Best Yellowstone/Montana Books in preparation for the July Clave.

Looking for a list of the better Montana/Yellowstone Flyfishing books. I
have one that turned out to be a good primer last time up (the Montana
Angling Guide - Fotherrill/Sterling) that is a wealth of information, but
looking for another book or two to supplement it. Basically looking for
something with detailed information on the streams, holes, and especially
the hatches. I'm finding it hard to get good information on the local
hatches so good accurate hatch charts with local pattern information would
be nice. They don't seem to pay much attention to the hatches in
Yellowstone/Montana, and maybe that's why, but witnessed a good variety of
hatches last time out and would like to be prepared this time around.

Any and all information would be awesome!!

Mike

Craig Matthews' "Fly Fishing the Madison" and "The Yellowstone Fly
Fishing Guide" are pretty good - and if you don't like them you can go
into his shop and complain when you're there. g
--
Charlie...
www.chocphoto.com

"Charlie Choc" wrote in message
oups.com...
Craig Matthews' "Fly Fishing the Madison" and "The Yellowstone Fly
Fishing Guide" are pretty good - and if you don't like them you can go
into his shop and complain when you're there. g
--
Charlie...
www.chocphoto.com


Thanks Charlie, I know you have the Fothergill book (clave raffle prize from
someone..), how does it match up?

"Mike Makela" ten.tsacmoc@alekamm wrote in message
. ..

"Charlie Choc" wrote in message
oups.com...
Craig Matthews' "Fly Fishing the Madison" and "The Yellowstone Fly
Fishing Guide" are pretty good - and if you don't like them you can go
into his shop and complain when you're there. g
--
Charlie...
www.chocphoto.com


Thanks Charlie, I know you have the Fothergill book (clave raffle prize
from someone..), how does it match up?

Fothergill is one you want! At least one of the ones you want. Buy it
cheap on Amazon, used. Matthew's is good for Madison specifically, but to
fish the surrounding area, Fothergill is a great guide because of all the
streams covered and all the maps. The Amato book LaCourse mentioned is best
for just fun reading (good photos). I'd get at least 3 books :-)

The Fothergill book is maybe more 'technical' (at least it has more
detailed maps) but the Matthews books are more focused on the Madison
and Yellowstone area.

On Sun, 12 Feb 2006 10:49:52 -0500, "Mike Makela"
ten.tsacmoc@alekamm wrote:

Any and all information would be awesome!!

River Journals by Frank Amato Publications. Books on the Madison,
Henry's Fork and the Yellowstone.

Don't know whether they are still in print.

If you can't find them, let me know.

Dave

"Dave LaCourse" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 12 Feb 2006 10:49:52 -0500, "Mike Makela"
ten.tsacmoc@alekamm wrote:

Any and all information would be awesome!!

River Journals by Frank Amato Publications. Books on the Madison,
Henry's Fork and the Yellowstone.

Don't know whether they are still in print.

If you can't find them, let me know.

Dave


Thanks Dave!! How's things in New England? We got socked last night, and
looks like New England got blasted too..

On Sun, 12 Feb 2006 22:29:36 -0500, "Mike Makela"
ten.tsacmoc@alekamm wrote:

Thanks Dave!! How's things in New England? We got socked last night, and
looks like New England got blasted too..

Not too bad. About 16 inches so far.

E-mail me your address and I'll send you the books on the Madison,
Yellowstone, and Henry's Fork. I also have Journals on Clark Fork,
Big Hole, and Silver Creek.

You can return them after the clave.

Dave

"Mike Makela" ten.tsacmoc@alekamm wrote

be nice. They don't seem to pay much attention to the hatches in
Yellowstone/Montana, and maybe that's why, but witnessed a good variety of
hatches last time out and would like to be prepared this time around.



Mike,

I don't know who "they" are, but "hatches" are the focus of everyone I know
that spends much time in the Greater Yellowstone area.

But, "Yellowstone/Montana" is a lot of area, both in surface area and
equally important, in altitude changes and it's nearly impossible to produce
a hatch chart for the entire zone that would have any meaning beyond " lots
of bugs over nearly the whole season."

As a single example, Salmonflies start hatching on the HFork around Ashton
in mid-may and the last Salmonflies you will likely encounter continue until
late July on the Yellowstone in the Park. In the middle they will appear on
the Madison, Gallatin and other rivers. But, on any given water their
emergence is short and far more people leave never having experienced good
Salmonfly activity than have ...

If you want the best 'feel' for what fishing the hatches of the Greater
Yellowstone Area can be like, there is no better resource then the DVD "Fly
Fishing Yellowstone Hatches" available from Blue Ribbon Flies
http://www.blueribbonflies.com/ The DVD is based on a book "Fishing
Yellowstone Hatches" by Jurachek and Matthews if you'd rather read than
watch, but I guarantee the DVD will make you a lot more eager to find the
bugs G ... and I suggest it.

If you want a list of all Park waters with access routes and fishing
information "The Yellowstone Fly Fishing Guide" covers every creek and lake
and it too is written by the people at Blue Ribbon

"Western Mayfly Hatches" by Hafele and Hughes is an excellent source but it
covers an area even larger ... it is probably too 'scientific' for a one
trip visitor Their older book "Western Hatches" is also very good, and
covers all types of bugs, but for the Mayflies the new one is great.

