Fly Fishing Yellowstone Country
Yellowstone National Park &
Southwestern Montana Offer Abundant World-Class Fly Fishing Opportunities In A
Concentrated Area That Is Unrivaled By Anywhere Else In The World.
INSIDE Yellowstone National Park Waterways
Yellowstone National Park sits astride the
Continental Divide and offers a wide variety of Streams, Rivers, and Lakes to
explore. It is possible to fish in the headwaters of the Missouri River and The
Snake River in the same day. Native and introduced species thrive in the cold,
clear waters of the park, & variety is the watchword of many of the larger
streams and rivers. Fishing in many areas takes place near thermal features such
as geysers, mud pots, steam vents, and hot springs. These are the hallmarks of
Yellowstone National Park. Enjoy them from a safe distance.
No one knows the exact length of 'fishable'
rivers and streams in Yellowstone Park, but it certainly amounts to thousands of
miles. The three master rivers of the park are the Yellowstone River, (which
drains the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains and is a tributary to the
Missouri River,) the Madison River, (also a tributary of the Missouri,) and the
Snake River, (which drains the western slope of the Rocky Mountains and is a
tributary to the Columbia River.)
Feeding these master rivers are hundreds of
smaller tributaries. Some are large rivers themselves, others are small unnamed
streams and creeks and branches. Each has a distinct personality and a distinct
assemblage of fish and other aquatic life.
The joys of fishing in Yellowstone Park stem from the diversity. Diversity of
the fishes, to be sure: also the diversity of scenery, diversity of water
chemistry, diversity of insect life, diversity of river and stream character.
And of course the abundant wildlife including ducks, geese, and other waterfowl,
bison, elk, deer, moose, bear, eagles, otters, osprey, wolves, and a host of
insect life (aquatic and otherwise.)
The majority of fishermen that visit the park
limit their fishing to only a few of the major rivers and streams. Although
these waters are justly famous for fish production, their popularity stems
primarily from their easy accessibility.
The roads of the park generally follow the river
valleys. From the time of Superintendent Norris, and before, the roads are just
expanded game trails and Native American footpaths. This situation has allowed
many of the park's less visited and most spectacular fishing waters to remain
safe from all but the most adventurous fishermen.
LAMAR RIVER
Arising high in the vast expanses of the Absaroke
Range this river and it's two major tributaries (Soda Butte & Slough,)
contribute a significant amount of water to the Yellowstone River. The Lamar
River is under fit to the Lamar Valley, and bears testimony to its glacial
history and several other ancestral rivers. Because of this it flows at or near
grade for much of its distance before plunging through a narrow canyon into the
lower valley. It is paralleled by a major park road for only about a third of
its length.
The easily accessible portions of this river hold
fish in concentrated areas of riffles and runs, as well as several famous pools.
The gentle meanders of the lower sections require some walking, but it is
usually a worthwhile stroll. The upper portions (above its confluence with Soda
Butte Creek,) of this river are very productive but must be visited by anglers
willing to walk, or ride a horse the several miles to the best water. The Lamar
is affected by the frequent thunderstorms in the region and can be muddy for
days and weeks at a time. Local fishermen and Park Rangers keep an eye on the
condition of the river, for it can be well worth the trip when conditions are
good.
SLOUGH CREEK
This famous Yellowstone stream is well known for
spectacular insect hatches, eager cutthroat trout, and expansive meadows. The
meadow sections above the campground are accessed by walking (anywhere from a
half hour to 3-4 hours.) This is one of the few major fishing streams that is
not totally accessible by road. The creek finds its origins in the Beartooth
Mountains north of Yellowstone Park. The portions above the campground hold fish
that are occasionally eager, and always rewarding to catch. These cutthroat
trout are unusually bright fish, and are as moody as any trout. The angler who
feels that this native is an inferior fish should try taking a 22" cutthroat in
a large meander in the lower meadow in August. The stretch of Slough Creek below
the campground also holds excellent fish. It has classic riffles and runs,
sluggish pools, and beautiful scenery. It is less frequently fished because many
areas require lengthy walks through tall grass and dense scrub. The rewards to
the angler that make this journey are many: both piscatorial and scenic. The
last quarter mile, before its confluence with the Lamar River hold very large
fish in very hard to reach places. Stout tackle and exceptional casting skills
are required in this stretch.
SODA BUTTE CREEK
"Soda Butte" joins the Lamar as the latter river
makes it's big swing from a north to west-northwest flowing river. The vast
gravelly marshlands in the area of confluence are extremely difficult to
navigate on foot. Several distributary channels of both rivers are braided
together in this area. The last mile or so of Soda Butte creek holds fish as big
and stout as any in Yellowstone Park. If the river is clear, and the day is
overcast the fishing will be good.
This stream along with the Lamar and Slough form
an extensive network of waters for native cutthroat trout. All three river
valleys were dammed by glaciers. All three valleys were ponded lakes during the
terminal periods of the last glacial episodes. And all three rivers have trout
that behave in the rivers just like they would in lakes. They form pods and
schools. They wander from pool to pool, and from riffle to riffle, and from
river to river. This behavior has perplexed many uninformed fishermen, who
(unrealistically,) hope that the fishing should be good today where it was
yesterday.
