So I'll be in Yellowstone between July 23rd through the 27th. What will be some of the hatches going on and what's a good place to try?
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You probable need to be a bit more specific about what parts and what types of fishing in the park ie lake, drive up , day hike in or backcountry trip. As far as drive up rivers I'm partial to the North Fork of the Shoshone and with day hikes I like the canyon section of Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone. Of course both of these are right outside the Park but that's where the fastest fishing for big trout will be found in moving waters in the Yellowstone Region. Lack of combat fishing is just frosting on the cake compared to inside the park. Nymphs will be nonstop action but it's the best time for dries. EH Caddis is my go to fly that time of year. Now for backcountry I want to fish along the Thorofare Trail some day.
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I like the Madison. We will be up there too around that time. I like to stop at the local Fly Shops like Arricks and find out what is good. They have never steered me wrong. I too am planning on fishing in the Park. Elk Hair and Hairsears and Renegades to start with.
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[quote TroutMan93]
So I'll be in Yellowstone between July 23rd through the 27th. What will be some of the hatches going on and what's a good place to try?
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Where are you staying?
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I believe in West Yellowstone.
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You got Three Dollar Bridge close, plus between Quake Lake and Hebgen.
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Gallatin, Grayling and Madison. I think a lot of Firehole River gets too hot for trout in Summer plus the inner-tube hatch is in full force.
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According to the book World's Greatest Flyfishing Locations the Fire Hole River is one of the World's best fisheries. Many trout in the 3 lb class are common. Bugs in hatches are very small and use size 16-22 flies. Bring beetles, Caddis fly, Compara Dun, Blue wing olive and letort grasshoppers for dries and terrestrials and for nymphs use olive scuds, squirrel nymph, zug bugs, and hares ear also during the caddis fly hatches you will often not ever get a strike on a caddis fly fly so use a very small soft hackle wet fly during a caddis hatch and your luck may change. This is all just from a book though I have never fished it personally. Don't know if you will choose to fish it though.
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My two cents is be willing to walk an hour or so to get away from the fly fishing crowds; don't ignore some of the smaller streams in the park; and carry bear spray and know how to use it.
Many times on 4th of July, 24th July, or Labor Day, I've hiked 2-4 miles and been completely alone for hours.
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Does bear spray actually work???? i have heard mixed stories
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heck yes it works in the last 5 years in Island Park there has only been like one instance where someone had an encounter with a bear that got hurt when they were carrying bear spray.. the only reason they did get hurt was because shot the bear in the rear end instead of the face and the bear ran him over..
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Sweet.. that will give me some much needed confidence when fishing the back country
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And don't forget your Bells....[laugh]
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i prefer to play the harmonica ha!
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It's too bad the two guys killed by grizzly bears in the Park in 2011 didn't have bear spray, then we might have a better idea of its effectiveness. To quote from the the guy's blog who fishes the Yellowstone area year round (Fly Fishing in Yellowstone):
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Not a single fisher nor photographer that we talked to had bear spray. None considered themselves in any danger. None had heard of the recent death by bear. None could, apparently, read. It's a 
state of affairs when the illiterate masses with $4,000 cameras and $12,000 lenses can't read, and believe that the National Park Service is just a cartoon force. Believe it or don't: this IS bear country.
[/indent]The report "Bear Spray vs. Bullets" put out by the USFWS makes an interesting read.
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It isn't just the bears you have to look out for. I have had several encounters with moose while out fishing, and I would assume buffalo would be another one that I wouldn't want to run into without spray. I even had a close call with a bull... of the domestic bovine variety. The stream side willows can hide some nasty critters!
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For Utah I rarely carry bear spray. I mainly rely on my dogs that seem to live for a chance to chase a black bear off. In grizzly country I carry bear spray. I've read numerous studies that all back up bear spray being more effective than a firearm. There are no guarantees in life but my feeling is being in the backcountry you're probable safer than in most cities or diving on the highway. Be safe but not paranoid.
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Riverdog, what brand of bear spray do you carry?
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Thanks for the info an PM kandersonSLC.
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