Fisherman's Postcard, October 5th

Cold weather finally arrived in Yellowstone. Through to the end of September, daytime highs always made it to the upper 60s, even 70s, despite overnight lows near freezing. All that changed two days ago.  

Evening over the Madison River and the Gallatin Range

Fall weather is truly here. For the next several days, daytime highs will struggle to the 40s, nighttime lows in the upper teens. Even so, it remains unseasonably dry. The last significant rain was early September, and amazingly, still no snow.

Morning on the River, Madison Campground

I have camped the past two weekends as a break from the dorm/cafeteria routine and to be closer to the fishing. A new goose down sleeping bag and plenty of layers has made it very comfortable.  Sub-freezing nights, though, will really put my equipment to the test.  

Nighttime at Madison Campground two nights ago was spectacular. Moonlight from the full moon and a starry sky illuminated National Park Mountain that towers above the junction where the Firehole and Gibbon Rivers meet to form the Madison River. A bull elk serenaded his harem starting about 4 AM, its bugling quite a sound in the middle of the night. 

Brown Trout on a streamer, Firehole River

Fishing has been both good and not so good. I have caught two of the nicest fish of the season in the past week, both large brown trout that took a streamer (Bakers Hole Bugger) bought custom-tied from Jason Davis (thanks, Jason!). One came from a classic brown trout lie (log in the water just off the riverbank, a soft pocket of water next to fast water) on the Firehole River.  

The other big trout came from Barns Pool #1 on the Madison, an iconic fishing spot just inside the Park’s west boundary where anglers go to intercept the trout running up the river out of Hebgen Lake. Anglers come from around the country to fish this in the fall. Pleasantly, it is not nearly crowded as I feared. Camaraderie comes easily among a half dozen or so anglers who take turns working down the 200 yard run of deep water, a slow dance line that follows an unwritten etiquette taking turns and not ‘sitting on the hole.’ 

Brown Trout at Barns Pool #1, Madison River

Barns Pool is top-drawer fly fishing, you really have to be on your game. Both brown and rainbow trout are to be had. Good anglers catch the fish, average anglers don’t.  Little mistakes in presentation leave you empty-handed, and the big trout are exceedingly difficult to get well-hooked and keep on the line. Two totally different techniques are employed; swinging streamers and soft hackles, or nymphing under an indicator. So far, I’d say that nymphing has the upper hand. 

Despite the two nice fish, fishing has not been what I expected for the fall, the fish elusive. I attribute it to bluebird, cloudless days and the lack of rain/snow keeping the rivers low and gin clear.  

The dance line at sunset, Barns Pool on the Madison

Optimism distinguishes fishing from catching. I have two more weeks here to witness it to turn on. My dreams are of cloudy days and some rain or snow in the air.