Spring:
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| ............................Fly Fishing Yellowstone National Park |
Spring: (opening of the season until June 21st)
Spring marks the start of fly fishing for trout fishing in Yellowstone. Offically, spring
ends June 21st, so this means there are only a few days in which to fish during
Spring. Some days the trout will respond favorably even when you hit them over the
head with the fly line. Other days, especially a day or so after a cold front has moved
through and the water temperatures have fallen, the trout will seem to get lock jaw.
Some anglers think they move to the bottom or in shallow sunny areas to get warm.
They don't. They just stop feeding as aggressively. Trout don't get cold like us warm
blooded humans. Their body is basically the same temperature as the water. They
don't fell the difference like humans. After a cold front you will just have to fish slower
and probably swap to a nymph to catch many fish. After the passage of a cold front,
the sudden change in water temperature has more effect than the temperature itself.
Weather:
During the spring things change and usually does. Weather can range from being
extremely cold to very warm. The weather can change very fast in the spring. The
water temperatures respond by changing almost as fast as the weather. The first
thing you need to do each day you fish is to check the water temperature. This will tell
you a lot about both the trout and the aquatic insects they feed on.
The warming water increases the activity of the trout and consequently, their need for
more food. Spring is also the time most of the aquatic insects hatch start the
process of changing into adults. During the hatch they are more subject to being
eaten by trout. We feel like this is natures way of providing the trout that needed food
as well as it is in sustaining the existence of the insects themselves.
Water Levels:
Yellowstone National Park usually sees its streams undergo change more so
during the spring months than any other time of the year. The changing water levels
can drastically change the fishing conditions. Streams can go from normal flows to
runoff conditions and flooding conditions where the water is out of its normal banks
and spread out into the surrounding terrain. The raging water can end fishing at
times and even become dangerous. Even when high water occurs, the streams
return to their normal levels within a short time, usually within a couple of weeks or
more depending on the size of the runoff.
After runoff, heavy rains can cause flooding conditions. High water is not all bad. In
fact it can be good. For one thing, it stains the water enough that you are able to fool
the trout easier. Food is washed in by the heavy rain and provide additional food for
the trout near the banks. Although it may be too high to wade safely, you can usually
find water to fish where you can cast from the banks.
Hatches:
Be sure to check the spring hatch charts. The days will become longer each day of
spring. This is important because some of the hatching insects fall spent in the
water after mating and/or after the females have deposited their eggs. Often the
spinner falls are condensed into a short time and there is more of them on the water
than anytime during the hatch.
To consistently catch trout during the spring, anglers need to be able to adjust to the
changing conditions of water temperatures and water levels as well as be prepared
for a variety of hatches that will occur.
Midges:
Chironomidae midges will hatch during the spring and for the rest of the season for
that matter. These tiny insects can be very important when the water temperature is
in the low forties or high thirties and nothing else is hatching. Don't overlook them or
you may be one of those guys that go around declaring how bad the fishing is when
it is really not.
Blue-winged Olives:
At the beginning of Spring, Blue-winged Olives, primarily some of the Baetis species,
will often hatch on cloudy, overcast or rainy days. Hook sizes range from 18 to 24.
Although these insects are small, they are a prime food supply for the trout. There
can be a huge amount of them depending on the particular stream you are fishing.
The Firehole River, for example, contains millions of them.
Little Blue-winged Olives:
Various species of the Little Blue-winged Olives of the Acentrella, Diphetor, &
Plauditus genera may also hatch. Sometimes these hatches overlap and
sometimes more than one is occurring at the same time. None of these hatches are
very prolific. The hatches are usually spaced out along a stream with no continuous
populations. Hook sizes range from 20 to 26.
Little Black Caddis (Grannom):
Little Black Caddis, sometimes called the American Grannoms, or Brachycentrus
species, will hatch when the water stays around 50 degrees for a few days. This is
an overlooked hatch by many anglers. During this hatch it is relatively easy to take
trout on both the emerging pupae (first) and the egg layers (last) during the afternoon
from noon until dark. You will usually see the little chimney cases attached to rocks
swinging in the current before this hatch occurs.
Little Black Short-horned Sedges:
You will find some Little Black Short-horned Sedges or Glossosoma species, but we
have never found them to be intense hatches. They are about a hook size 20 to 22.
