More often, the last couple of years has seen hot orange or bright rust being chosen for the big water just above the estuary.
.. Pheasant & Blue. This streamer is a staple along the Washougal River in Washington and on the upper Clearwater River in Idaho. The pheasant rump feathers are popular in both steelhead and salmon fly patterns. Fishers on the South Fork of the Snake River in both Idaho and Wyoming have used this pattern for a couple of decades to take large migratory cutthroat trout. This pattern is now finding it's way into secret stashes of some of our neighbors. We've not used it but they swear by it - and at it.
.. Brindle & Hen. This popular fly from Northern California locations around Hoopa, Eureka, and Salyer has been modernized by the recent explosion of color in chenille. Similar in form and function to the classic Brindle Bug this fly is not just another pretty face. Tied with a heavy wire under-body it bounces through deep riffles with undulating sex appeal and is hard to resist by submarines parked in the dark spots during mid-day. This is a useful probing fly when tied with no underwire support and the action is leech or eel like. Just the groceries a fresh-run fish is looking for.
.. Bead Head Glitter Nymph. This monstrous cousin to the standard pheasant tail nymph is persistent in the repertory of the big-fish catchers in the neighborhood. It's easy to tie in sizes 4 - 8 and makes an excellent fly for the low clouds and bright overcast days of late September and October. It has nearly replaced the Casual Dress in our box and we don't regret it. Bleached goose biots are becoming rare these days. White will work just fine - or do some yourself.
.. Sinking Hopper. It's just about time for the sheep to call it quits on their hopper box. The feather merchants have run low on their stash and will soon begin touting the flies of fall. Grasshoppers in the high country continue to grow and molt through the first couple of weeks in October. A hard frost will "knock 'em down." A couple of warm days, (even after snow,) will kick some life into them. Drowned, this fly is a nearly irresistible morsel for the big resident trout and a rare treat for the lake run fish of the Madison River.
.. Many of our strangest neighbors use this as a dropper behind a big streamer such as a Woolly Bugger, Egg-sucking Leech, Chamois Leech, or a Brindle & Hen. Common practice is to soak the little dickens in water for a day or two and let the river do your shopping for you. Foam patterns are just too hard to sink - they can be retired now.
.. Dark Spruce Fly. This classic has persisted despite the hawking of "more modern" flies. There are many variants and they seem to be quietly proliferating. We prefer ours tied a bit on the sparse side and choose to use a barred furnace hackle tip of a mahogany color rather than the traditional golden badger hackle.
.. This pattern is old, (1918 - 1919,) and was originally called the Godfrey Special. It was a premier sea-run cutthroat pattern for over half a century. It is still seen along the Madison River, and steelhead streams most everywhere. This is just the tonic for jaded trout around Baker's Hole and the Barns Holes.
.. Furnace & Red. This fly has been a staple for our Fall and Winter fishing since sometime in the late 60's. A couple of dozen were a gift from a fly fisher in Pocatello, Idaho. He may have "invented" it.
.. The name was roughly translated as "BOB'S FLY" - Google shows nothing quite like it by that name. It's a dark fly that is sometimes stripped cross-current at night or in the twilight. It's caught a few big fish. A few of the ancient neighbors here and in I.F. use a similar fly - with different names. (The eyes are Herter's NOS. We have zillions of them and used to think they were important - works just as good without them.)
.. The Little Brown Trout. Dear to the hearts of Montanan's that love our cutthroats. There is a satisfying surge of glee, (it arises somewhere between the epitome and id,) when one of these little flies gets eaten. This old pattern is seen in most fly boxes and is only occasionally used. It is special only in the hearts and minds of ancient neighbors that remember what a glorious bit of water the Snake River was without the scourge of the invasive Brown's. Fish it like the little streamer that it is. Shallow riffles, deep undercut banks, and deep slicks are it's prime hunting ground. Even the Browns will eat it.
.. Stonefly Nymph. They live here. They get dislodged. They float around in the water column and get eaten all year long. Of course they are a Springtime religion, but the trout will eat one that's floating by. Often the older neighbors tell us to "hit 'em in the nose." That's good advice if you know where the noses are.
.. The mundane task of systematically covering a run in the Fall is a bit tedious. It is also rewarding when using any of the many stonefly imitations. Like a dog with a bone, the fish grab it, shake it, and hold onto it with a fierceness like unto a virgin prom queen in the back of an S.U.V.

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.. Baker's Hole Bugger. Straight from Blue Ribbon Flies & Whiskey Creek Fishing comes a fly designed specifically for the water around Baker's Hole. It's a fly that has been "making the rounds" for a few of years and shows some staying power. Although supposedly designed "for Brown Trout" the fly is just fine for pricking hungry trout of any stripe.
.. A couple of the neighbors are aficionados of this fly and have already shortened it's name to "Baker's Bugger." They fish it all year long. The fly uses standard Brindle Bug chenille and a two toned tail similar to the Brindle and Hen. These long-tailed buggers have been getting more attention during the last decade. Probably a good reason for that.