THE FIREHOLE RIVER
The justly famous Firehole River is a destination
for anglers from the world over. It is renowned for it's hatches and it's trout.
The waters are fed by crystal clear snow melt, artesian springs of surprising
clarity, the discharge of hundreds of geothermal features and the nutrient-rich
overflows from the sewage ponds at the Old Faithful Village. All of these
factors contribute to a fishery that thrives in an environment that at one time
had no native fish at all.
This river arises high above Old Faithful in the
heights of the Pitchstone Plateau, and flows north through the west-side geyser
basins to National Park Meadows where it joins the Gibbon river to form the
Madison. From its origins in these mountains near the continental divide and
through its uppermost nursery areas, the Firehole is a rather unremarkable
(though very picturesque,) little stream. The fish in these waters seldom reach
10". but are plentiful and eager.
The visiting fisherman usually visits the larger
waters below the bridge at Biscuit Basin. Here the river grows in width and
volume due to the discharge of the features in the Upper Geyser Basin and the
waters added by Iron Spring Creek. From Biscuit Basin downstream the river is
varied in its character and holding water. The meadows at, and just below
Biscuit are full of deep clear pools that hold wary fish and produce well for
the angler willing to sneak up on his quarry. The wide meanders and deep
undercut banks are perfect holding water. The clarity of the water makes this
stretch very challenging.
As the river leaves the meadows of Biscuit Basin
and enters the area around Midway Geyser Basin it is frequently confined to
narrow channels by the bedrock. This causes a change in character and provides
the fisherman with long riffle & run stretches. The fish in this portion hold
tightly in protected areas where food is easily taken. The angler with a good
knowledge of the subtitles of stream flow and holding water can take fish here
all day, every day, with patience and skill.
As the river moves past Fountain Flat, it also
moves away from the road and enters a stretch of both meadow and channel flows.
Past Pocket Basin and joining Nez Perce Creek the river gathers speed and
volume. This water is the most heavily fished (for good reason,) and holds some
fine fish. Hatches of various flies keep things interesting from morning to
evening and from week to week, even into those days in the fall when snow falls.
THE GIBBON RIVER
This little stream is one of the most diverse in
Yellowstone National Park. High in the heart of the Solfatara Plateau the nearly
continuous snow-melt feeds tiny little Grebe Lake. Here waters are collected
from several cirques and hanging valleys to form the headwaters of the Gibbon
river. This seldom fished portion of the drainage holds fish up to 10" and is an
excellent nursery area for the Brook Trout, The Grayling, and The occasional
Rainbow. The river flows through several small lakes and vest-pocket meadows
that are reminiscent of the many post cards sold in the gift shops of
Yellowstone Country.
The river gathers water from numerous tributaries
and speed from the steep gradient as it flows through Virginia Cascade, and
becomes a destination river (i.e. paralleled by the road.) The river segment
between The bottom of Virginia Cascade and the bridge at Norris campground is
challenging for it's diversity: small gentle meanders, narrow deep pools, soft
riffles, undercut banks, and gin-clear water. The fish in this section can reach
14", and this is an excellent place to catch grayling of substantial size (all
Grayling must be immediately released and returned to the water that they were
taken from!)
Below the bridge at Norris campground the famous
Brookie meadows section of the river start. These are vast glacial basins that
have been leveled by in-filling of sand, silt, and small gravels. The gentle
gradients and rich soils still produce chest high grasses and 300 degree
meanders. Except for the near constant and shifting breezes, this could be
heaven. The fish gather in loose pods and schools in the more fertile sections
of the meadows and are taken by even novice anglers with simple flies and only a
modicum of stealth.
The meadows below Norris Geyser Basin are nearly
devoid of the jewel like Grayling and Brook Trout. These waters are primarily
inhabited by Brown Trout (Up to 3#). Below the Brown Trout meadows are a series
of riffles and runs in the canyon section that will yield fish up to 12" to the
patient and persistent angler. The gradient steepens below Beryl Springs and the
canyon narrows to nearly continuous riffles and runs. The riffles are fine
nurseries, and the runs do hold eager fish to 10". Several plunge pools in this
section hold larger fish and it is possible to catch three or four species with
as many casts in the pools of any size.
The Gibbon sails over Gibbon Falls into a large
plunge pool and then descends rapidly into its lower meadow sections in a series
of long runs and riffles that are punctuated by occasional meanders and sand
bottom barren stretches (which occasionally will yield a large trout migrating
from one fertile stretch to another.) In the late summer and in the fall the the
rapid water near the plunge pool, and the spray covered pool itself can produce
fish up to 5# to the adventurous angler with patience and the correct streamer.
Below the falls, and past the picnic area the
river slows down to a series of riffle and run sections, followed by gentle
meanders as it enters the eastern extension of National Park Meadows... Here the
sedimentary load from upstream is dropped into sandy bottoms and infertile
stretches. The fish are widely dispersed and this section is seldom fished.
Where there is cover, and where there is food some very large fish can be taken.
The rewards of fishing this section are mostly found in solitude and the
mechanics of casting - along with the beautiful scenery.
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