Good fishing on the Yellowstone River. Flows are still a fair bit above what they have been in the past couple years this late into July. But- conditions are setting up for a really positive late July through September time period. We are definitely excited about the prospects for the remainder of the season! With the bigger water, some of the good dry fly fishing that has been experienced in early July the past couple years just hasn’t been available to us, yet. It’s just now starting to drop into that better water time. And fish are starting to look to the surface. The nice brown caught by J. Sylla shows a typically healthy brown from the river as of late. This one felt it had to eat a well presented dry fly and after a short fight, was quickly photographed and released. If you are looking to head to the Stone, here’s what you can consider for your boxes: Chubbies in Gold, Tan, Purple, Brown, Royal. All sizes! Dornan’s Water Walkers in golden size 10-12, Dornan’s Cherbobyl Bug in Golden as well as Tan size 10, Amy’s Ant size 10-12, PMX peacock size 10, Circus Peanuts size 10-12, Perry’s Bugmeister golden size 10-12, CFO Flamer yellow size 10-12, Chubby Norm size 10-12, Turck’s Tarantula size 10-12 Hare’s ear as well as golden, Bloom’s Para caddis 12-16, Elk Hair caddis 12-16, Goddard Caddis 12-16, Low Rider Caddis 12-16, Stimis of all colors and sizes, Parachute Adams 12-16, Purple Haze parachute size 12-16. Nymphs to be considered (and possibly used as a dropper behind the dry): Pat’s RL Stone size 8-12 in brown, coffee, tan, olive, FB Pheasant Tail size 12-18, Tung soft hackle PT size 14-18, Copper John copper, black size 12-16, BH Prince 12-16, Tactical Orange Tag 12-14, BH rubberleg Hare’s Ear 12-16, Lil Spankers in PT and light olive 12-16. Streamer guys are definitely getting some nice fish as well. Fish have been tight on the banks and in the classic Yellowstone river lines. Try Cheech’s El Sculpito, Coffee’s Sparkle Minnow Sculpin, Galloup’s Mini Dungeon in Natural, Olive, Black, Lazer Legal Olive, Kory’s Grinch, Nutcracker.
