
Jan’s been fishing, and the fishing’s been good! Check out his latest report!
We’ve enjoyed a few days of sunny warm weather that has unlocked parts of the Yellowstone and improved fishing conditions on the Paradise Valley Spring creeks. There is accessible and fishable water on the Yellowstone below the Depuy’s confluence as well as at Mayor’s landing on either the town side or off Meyer’s Road. Mallard’s Rest public access remains locked in ice. Looking forward we are expecting some low pressure to move in over Friday and the weekend with another dip of sub-zero temperature early next week.

Fish continue to feed actively on the spring creeks from mid-morning to mid-afternoon (10:30am-2:30p) and, at times, eagerly take a dead drifted nymph rig of a scud/sowbug with a midge or baetis nymph dropper. Fish the rig deep and slow under an appropriately buoyant indicator. Some extra weight on the leader will help achieve a slow float through targeted water. The winter bite can be quite subtle, using an oversized indicator can mask subtle eats. We like the New Zealand Yarn indicator system, foam pinch on indicators, and extra small Oros bubble type indicators. These detect light takes nicely.
While there are intermittent fish rising on the pond at Depuy’s, nymphing and streamer fishing are your best bets to put fish in the net. Fish have responded nicely to streamer and leech rigs either swung, worked actively over holding water and prime lays, or dead drifted over the last few days.
In the coming weeks as the days begin to lengthen and temperatures warm, we can expect to see more midge activity on the Yellowstone and in the spring creeks which will make for some much-anticipated dry fly fishing.
Note on safety: Whether you are walk and wading the Yellowstone, the Gardner, or the Paradise Valley Spring Creeks please be aware of the effect of air and water temps during winter outings. Use caution traversing ice covered shoreline, shelf ice can give way, and be a slip, trip, fall hazard. Additionally, the risk of hypothermia is increased. Dress appropriately for weather conditions and have a plan. High winds are expected throughout the next week consult the National Weather Service for updated conditions and hazard warnings before venturing out on the water.
Flies For the Season
Nymphs

On the spring creeks: Tailwater sowbug 16-18, Ray Charles Zebra midge (red, olive, black) 20, Axtell’s Assassin Midge, Minamalist midge, Perdigon, Frenchie, 12-16 Psycho Prince (yell/or), Darth Baetis, Sawyer Pheasant tail, sow bug, scud, blood blister midge, Squirmy worm, Perdigon, Cheeseman Emerger, Pink var. Blow Torch.
On the Yellowstone or Gardner Rivers: Stonefly patterns like rubber legs, Craven’s Two bit stone, Jig head zirdle bug, Perdigon style flies, Tung olive hares ear soft hackle, Psycho prince, flashback pheasant tail 12-18, Zebra midge (black, olive, red)
Streamers
Wooly bugger (black, olive, white), Sparkle minnow (olive, black), Home Invader, Slump Buster, leech patterns, Sculpzilla, Baby Gonga, Rubber legged cone head Krystal bugger (Black, olive, yellow), Intruder style Spey flies, large soft hackle flies, McCune’s Olive Sculpin.
Dries
Harroup’s hanging midge, Brooks sprout midge emerger, cluster midge, Harroups CDC adult midge, CDC olive comparadun 20, Last Chance Cripple (BWO) 20, Griffiths gnat and other cluster midge patterns
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