The emergers are the most important stage because they emerge in the stream like
a mayfly and usually stay on the water until they get to the banks. They dive to deposit
their eggs so a wet fly works best for the egg layers.
Green Sedges:
The Green Sedges or Rhyacophila species also usually hatch in sparse numbers in
the streams where they are found. Their free living larvae are known as Green Rock
Worms. There are several species of them in the park. They range in hook size from
14 to 18 and live in the fast water and riffles. The larva stage is by far the most
important stage to imitate.
Spotted Sedges:
You will also find some of the net-spinning caddisflies that begin to hatch in the
spring. These are mostly the Hydropsyche species called Spotted Sedges. These
are the most plentiful species of caddisflies in the park. They will hatch all summer
long but can start in the spring depending on the stream.
Western March Browns:
The Western March Browns, or Rhithrogena species, will show up in the Spring on
some streams. They are a larger size mayfly that can be important.
Perlodidae Stoneflies (Little Yellow Sallies):
Little Yellow Stoneflies (called Yellow Sallies) of the Perlodidae family, will appear on
some streams during the Spring.
Salmonflies:
The Salmonfly or Pteronarcys california, will hatch later in the Spring on some
streams. When they do, you should be prepared.
Streamers/Buggers:
Don't forget streamers and Wooley Buggers. They can be good during the Spring.
They work best when the water is slightly stained or even well stained depending on
the color you choose. They are also very effective when the water is high, even
running out of the banks of the stream. They will work better early or late in the day if
the water is very clear. This is the best way to catch a big brown trout. They didn't get
big eating insects. Sculphins and baitfish made them large.
PMDs:
On some streams, such as the Firehole River, you will see PMDs starting to hatch in
the spring. You will need to be prepared to match each stage of this hatch.
Flavs:
On the Firehole River you will see the Flavs begin to hatch in the spring.
Summary:
We prefer to use a specific imitation of something we know is hatching anytime in
preference to a generic imitation. If multiple hatches are occurring, we would change
flies to something else we know is hatching or another stage of the insect we first
tried and experiment using the trial and error method. If nothing is hatching, and you
want to catch fish, we recommend that you change to a specific imitation of the
nymph or larva stage of something you know is in the water that is approaching its
normal hatch period.
Copyright 2007 James Marsh
Spring marks the start of fly fishing for trout fishing in Yellowstone. Offically, spring
ends June 21st, so this means there are only a few days in which to fish during
Spring. Some days the trout will respond favorably even when you hit them over the
head with the fly line. Other days, especially a day or so after a cold front has moved
through and the water temperatures have fallen, the trout will seem to get lock jaw.
Some anglers think they move to the bottom or in shallow sunny areas to get warm.
They don't. They just stop feeding as aggressively. Trout don't get cold like us warm
blooded humans. Their body is basically the same temperature as the water. They
don't fell the difference like humans. After a cold front you will just have to fish slower
and probably swap to a nymph to catch many fish. After the passage of a cold front,
the sudden change in water temperature has more effect than the temperature itself.
Weather:
During the spring things change and usually does. Weather can range from being
extremely cold to very warm. The weather can change very fast in the spring. The
water temperatures respond by changing almost as fast as the weather. The first
thing you need to do each day you fish is to check the water temperature. This will tell
you a lot about both the trout and the aquatic insects they feed on.
The warming water increases the activity of the trout and consequently, their need for
more food. Spring is also the time most of the aquatic insects hatch start the
process of changing into adults. During the hatch they are more subject to being
eaten by trout. We feel like this is natures way of providing the trout that needed food
as well as it is in sustaining the existence of the insects themselves.
Water Levels:
Yellowstone National Park usually sees its streams undergo change more so
during the spring months than any other time of the year. The changing water levels
can drastically change the fishing conditions. Streams can go from normal flows to
runoff conditions and flooding conditions where the water is out of its normal banks
and spread out into the surrounding terrain. The raging water can end fishing at
times and even become dangerous. Even when high water occurs, the streams
return to their normal levels within a short time, usually within a couple of weeks or
more depending on the size of the runoff.
After runoff, heavy rains can cause flooding conditions. High water is not all bad. In
fact it can be good. For one thing, it stains the water enough that you are able to fool
the trout easier. Food is washed in by the heavy rain and provide additional food for
the trout near the banks. Although it may be too high to wade safely, you can usually
find water to fish where you can cast from the banks.
