119 Days to the Yellowstone Opener!
Blog › Forums › Fly Fishing › 119 Days to the Yellowstone Opener!
- This topic has 14 replies, 10 voices, and was last updated Feb 5, 2009 at 9:42 pm by
Mike Cline.
-
AuthorPosts
-
Feb 1, 2009 at 12:57 am #3822
Mike Cline
MemberFor those of you with cabin fever, its just 119 days until the Yellowstone opener on May 30, 2009. Just because I could, I thought I’d do a bit of advance scouting.

The Yellowstone River at Tower looks fishable
The East Fork of the Yellowstone (AKA Lamar) will take a bit of thawing out.

I hope I won’t need snowshoes for Soda Butte Creek in May

Couldn’t quite get close enough to Slough Creek to see what kind of shape it was in.

But, the IA Hat does look good on the sign!

The Gardner was in great shape, crystal clear. Unfortunately it won’t look like this in May.Every now and then, one must indulge their dreams. 🙂
Feb 1, 2009 at 2:00 am #33304dusty montgomery
MemberWhy wait 119 days? The water is moving, and fish gotta’ eat. Carpe Diem, literally.
D.Feb 1, 2009 at 2:21 am #33305david knapp
MemberVery nice pictures!
Feb 1, 2009 at 7:12 am #33306tradd d
MemberGood time to fish and most imprtantly the Bears are Hibernating!!! 20 years ago when I lived there a moma bear and cubs came up the trail and mauled a fellow hiker…always prefer Hibernating Time!!
Feb 1, 2009 at 6:54 pm #33307
Eric WellerMemberI can’t wait to be back in Montana!
Feb 2, 2009 at 5:17 am #33308shane cavitt
MemberHow does one go about getting one of those IA caps?
Feb 2, 2009 at 7:35 pm #33309
Eric WellerMemberWell it’s a secret society which requires a quite involved initiation. But seriously when Zach decides to make some new ones or setups to print some shirts and hats again you need to jump on the band wagon.
Feb 2, 2009 at 7:50 pm #33310David L. Darnell
MemberMike,
Having spent quite a bit of time in the area you posted photos of, I’d like to say Thank You.
I keep an eye on the web cams out in your part of the world and enjoy the snow that way. Sure wish we got snow in Tennessee
Feb 2, 2009 at 8:19 pm #33311Mike Cline
MemberMike,
Wonder were we could find a photo of Second Meadow of Slough ?
David
Boy! that would be an interesting picture in the dead of Winter. It is 7 miles as the crow flies from the NE Entrance Road/Slough creek road junction to the middle of the second meadow. The trail would be broken snow the entire way. You’d have to get there on skis or snowshoes and I suspect the snow would be upwards of 5-6′ deep the entire way. The pictures don’t do the depth of snow justice. Soda Butte Creek in the open had at least 4′ of snow on top of the banks and Slough Creek would have even more. (I suspect the creek would just be invisible under the snow) We are at between 85%-105% of average on snowpack throughout the region so this summer should be a good one again.
Feb 2, 2009 at 9:42 pm #33312anonymous
Membergood problems to have.
Feb 4, 2009 at 3:46 am #33313Shannon Drawe
MemberYup. Those images rock, but really is the ground rocking? I mean how’s the seismic activity there? Shannon
Feb 5, 2009 at 8:41 pm #33314Zach Matthews
The Itinerant AnglerGreat post, Mike.
Feb 5, 2009 at 9:07 pm #33315Mike Cline
MemberGreat post, Mike. How did you get in to those places? Zach
Indeed the road from Mammoth to Cooke City is open year round. The NPS keep it plowed nicely and only in the really shady spots is it icey and slick. Unfortunately, all the trails and side roads are not maintained so that any off-road travel has to be on skis or showshoes. The park is a very quiet and serene place in the Winter. There’s still a lot of elk, bison and coyote to see, but the Elk and Bison are really sluggish in the winter–they don’t move around much. Its ashame the Gardner River isn’t open for fishing in the Winter as it runs low and crystal clear and the snow isn’t too bad below Mammoth. If the weather stays nice over the next week or so, I plan a hike back into the Black Canyon along the Rescue Creek trail. If that comes off, there’ll be some interesting pics of the Yellowstone. 😎
BTW: Nice Rack! ;D
Feb 5, 2009 at 9:14 pm #33316Zach Matthews
The Itinerant AnglerNo kidding.
Feb 5, 2009 at 9:42 pm #33317Mike Cline
Memberit gave me the chills. Zach
http://venturist.com/images/MikeImages/Thirty-Seven%20Days%20of%20Peril.pdf
If you haven’t ever read this story–its true–it will probably give you the chills as well.
-
AuthorPosts
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.