The snow is starting to melt and the river is beginning to rise here in Paradise Valley. However, there’s still a handful of days we think that you’ll be able to get on the Yellowstone before it totally goes out. The Yellowstone continues to get March brown and Blue winged olives hatching in the afternoons. Especially on cloudy and less windy days. .Be on the lookout for the Mother’s Day caddis hatch, which should be starting in a week or so! Patterns to try: Pat’s Rubberlegs, Marabou Rubberlegs, Mega Prince, large Hare’s Ears, BH Princes, BH FB Pheasant Tails, Soft Hackle Copper Johns are all good bets for nymphing. Ausable Wulff, Royal Wulff, Adams Wulffs and Parachute Hare’s Ears are all good ones for the March Browns in bigger sizes or BWO’s if sized down quite a bit. The Hi-viz Para Adams, Purple Hazes are good bets too. Streamer junkies have been moderately well with darker Bow River Buggers, Lead Eye buggers, Galloup’s patterns, and the like. You can fish a big 6-inch streamer all day and swing for the fences with a maybe for a monster Yellowstone brown. Or you can fish a more normal sized streamer and find yourself into quite a few nice sized fish throughout the day.
The spring creeks have been producing some quality fishing opportunities. We are seeing some BWOs and midges on the creeks just about daily. Fish will be keyed to the midges first thing and then as the blue winged olive nymphs become active before the main hatch midday to early afternoon, the fish will definitely be looking for the pre-emergent nymphs in the water column. Both nymphing as well as dry flies will have their times on the creek. Like the river, days that afford more clouds than sun, less wind than more (which can be a rareity around here) are all more likely to have everything come together and be “good”.