The National Park Service turned 100 years old yesterday. There was a huge gala hoopla event in Gardiner to mark the celebration. Pretty incredible if one takes a minute to look back on where the “Park” was back in its beginnings. By “Park” we locally all affectionately refer to the 2.2 Million acre Yellowstone National Park in our backyard. I hear that the “free” concert last night with Rodney Crowell, Emmy Lou Harris, and John Prine among others was a lot of fun. We know that fishing yesterday in the Park was a ton of fun! Pictures even to prove it. Cool nights and not so hot days has the Park trout taking things kind of easy in the mornings. They seem to be happy to rise from late morning through the afternoon. And this pattern should continue as we progress into September. We’re seeing some Drakes here and there. As well as a few Blue Winged Olives (baetis) along with the Terrestrials that have been the mainstay for the past month plus. Ants, Beetles, Spruce Moths, and of course Hoppers and Crickets have been important and will do so for a bit yet. More and more the fall mayfly hatch activity is going to be increasing. Our fishing focus remains primarily on the NE Quadrant with Slough Creek, Soda Butte Creek, the Lamar and Yellowstone River systems. Given the situation with the Yellowstone River outside the Park boundaries, angler traffic really has not been that bad.
