2009 Rockies Fishing Reports

[schwerty]

How 'bout region specific threads this year? Might be easier to navigate through and get useful info.

If you have more than one pic, post in a seperate thread.

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Jackson Hole, Jellystone region - south of the MT boarder:

The Park ain't open.

The Snake in JH has actually been fishing well. Mostly south of Jackson. Warmer days have been bringing fish up in midges. Standard attractor nymph patterns doing the trick too.

South Fork: Prolly decent but I haven't been nor do I know anyone that's been in a while.

Henry's - I got a some second hand info that the lower river is fishing really well. No specifics, sorry.

[Pow4Brains]

After reading that I'm even more bummed I couldn't hook up with you while I was in town. It took 7 hours from Sheridan to Jackson, we got out of the yurt late and I had to be back in Sheridan for work sooner than I was hoping. BOOOOOO!

Hopefully I'll be back up in April.

[72Twenty]

SE Wyoming = ice.

[adipose]

Central Wyoming = $$$, from this weekend.

[schwerty]

I'm jealous of your water in the winter and spring! Not so much in the summer when it's Africa hot up there but FKNA, the cooler seasons are somethin'!

[schwerty]

After reading that I'm even more bummed I couldn't hook up with you while I was in town. It took 7 hours from Sheridan to Jackson, we got out of the yurt late and I had to be back in Sheridan for work sooner than I was hoping. BOOOOOO!

Hopefully I'll be back up in April.

Get in touch if you come back. I'll be here.

[schwerty]

Anyone been out lately?

I'm heading out for a quick fix this afternoon.....assuming the to-do list doesn't get in the way.

[bigt]

I don't want to go off topic too far but this seems like a place to ask for advice. I am going to be driving form NY to AK in June and want to stop in Yellowstone for a 3 to 5 night backpack/fishing/hot spring trip. any advice from the locals as to which backcountry campgrounds have a good mixture of fishing and hot springing? I have heard the hellroaring are is pretty good. aslo I have heard that spots fill up quick so I wanted to get on top of this soon. Thanks in advance for the advice.


T

[schwerty]

I don't want to go off topic too far but this seems like a place to ask for advice. I am going to be driving form NY to AK in June and want to stop in Yellowstone for a 3 to 5 night backpack/fishing/hot spring trip. any advice from the locals as to which backcountry campgrounds have a good mixture of fishing and hot springing? I have heard the hellroaring are is pretty good. aslo I have heard that spots fill up quick so I wanted to get on top of this soon. Thanks in advance for the advice.


T

I hope nobody shoots me for saying this but, Bechler/Cascade area.

You will prolly hit runoff then. That might dictate where you would want to be. It may come down to what's more important, fishing or hot springs.

[Ksyrium]

was out on gray reef today. i, as usual didnt catch anything but my buddy caught a few on san juan worms and another couple on a rusty scud. water was pretty clear. watched one guy fish a hole across from us who caught fish after fish after fish. ill figure this fly fishing thing out eventually.

[Lexi-Bell]

I hope nobody shoots me for saying this

BLAM-BLAM, YER DEAD

[schwerty]

BLAM-BLAM, YER DEAD

I walked myself right onto that, didn't I?


It's not like you can't find the area on a map though. If you call the Park, that's prolly gonna be one of their recomendations.

[72Twenty]

I fished my local area on Saturday. Meeboer is the only lake with open water and reports are that big fish survived the winter. G&F installed a new aerator last year. Anyway, I drove out there and planned on fishing the open section of shore line, but when I got there I found a bunch of rednecks sitting in their trucks drinking beer and having smokes while they watched their rod tips. They had spread out bait rods all along the only open section of shoreline (about 70 yards worth) and propped them up with stick, all about 5 yards apart. I would have had to wade out between their lines and I was not getting a "welcome" feeling from their glares behind their windshields.

Bastards.

So, instead I went back into town to fish the river but didn't have any luck.

[schwerty]

South Fork : Good fishing. There have been stellar midge hatches on warm days! Streamer fishing is picking up. As for patterns : The usual suspects....

Snake in JH: Decent fishing on the warm days, slower when the cold weather comes in. Cutties don't seem to be moving to much for streamers but worth have a few along. Same shit as the SF - most fish are still in their winter water....

