Originator: Ivan Miller Hook(s): TMC 5262 or equivalent, #4 (2 of them) Thread: Danville Flymaster Plus Size A, black Eyes: Medium Dumbell Eyes, Red, Lead or Non-lead Articulation: 25 pound monofilament, and 2 to 3 plastic beads Tail 1: Marabou, black barred olive;...
The transition is over. It’s officially Fall in Yellowstone Country. Temps have been consistently below freezing in the mornings, autumn colors are in full effect, and the light has that unmistakable golden hue and low angle. Fall fishing is here as well. Fall hatches...
It’s mid-September in Yellowstone Country, and Fall continues to creep in with every passing day. The days are getting shorter, the mornings colder, and more and more aspens and willows are alive with autumn colors. We saw warm temps and the return of smoke over the...
Originator: Steve Hoovler, BSA Guide Hook: TMC 100 or equivalent, #14 or 16 Thread: 8/0 Uni, Black Abdomen: Superfine Dry Fly Dubbing, Rusty Brown Thorax: Superfine Dry Fly Dubbing, Black Wing: Widows Web, White Hackle: Ginger or Brown Flying Ants are often the...
September is a gorgeous time to be in Yellowstone Country. There’s a shift in the light which gives the landscape a warm glow as if you were looking through a faint sepia filter. The mornings are crisp, the afternoons warm, often calm, and there is a sense of ease and...
Welcome to the information page of the Second Annual West Yellowstone Trout Spey Days! Mark your Calendars: September 21-22, 2018. We are thrilled to be partnering again with the Custer Gallatin National Forest and hosting our second annual Trout Spey Days event...
Aquatic, stream-side entomology can be intimidating. There’s all that Latin to remember, and just when you start to feel like you know what you’re talking about, the taxonomy changes, and there’s more Latin to learn. Luckily for fly anglers, trout don’t speak Latin...
Fall has come early this year. It’s our final report for August, and conditions feel more like mid September across Yellowstone Country. A strong fall storm rolled through the region this week bringing soaking rains, and high mountain snow. Last week’s smoky haze has...
Back by popular demand, Big Sky Anglers' Euro Nymphing Masterclass with Robert Van Rensburg. The first class was held on August 25th, and there has been enough additional interest that we are going to run another class this October. I took Big Sky Angler’s first Euro...
Originator: John Barr Hook: TMC 5262 or equivalent, #4 or 6 Bead: 5/32” tungsten bead; black, gold, or silver Thread: 6/0 Uni in color to match fly Tail: Pine Squirrel Zonker Strip; black, olive, or white Body Dubbing: Ice Dub; black, olive brown, or pearl Collar:...
The end of our summer season is rapidly approaching here in Yellowstone Country. It’s colder and colder every morning, and the sun is setting earlier every night. The lush, green hillsides of July have dried to a golden amber, and terrestrials are the main fare on...
My good friend Brian Chou visited Montana recently, and we were able to find time to get out on a small stream for a bit of fishing and goofing around. We took turns working our way up the small stream, one person fishing, the other taking photos, shooting short...
Originator: Joe Moore, BSA Co-owner Hook: TMC 100 or equivalent, #12, 14, or 16 Thread: 8/0 Uni, Rusty dun Tail: Widows Web, Black Abdomen: Ice Dub, Red Thorax: Ice Dub, Black Wing: Widows Web, Light Tan Legs: MFC Barred Sexi Floss, Golden Yellow Foam: Razor Foam,...
The first half of August is in the books, and we’re seeing some typical conditions for this time of year in Yellowstone Country. It’s been warm and smoky. The sun is setting earlier and earlier. Aspens and willows are showing the first hints of yellow. Crowds are...
Originator: Joe Moore, BSA Co-owner Hook: TMC 100 or equivalent, #12, 14, or 16 Thread: Tail: MFC Z-yarn, Black Body Dubbing: Ice Dub, Cinnamon and Black Wing: Widows Web, Light Tan Hackle: Brown Legs: MFC Barred Sexi Floss, Golden Yellow Notes: This is a hybrid...
One of the most overlooked and misunderstood terrestrials in Yellowstone Country fly fishing is the Spruce Moth. Commonly known as the Western Spruce Budworm Moth (Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman) these native insects are naturally occurring and found throughout...
The “Dog Days of Summer” are officially here. It’s been hot, dry, and a bit smoky across Yellowstone Country lately. Fortunately though, we’ve seen good moisture by way of afternoon thunderstorms, and some downright chilly mornings with temps in the 30’s. This,...
If you’ve been by the fly shop this summer you may have met Robert Van Rensburg. Quiet and humble, Robert’s demeanor betrays his level of experience and knowledge when it comes to fly fishing in general, and Euro Nymphing in particular. A native South African,...
I recently received this question via email from one of our readers and thought it would make a nice followup blog post. Hi Matt, I just read this article on Callibaetis nymphs, and I have a question. Don’t nymphs in stillwaters usually rise fairly straight up from...
August is upon us, and just like that it’s gotten hot and smoky here in Yellowstone Country. Runoff is well behind us and we are transitioning into mid-summer conditions on our local fisheries. There’s a bunch of great fishing going on throughout the area, but it’s...