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.. P.S. Don't forget your Mouse. Fishing in the park is open until 10:00 PM. {{NB- as of 2008, the regulations have been changed to sundown. puts a crimp in the mousing around. ]]

Post

2009-06-13T07:32:00.001-07:00

Now & Then

Thank The Lord For Shop Vacs

2008-03-21T08:19:00.000-07:00

SIMPLE AND EFFECTIVE

No Worse Than Second Choice

.. We have an irrational fondness for the local Feather Dusters, (Original, Montana, Egg,) yet we always have a few Shop Vacs as well. For year-round success these nymphs rank very high. Most people use the bead head variety. Contrarians that we are, we stick with the fluff sans bead.
.. The recipe lets you know why we're fond of these by the dozen.
Recipe. Hook: size 12 - 18, Thread: black, Body: pheasant tail fiber, Rib: medium, (or fine,) copper wire, Wing: gold or white Zelon, (cul de canard works fine.)
Instructions. Move thread to the rear of the hook, attach pheasant tail fibers and the wire, return thread and fibers to head, counter wrap the wire rib to the eye, tie off, attach zelon, (or cul de canard,) on top of the hook shank, whip finish a large clunky head.
.. Catch fish. These can be greased up real heavy and floated. The smaller sizes float very well.

The Fall Fly Box

2007-10-07T10:16:00.000-07:00

Some New Ones

Some Old Ones

Some Big Ones

And Others

.. There is some controversy about the necessary flies for the Fall Fly Box in Yellowstone. The folks on the South Fork of the Snake River have one set of flies, the folks on the Lamar River have another set, the folks on the Yellowstone River have their favorites, and the Madison River drainage yet others. This is not too surprising - yet many a congenial brew has been ruined discussing the "CORRECT FLIES."
.. Between our time spent in the neighborhood and traveling, we have developed a comprehensive collection of generalized Fall flies. They work most places, and are not at all out of the ordinary. There are a few local variants, and a few old-timer's. They are not necessarily "Correct," and certainly not perfect. They are, however, consistently successful.
.. These are the flies that we would fish until the folks 200 yards down the river gave us a fly that just caught more fish than we did. That's how we gathered up most of these flies in the first place.

STREAMERS & NYMPHS

.. The Dark Spruce Fly is a must for Fall fishing in Yellowstone. It can be tied in a traditional, streamer style, or as a Matuka. We use both. We also tend to use flies that are a bit bigger than the conventional wisdom dictates. There seems to be a subconscious message in our hard-wiring; "size matters." We also prefer furnace hackle with a touch of green - if we can get it.
.. The Light Spruce Fly is carried by most folks in the neighborhood. They fish it less than the dark one. It too, can be tied in either style. Again we prefer a darker and off-color wing to the stark white of the traditional recipe. It is almost a sure thing that any fall fisher will have this fly in the box come Labor Day.
.. The Yellowstone Spruce Fly is tied in a manner similar to the dark and light varieties. It uses materials that are at variance with the traditional recipes and is probably not a "real" Spruce Fly. It has a small but dedicated following among old-fart-fishers along the Henry's Fork, Madison, Firehole, and Gibbon Rivers. This streamer has two variants. The one shown here is the most popular. The other uses a green under wing with a yellow body and green butt. We fish this one, other folks use the other one - they both catch fish.
.. The Green Matuka Egg Fly is reappearing in many fly boxes. This was a popular fly 15 years ago on the South Fork of the Snake River. It is seeing use on the Madison and Firehole Rivers right now. It's just a Matuka - tied a little long. Some use red for the egg, some use florescent orange, some use yellow - don't seem to matter much.
.. The Yellowstone Sally is generally tied in Stone fly sizes for spring fishing. When tied on a long shank hook, with a long tail, it's a very durable and serviceable streamer - of sorts. It is best in the early Fall, (like right now,) and seems to lose it's appeal as winter approaches.
.. The Black Ghost, Black Nose Dace, Mickey Finn, and Hellifiknow, are all used in the Fall for the lake run fish on their spawning trip up the Madison River. These are excellent flies for the big plunge pool at the base of Gibbon Falls. They also work in the very early morning or late evening on the Gallatin River in the deep dark pools. These are usually tied very sparsely and fished deep on a dead drift. They serve as both searching flies and as mid-day flies, (the tinsel seems to be the key - or the contrast - or . . .)
.. There are quite a few similar flies that are bright with tinsel; and when they work - they really work. When they don't - they really don't. There must be a lesson here, but we haven't figured it out - yet.
.. The Gray Ghost in either it's classic form, as tied by Stevens, or it's shorter-shanked commercial versions is creeping back into the fly boxes of the Fall fishers in Yellowstone National Park. Most of the visitors, when asked, explain that they use it because they like it. The neighbors have a different reason - ". . . tried everything else." This fly is usually fished on a mended swing. Make it as slow as you can and mend and back-strip to keep it as drag free as possible - a strip-set is usually required when the take happens. If fished too far away it is probably mouthed and rejected -- and you'll never know.
.. The Thunder Creek is an old, stodgy, plain-looking, killer fly. It is seldom seen these days, and that is a mystery to us. Depending on conditions, trout preference, and personal preference, this fly can be tied long or short, full or sparse, bright or dull, or any combination - above and below the shank. We prefer a rather short and medium-full rendition. We use plucked pheasant rump fibres and red thread. Some of the neighbors tie it very sparse and with plucked hen hackle, (black or grizzly,) and yellow thread. Fish this one on the swing with a taught line and at the end of the swing let it dangle in the current right in front of the nose of big fish.
.. The Woolly Bugger is mandatory. This staple of most fly boxes is most popular in black, (dark green, olive, brown, gray, and even yellow are also seen.) With the advent of synthetic materials, this fly has many variants. We usually stick with black or olive and occasionally add just a bit of flash to the body. Sometimes a few strands creep into the marabou fibres too.
.. The Quick-N-Easy seems to be limited to the Lamar River, the upper Gibbon River, the Yellowstone River, and infrequently it is seen on Slough Creek below the parking lot, and along the road section. This is probably a cultural difference in feather merchant preference as much as a trout preference. We use it on the Gallatin River and the Madison River and it works just fine. The fly goes together quickly and is very durable. Just one kind of feather - two kinds of floss - one color thread.
.. The Feather Duster is almost a lost tradition in Yellowstone Fishing. The original was actually made from the material in feather dusters. It has some color variants. Tied in the smaller sizes this is a very effective spring and summer nymph. The larger yellow and especially pink versions are frequently just the thing that late Fall migrating spawners are looking for.

