Suffering from dry-fly withdrawal? Now is the time to scratch that itch. The blue-winged olive (baetis) mayflies are hatching in good numbers on the Yellowstone River and the trout are eating the little bugs on the surface. Paul Weamer fished the hatch yesterday and the fish were eager for his offerings (including a size 14 Parachute Adams – the Yellowstone’s trout aren’t always that picky). The dry fly action is typically better under overcast skies, so this afternoon might be a good time to try your luck, as long as the wind doesn’t come up too much. Regardless, you should get out and experience some excellent Spring fishing. Nymphs and streamers have also been effective lately, if you’re not seeing rising fish.
Despite Paul’s success with a relatively large fly, I’d go with something around a size 18. Yes, those small flies can disappear on the water, so you might want to use a larger dry as an “indicator.” Besides the trusty Parachute Adams, some patterns that we favor include the Smoke Jumper Baetis, the Sprout Baetis, the Hi-Viz Baetis, and the CDC Biot Dun. Come on in to the shop and we’ll point you in the right direction.
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