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

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

"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

"Willi" wrote in message
...


Although there's not alot of hatch info, the two books by Holt, Montana
Fly Fishing Guide East and West, detail MANY of waters and from my
experience, the info is good. Good reference to find out of the way
spots. The East version covers the waters around Yellowstone Park.

Willi


Thanks Willi, will look them up.

Hey! Rumor has it you may not be showing up at the Western Clave this
year...I'll tell ya. Bad enough you haven't made it back East but not even
showing up to the Western Clave.

Have you made you mind up for sure?

"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.

JR wrote:
Willi wrote:


Although there's not alot of hatch info, the two books by Holt, Montana
Fly Fishing Guide East and West, detail MANY of waters and from my
experience, the info is good. Good reference to find out of the way
spots. The East version covers the waters around Yellowstone Park.


I have his earlier book, "Knee Deep in Montana's Trout Streams," which
is OK but has no maps. How are the maps and the access info in "Montana
Fly Fishing Guide, East"?


The maps are fine for the better known places. But if you want to hike
into some of the lakes you'll need a topo. Access info is good overall.

The guides seem pretty complete but what I like best is, because of his
writing style, you're able to read between the lines and figure out
which little known places he especially likes.

Willi

"Mike Makela" ten.tsacmoc@alekamm wrote


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?

I dearly love the Firehole, but most fish are smallish. It seems to
be 'coming back" a little bit, but the huge fish that Brooks wrote about
just aren't there any more ... most believe it's because the thermal
features have changed and the water temp is higher.




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


First I feel I must say this ... there are many places in the West where
"more and bigger" fish can be had than in Yellowstone ... the "Yellowstone
experience" is a large part of why I return, as opposed to "the fishing" ...

Put another way, fishing is my excuse to return to the Greater Yellowstone
Area .... I do NOT go to the GYA because I'm seeking the 'biggest and best"
fishing.


My favorite Yellowstone/Montana water

It's in Idaho. It is a BAD state of decline right now and doesn't fish
well, but it's where I want my ashes spread ... the Henry's Fork of the
Snake. But, it's not where I'd suggest spending part of short visit, since
the last few years there aren't many fish, and the ones there can be
extremely tough to catch. I don't think it is exaggerating to say that
most fishermen would catch 30 times as many fish/day on the Madison below
Quake as the HFork soft water sections.

Try Slough Creek if it's cleared and fishing when you are there ( check
locally before driving ) ..take good bug spray ( early season for Slough is
July and it has nasty biting flies, if you are too early ) ... you can
catch a lot of big fish in a lovely setting ... think Grey Drakes, PMDs,
Midges, and maybe some caddis in July.... move slow and look hard, you can
almost always see him before casting, even if he doesn't betray himself with
a
rise.

The Madison IN the Park is wonderful, but it often shuts down by July ...
again increased water temp from Firehole influence. Right now, ( I talked
to a friend in West yesterday ) the entire region is running well over
average in snow pack water content and things "might" be different this
summer with the Firehole and Madison fishing well later ... time will tell.

Hebgen Lake, in August ( my wedding anniversary is August 14th ...30 years
this August ... and I've been coming home for it and missing the best of
Hebgen ... but it's a good trade, I have a great wife ... and those Hebgen
trout are a lot harder for me to score with ;-)

"Joel *DFD*" wrote in message
oups.com...
Mike,
See me at the Penns.
I'll bring two classic books and a topo map to lend you.
The books are not real good hatch refrences but they're great reads.
Joel


Awesome Joel, I'll be there and glad to hear you will be!!

"Larry L" wrote in message
...

"Mike Makela" ten.tsacmoc@alekamm wrote

First I feel I must say this ... there are many places in the West where
"more and bigger" fish can be had than in Yellowstone ... the "Yellowstone
experience" is a large part of why I return, as opposed to "the fishing"
...

I hear ya, went out for a clave two years back and had a great time. Not
just in the Park, but everyone we went.


It's in Idaho. It is a BAD state of decline right now and doesn't fish
well, but it's where I want my ashes spread ... the Henry's Fork of the
Snake. But, it's not where I'd suggest spending part of short visit,
since
the last few years there aren't many fish, and the ones there can be
extremely tough to catch. I don't think it is exaggerating to say that
most fishermen would catch 30 times as many fish/day on the Madison below
Quake as the HFork soft water sections.


Only viewed the area ina drive by on the to Jackosn airport last year.
Looked nice, maybe one of these days.

Try Slough Creek if it's cleared and fishing when you are there ( check
locally before driving ) ..take good bug spray ( early season for Slough
is
July and it has nasty biting flies, if you are too early ) ... you can
catch a lot of big fish in a lovely setting ... think Grey Drakes, PMDs,
Midges, and maybe some caddis in July.... move slow and look hard, you can
almost always see him before casting, even if he doesn't betray himself
with
a
rise.

Could of used that advice a few years back. Went up into the meadows with
shorts. Can't say that they seemed to intimidated with 100% deet, so wish I
had 100% clothing coverage. And the grey drakes..took me a while to figure
that out. Was using Western Greens which worked O.K., but didn't knock them
dead. I had one grey which did get me a couple but lost it. We did have
success with hoppers also.

The Madison IN the Park is wonderful, but it often shuts down by July ...
again increased water temp from Firehole influence. Right now, ( I talked
to a friend in West yesterday ) the entire region is running well over
average in snow pack water content and things "might" be different this
summer with the Firehole and Madison fishing well later ... time will
tell.

Want to fish this section, didn't last time around, so hoping the water is
fishable for the clave.

Hebgen Lake, in August ( my wedding anniversary is August 14th ...30 years
this August ... and I've been coming home for it and missing the best of
Hebgen ... but it's a good trade, I have a great wife ... and those Hebgen
trout are a lot harder for me to score with ;-)



Gotta have your priorities...

Thanks for the words, yet again,

Mike

"William Claspy" wrote in message
...
On 2/13/06 12:47 AM, in article ,

Rookie!

:-)

Bill


Blah, Blah, Blah, so you coming over to Penn's this year?