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The traditional Memorial Day weekend season opener in Yellowstone is underway and tomorrow is Memorial Day. I eschew the parades and have fished the Firehole every Memorial Day for the last 17 years and vividly remember the first time I fished the Firehole on Memorial Day back in 1972. Over...

It was 53 years ago in June 1972 that I caught my first Firehole trout—a modest 12” rainbow on a swinging Leadwing Coachman near the second Iron Bridge. My Fenwick FF70 proved the task with a cheap Cortland floating line and probably a worn leader. At the time, I must admit that I didn’t...

25 yards is fine as long as you can swim. However, in the spring when cows are with new borns all bets are off.

The NPS would generate a lot of revenue if they would just ticket and levy a hefty fine to anyone that violated the 25 yard/100 yard rules no excuses. Unfortunately, NPS personnel are trained to be kind and magnanimous to tourons. It wouldn't take long for the word to get out. Ignorance...

The Tiny Bugger A small pattern inspired by that great Don Ho favorite--Tiny Bubbles. Just kidding. It is a scaled down bugger that I put together while provisioning a box for the Firehole/Gibbon opener in four weeks. Classic bugger design but much smaller than usual. Perfect for swinging...

Olympus TG can’t be beat

Just the thorax is covered in UV resin. I then cover the thorax and body with Sally Hansen quick dry

About two decades ago, I was visiting YNP and stopped in Parks Fly Shop to pick up a few flies for the lower Gardner River. It was early summer, and runoff was just tapering off. The lower Gardner is rough and tumble pocket water and the favorite nymphing technique in early season is free...

Despite a year around season here in SW Montana, things don't really lend themselves to much catching until late March or early April. Finally made my way to one of my favorite rivers--the Grande Orifice. Levels were very fishable after a week-long cold snap. Several nice browns came to hand...

I recently acquired a couple of Woodchuck Tails. The Woodchuck is a ubiquitous rodent in the Eastern US and Canada but his cousin we know as Marmots out here in the West. I was unfamiliar with Woodchuck hair specifically, but did understand it was really just another big squirrel. So, I...

In Montana, we definitely have digital licenses to include YNP permits (Yellowstone is essentially Montana regardless of state borders). But it can have its drawbacks. A curling buddy of mine is a die hard hunter and several years ago when he was still a Montana Highway Patrolman, he got cited...

https://preview.mailerlite.io/emails/webview/3911/149894803055707696

It is a “it depends” answer. I fish almost exclusively with unweighted flies (as these are) on long sink tips and short (3’-4’) OX tippet in moving water. With a slow retrieve or steady swing in current, these flies generally track straight, albeit deep on the stout tippet. However, the heads...

It might be but I got it off an EBAY seller that appears to offer more colors that you find on the FTD site.

A month or so ago I stumbled on a flash material marketed as "Crystal Hair". It was unbranded and looked like it was suitable for some saltwater flats flies I was working on. It is super translucent, compresses nicely, takes markers and UV resin very well. Comes in a nice variety of colors. I...

I love to tie flies and like most of the posts here, I tie way more than I’ll ever use on the water. About 5-6 years back I began a concerted effort to tie and donate flies in fly boxes to my local TU chapter and any FFI shows I attend. Any group that does routine raffles to generate funds...

Checkout: https://www.yellowdogflyfishing.com/collections/fly-fishing-mexico

I did a quick perusal of the 2025 MT FWP regs and there’s only three rivers that have float outfitting or non-resident float fishing restrictions—Beaverhead, Big Hole and Bitterroot. The surveys are really a reaction by the state to placate the outfitting community who doesn’t want to see any...

Montana House preliminarily approves ‘River census’ study bill https://www.kbzk.com/news/montana-politics/montana-house-preliminarily-approves-river-census-study-bill

I’ll be there as well - table 55 for the afternoon session on Friday. Please stop by if you are there.