Getting the itch
- This topic has 13 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated Aug 10, 2007 at 2:04 pm by
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Seeing the photo essays of Montana has me just itching to hit the streams. Unfortunately the weather here in Western Pa for trout really stinks right now. Thunderstorms every night and temps in the 90’s make the local streams muddy and their temps hovering around to mid 80’s. I’ll throw some photos in from previous trips when I figure out how to post them.
Eric
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This is a photo of Slough creek between the second and first meadowHere is my buddy Kevin with a nice Slough creek cut taken below the campground
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Doug and I at Trout Lake
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Finally my favorite body of water, the Firehole
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hi Eric, nice pics!!!
Never been out West…so here is a stupid question…the FireHole…with all the steam coming out…is the stream not hot? warm?I hear ya…the itch is setting in.
Out here in Eastern PA things arent much better.
Eric,
The Firehole is one of my favorite streams. It holds so many surprises. Your pic if I am guessing right is just immediately above the Iron Bridge at the upper end of the old Fountain Flats road?? I first fished the Firehole in 1970 when that road was still open to traffic. Here’s my favorite pic of the Firehole taken during a trip mid September 2005. I’ll be there again this year in October for 4 days. I understand the Itch!
MIke,
You hit it right on the nose, that’s exactly where I was when I took the photo of the Firehole. The Firehole river is sooo cool. We were fishing there when it was about 38 degrees, raining,sleeting and snowing. You would be freezing like it was steelhead weather and then just wade over to where a thermal spring entered the water and within a few seconds your feet and legs were toasty warm. Actually you had to watch, it can get too warm. The fishing was great on that river and I’m bummed that we are going early this year, the Firehole will most likely be too warm to fish when we get there. I’m really hoping for the stream restrictions to lift, it will be dissapointing if we can’t hike up to Slough creek meadows. With the restrictions having you pull the plug on fishing at 2pm, not really worth the 2-3 hour hike. If they stand we will be hitting other streams in the park. Anyone fish Hellroaring or the meadow section of Pebble creek? I have Craig Matthews book on fishing Yellowstone Park and those two look like possible hikes which would be worthwhile. Here’s my favorite fly shop in Montana. You can’t beat Kelly Galloup for his hospitality or his guides like John McClureEric
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Eric,
Your post didn’t say when you were headed out to Yellowstone, but if you have not fished these two places, you should.
Yellowstone River just south of Gardiner. It’s about a 1.5 mile easy hike to the river from the Rescue Creek trail head on the Mammoth Rd. Once you reach the canyon, it’s just game trails down to the river. In this section, you have about 1.5 miles of water up or down before you are canyon walled out. If you are an aggressive wader and can get to the island at the lower end, you get another ½ mile of river. This area is just loaded with Cutts, Bows and Browns. Great streamer water in the Fall and is an easy early morning to noon hike, fish and hike out. This is the place to beat the crowds. I’ve fished in here at least six times and never seen another fisherman on the water when I was.
These are late September 2006 pics.The other river everyone should try is the Gardner. You will cross it to reach the Yellowstone. The first 1.25 miles of the Gardner from the confluence to the Rescue creek bridge is super fun dry fly or upstream nymphing water just loaded with Cutts and Browns. The browns get super aggressive in the Fall as they move up this section from the Yellowstone to spawn.
If you get to Gardiner, MT and want fish these rivers, check in with Walter Wiese at Park’s Fly Shop, he’s a great guide and will know what’s going on with these streams. http://parksflyshop.com/
Mike,
I meant to write and tell you how much I enjoyed yours, as well as everyone else’, post about why you fly fish (I was in CO for about a week and didn’t bother to look at a computer).
I am going to be spending a week in YNP the first week of Oct. and concentrating most of our fishing in the Lamar Valley area; but, if you don’t mind, we might give your Yellowstone section a look.
Lastly, what part of AL are you in? I grew up in Hartselle and spent a lot of days and nights on Smith Lake.
Bryan
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