Hatches:
Be sure to check the spring hatch charts. The days will become longer each day of
spring. This is important because some of the hatching insects fall spent in the
water after mating and/or after the females have deposited their eggs. Often the
spinner falls are condensed into a short time and there is more of them on the water
than anytime during the hatch.
To consistently catch trout during the spring, anglers need to be able to adjust to the
changing conditions of water temperatures and water levels as well as be prepared
for a variety of hatches that will occur.
Midges:
Chironomidae midges will hatch during the spring and for the rest of the season for
that matter. These tiny insects can be very important when the water temperature is
in the low forties or high thirties and nothing else is hatching. Don't overlook them or
you may be one of those guys that go around declaring how bad the fishing is when
it is really not.
Blue-winged Olives:
At the beginning of Spring, Blue-winged Olives, primarily some of the Baetis species,
will often hatch on cloudy, overcast or rainy days. Hook sizes range from 18 to 24.
Although these insects are small, they are a prime food supply for the trout. There
can be a huge amount of them depending on the particular stream you are fishing.
The Firehole River, for example, contains millions of them.
Little Blue-winged Olives:
Various species of the Little Blue-winged Olives of the Acentrella, Diphetor, &
Plauditus genera may also hatch. Sometimes these hatches overlap and
sometimes more than one is occurring at the same time. None of these hatches are
very prolific. The hatches are usually spaced out along a stream with no continuous
populations. Hook sizes range from 20 to 26.
Little Black Caddis (Grannom):
Little Black Caddis, sometimes called the American Grannoms, or Brachycentrus
species, will hatch when the water stays around 50 degrees for a few days. This is
an overlooked hatch by many anglers. During this hatch it is relatively easy to take
trout on both the emerging pupae (first) and the egg layers (last) during the afternoon
from noon until dark. You will usually see the little chimney cases attached to rocks
swinging in the current before this hatch occurs.
Little Black Short-horned Sedges:
You will find some Little Black Short-horned Sedges or Glossosoma species, but we
have never found them to be intense hatches. They are about a hook size 20 to 22.
The emergers are the most important stage because they emerge in the stream like
a mayfly and usually stay on the water until they get to the banks. They dive to deposit
their eggs so a wet fly works best for the egg layers.
Green Sedges:
The Green Sedges or Rhyacophila species also usually hatch in sparse numbers in
the streams where they are found. Their free living larvae are known as Green Rock
Worms. There are several species of them in the park. They range in hook size from
14 to 18 and live in the fast water and riffles. The larva stage is by far the most
important stage to imitate.
Spotted Sedges:
You will also find some of the net-spinning caddisflies that begin to hatch in the
spring. These are mostly the Hydropsyche species called Spotted Sedges. These
are the most plentiful species of caddisflies in the park. They will hatch all summer
long but can start in the spring depending on the stream.
Western March Browns:
The Western March Browns, or Rhithrogena species, will show up in the Spring on
some streams. They are a larger size mayfly that can be important.
Perlodidae Stoneflies (Little Yellow Sallies):
Little Yellow Stoneflies (called Yellow Sallies) of the Perlodidae family, will appear on
some streams during the Spring.
Salmonflies:
The Salmonfly or Pteronarcys california, will hatch later in the Spring on some
streams. When they do, you should be prepared.
Streamers/Buggers:
Don't forget streamers and Wooley Buggers. They can be good during the Spring.
They work best when the water is slightly stained or even well stained depending on
the color you choose. They are also very effective when the water is high, even
running out of the banks of the stream. They will work better early or late in the day if
the water is very clear. This is the best way to catch a big brown trout. They didn't get
big eating insects. Sculphins and baitfish made them large.
PMDs:
On some streams, such as the Firehole River, you will see PMDs starting to hatch in
the spring. You will need to be prepared to match each stage of this hatch.
Flavs:
On the Firehole River you will see the Flavs begin to hatch in the spring.
Summary:
We prefer to use a specific imitation of something we know is hatching anytime in
preference to a generic imitation. If multiple hatches are occurring, we would change
flies to something else we know is hatching or another stage of the insect we first
tried and experiment using the trial and error method. If nothing is hatching, and you
want to catch fish, we recommend that you change to a specific imitation of the
nymph or larva stage of something you know is in the water that is approaching its
normal hatch period.
Copyright 2007 James Marsh