I've fished the Jellystone area since '71 off and on, and the last 5 years
for several months each summer. I can't remember the last time I fished an
"attractor" pattern ... hatches are the game, for me. But, I don't expect
to 'master' the Jellystone hatch knowledge available, ever. Unlike most
visiting anglers that rush from spot to spot to get more 'been there, done
that' points, I fish the same places over and over, hoping to gain a greater
sense on intimacy and deeper knowledge. Yet, I'm still surprised and caught
unprepared often.

If you DO rush from spot to spot ...look HARD before you tie on a fly, what
worked great at RiverA may be useless at RiverB an hour away by car. This
may account for your impression that hatches aren't taken seriously ...
"place collectors" probably tend to fish flies that attract more than
imitate.

The DVD will give you an idea of 'most likely' and 'most famous'
times/places and bugs but there is a LOT of fly fishing within a couple
hours of West Yellowstone and the exact same late July day that one water
will be starting to slow for the summer doldrums another water, not that far
away, will just be getting into shape for it's early fishing. Add the
fact that weather fluctuations can move hatches two weeks or more one way or
the other on the calendar and you'll begin to see how impossible it is to
name a few patterns for a short time in a huge region.

"Larry L" wrote in message
...


I don't know who "they" are, but "hatches" are the focus of everyone I
know that spends much time in the Greater Yellowstone area.

But, "Yellowstone/Montana" is a lot of area, both in surface area and
equally important, in altitude changes and it's nearly impossible to
produce a hatch chart for the entire zone that would have any meaning
beyond " lots of bugs over nearly the whole season."

As a single example, Salmonflies start hatching on the HFork around Ashton
in mid-may and the last Salmonflies you will likely encounter continue
until late July on the Yellowstone in the Park. In the middle they will
appear on the Madison, Gallatin and other rivers. But, on any given
water their emergence is short and far more people leave never having
experienced good Salmonfly activity than have ...

Caught a decent Salmonfly hatch last time up. Don't think it was too
intense, but it brought the fish up so worked for me. This was a good
example though as the Salmonfly hatch ended, didn't meet anyone along the
stream who knew what the fish were popping on. It turned out to be a basic
caddis, but had to rifle throguh the caddis box for an hour or two until i
figured it out on my own. That's always satisfying but would like to be
sure I have the right flies in the box to play with...


If you want the best 'feel' for what fishing the hatches of the Greater
Yellowstone Area can be like, there is no better resource then the DVD
"Fly Fishing Yellowstone Hatches" available from Blue Ribbon Flies
http://www.blueribbonflies.com/ The DVD is based on a book "Fishing
Yellowstone Hatches" by Jurachek and Matthews if you'd rather read than
watch, but I guarantee the DVD will make you a lot more eager to find the
bugs G ... and I suggest it.

Will check it out thanks..

I've fished the Jellystone area since '71 off and on, and the last 5 years
for several months each summer. I can't remember the last time I fished
an "attractor" pattern ... hatches are the game, for me. But, I don't
expect to 'master' the Jellystone hatch knowledge available, ever.
Unlike most visiting anglers that rush from spot to spot to get more 'been
there, done that' points, I fish the same places over and over, hoping to
gain a greater sense on intimacy and deeper knowledge. Yet, I'm still
surprised and caught unprepared often.


Sounds like Central PA hatches..the landscape may not be as unqiue, but the
limestoners are fertile and full of bugs. Takes a while to know what the
key flies are, and even then I am caught unaware frequently. I think that
is part of it for me since I grew up in flyfishing on matching the hatch. I
want to flip rocks, skim the surface, and watch the fish take a natural, to
figure out what to use. Don't get me wrong, I'll use whatever works, but I
never saw, or caught a bug, that looked like a lot of the attractor flies I
had in my box last time up. If I have the right flies to match the hatch in
the box, I'll figure it out.

When you coming out to the Penn's Clave?


If you DO rush from spot to spot ...look HARD before you tie on a fly,
what worked great at RiverA may be useless at RiverB an hour away by car.
This may account for your impression that hatches aren't taken seriously
... "place collectors" probably tend to fish flies that attract more than
imitate.

Do have to test much of the water to figure out those good spots to return
to each year. I have a few places marked for return engagements, but have a
few more I want to try.

For example, the Firehole kind of haunts me a bit in that I didn't fish it
long, and we caught a few average fish, but it looked like it should hold a
better breed of fish. Is it truly a classic fly stream or just a freak of
nature?

Also only fished the Yellowstone for a day last time in, hope to get another
day or two in this year. How about Black Canyon, is it worth the long hike,
or expensive outfitter, in?

The DVD will give you an idea of 'most likely' and 'most famous'
times/places and bugs but there is a LOT of fly fishing within a couple
hours of West Yellowstone and the exact same late July day that one water
will be starting to slow for the summer doldrums another water, not that
far away, will just be getting into shape for it's early fishing. Add
the fact that weather fluctuations can move hatches two weeks or more one
way or the other on the calendar and you'll begin to see how impossible it
is to name a few patterns for a short time in a huge region.


True, I'm sure of it, especially now that you have confirmed it, but if
you know the big bugs, on the streams that you focus on, I would think it's
a matter of time before you hit the right combination. One thing I did
notice out there is that once you find the bug, the fish in most streams
lift their skirts up...

What is your favorite water in Yellowstone, or otherwise Southern Montana?

Mike