Dry Flies, Wet Flies, Soft Hackle & Others

.. Three flies, (and their variants,) will do for the dry flies in the Fall in Yellowstone Park. The Big Wing Sparkle Caddis, Yellowstone Cinch, and Blue Wing Olive. The fall hatches in Yellowstone can range from apparent to negligible - they don't ever seem to be spectacular, (save for the occasional "snow fly" marathon.) The Caddis is the one we use most, followed by the cinch, then the BWO, (which will do if the Baetis appear.)
.. The continuing expanded use of Soft Hackle Flies in Yellowstone and elsewhere is a testament to their effective deployment in sunken fly fishing. It is probably also a testament to their ease of construction. And, tied correctly, they are surprisingly durable. The stiff hackle variant is less well known and probably less effective for Fall fishing. We only use two colors and several sizes of this endearing fly: The Classic Version with barred hackle, and the Green Thing with dark furnace or black hackle.
.. Wet flies and others tend to overlap in use and definition. In the summer we float a Hornberg and pretend that it's a hopper. In the Fall we sink it and pretend it's a wet fly. We also use a Scarlet Ibis with magenta feathers and sometimes a gold rib. The double wings of the early traditional patterns separate and become a large bright mass. The fish don't seem to mind, (or even prefer it?)
.. Yellowstone National Park Fishing Regulations, (page 6,) "Open daily from 5 AM to 10 PM. Fishing with an artificial light is prohibited." This means that there is at least 4, and later, nearly 6 hours of fishing in the dark or near dark.
.. For these situations it is possible to take some very large fish on a mouse. YES - A MOUSE! or any other large floating fly that can make a ruckus in the areas that fish hide. This is not stealth fishing - this is bomb and boil fishing. We occasionally end our day by cutting back the leader to obscene dimensions and slowly probing the bank with a bass popper or a mouse, (the mice are traditional - use chamois for the ears and tail - rubber whiskers - eyes and colors are optional.) Big trout eat baby ducks; - voles, shrews, and mice too.

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..
OOPS, as we were taking a break from this post we noticed that Mid Current also referes us to a post about Mice from Michigan.
Check the "TIP 'O THE WEEK" for the neighbor's secrets.

Fall Flies Coming

2007-09-09T05:53:00.000-07:00

.. A new batch of Fall flies is about to hit the sheet. Stay tuned.

WE GOT THE MESSAGE

2007-06-29T06:21:00.000-07:00

.. Thanks for the feedback. We're removing much of the editorializing and sticking to description, technique and recipe. The link to the original post will provide all the growling and grumping that you may need.
.. The maps are coming along too.