[Donkey Punch]

The Big Thompson has been fishing well the last couple weeks, including a 14" which was the nicest fish I have ever pulled out of that river. 22-24 midge dries, 18-20 brassies, and WD-40's have been producing. I'm definately ready for some warmer weather as I am getting really sick of working with 7X all the time.

[schwerty]

The Big Thompson has been fishing well the last couple weeks, including a 14" which was the nicest fish I have ever pulled out of that river. 22-24 midge dries, 18-20 brassies, and WD-40's have been producing. I'm definately ready for some warmer weather as I am getting really sick of working with 7X all the time.

This is the best time of year for fishing in CO, IMHO. Been over to the Williams or the Colorado yet?

[Donkey Punch]

This is the best time of year for fishing in CO, IMHO. Been over to the Williams or the Colorado yet?

True but it gets frustrating using such small flies and leaders, just not as much fun at least in my experience. I haven't been anywhere else yet, I live 10 minutes from the mouth of the canyon so its the most obvious place when I get a nice day, and the time to go.

[igBand]

Fished the lower madison below bear trap late yesterday afternoon. Very windy and pretty cold. Fishing was very slow. Red worms and green caddis were about all I could get them to take.

[schwerty]

Not much to report from the Teton region. It's been POUNDING snow for a while....

Even with the build up of powder reserves, I can't seem to get too motivated to ski. Fishing has taken over! It's gonna be sunny this weekend and a bit warmer. Not great for BWO hatches but the midges should be out. Should start to pick back up.

This series of storms has really helped the regional snowpack both from a depth level and water content level. Looks like we will get some moisture again next week. Hopefully, this trend will continue throughout the spring. Seems to me the focus in the Yellowstone region and the talk of the fishing community has been on the levels of the reservoirs. They are at great levels for the tail waters and pseudo/semi - tail waters to shine. That's great and all but the moisture we have been getting has really started to shine a light on the freestones and waters of the Park! Keep your fingers crossed from a cool spring with some good pushes of water every so often to stir things up for the spawning cutts. Seems like we could have a solid season across the board!


EDIT: The South Fork flows are UP as of today. 2600cfs from 900cfs. Hopefully they hold it for the weekend!?! Apparently, they are planning on it ramping up to 6500 pretty quick. That's a great level for the river if they hold it. I'd assume the flush may come early and last a while this year??????

[72Twenty]

Same here, schwerty. We are supposed to get dumped on tonight and tomorrow. I was thinking about skiing, but I have decided to check out a new section of the Big Laramie that I have not fished before. Supposed to be snowing heavily by mid day tomorrow. I am looking forward to some storm fishing and the build-up of snow on my felts. Hopefully I can find a few browns that want to come out and play. I might bring my POV camera along and attempt to make a short mushmouth-style movie.

[72Twenty]

For the Laramie area:

A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING
TO 6 PM MDT SATURDAY.

RAIN AND SNOW WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE AREA LATE THIS AFTERNOON
BEFORE CHANGING TO ALL SNOW EARLY THIS EVENING. THE SNOW WILL
THEN CONTINUE THROUGH TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY...POSSIBLY HEAVY AT
TIMES. GUSTY NORTH WINDS WILL PRODUCE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW ALONG WITH REDUCED VISIBILITIES. BY LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON...NEW SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE...WITH 10 TO 14 INCHES POSSIBLE OVER THE MOUNTAINS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT...FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.

[schwerty]

No report but I got skunked yesterday.

[72Twenty]

No report but I got skunked yesterday.

Same here (Saturday, 4-4-09). I purt-near froze my ass off.

Temp: 15 degrees (F), snowing (sideways), wndy...







This sign is by the river in a park...


Cold feet:


Taking these things off when the laces are frozen with bare fingertips sucks:

[schwerty]

That looks real cold. Was chilly around here on the water yesterday too but at least the sun was out.

[Donkey Punch]

Wow, tough fishing today on the Big T. Missed a couple, lost one as I was going to reach for it, and landed one nice brown. All action was on 22 emerger patterns. Fish are still in very odd places even with the warmer temps and increasing flows.