Fly Fishing Report for July 11th, 2011 by Boots Allen

Yellowstone National Park
The lakes of Yellowstone National Park continue to fish very well. This is especially the case with Lewis Lake and the West Thumb of Yellowstone Lake. Consistency in activity has been based in large part on the types of flies, sink tips, retrieve and piece of water being fished. The best flies have been Clouser Minnows, Bling Minnows, and Bow River Buggers in lighter shades of olive or gray. Sink-tips from between long belly intermediates to TYPE VIs have been working best with slow to moderate retrieves. Lastly, the best action has been occurring it the transition zones between flats and the descent of the lake bed down to the 6 foot depth of the thremocline. At times, cutthroat, brown trout, and smaller lake trout can be caught as the are cruising the flats and feeding on drakes and callibaetis, but the best action has been in the deeper lies of the lakes that are accessible with a fly rod.

Henry's Fork
The Henry's Fork is still a good option during this time of high water in the region. Decent dry fly action is occurring from Warm River to Ashton and from Oro Bridge down to Chester on imitations of golden stones, PMDs, caddis, and yellow sallies. Further upstream, the reach of river in Lower Mesa and from Riverside to Hatchery Ford have produced with smaller nymphs - blue Copper Johns (size 14), Biot Bugs (size 14) and Bubbleback Pheasant Tails (size 14 to 16) - as well as larger streamers like Quad Bunnies and Sex Dungeons. Evening hatches of caddis have been bringing trout to the surface in the Railroad Ranch section of the Henry's Fork. Box Canyon still fishes a little on the slow side but is doing much better now that flows have dropped to below 1000 cfs from Island Park Reservoir.

Also worth prospecting are Henry's Lake and Island Park Reservoir. Henry's Lake is fishing solid with double nymph rigs stripped consisting of Prince Nymphs (size 10) Soft Hackles (size 14 to 16), and olive or chartreuse Copper Johns (size 12 to 16). Strikes are coming on fairly slow retrieves.

Snake River
High and muddy still but fair fishing can be found from Jackson Lake Dam down to Pacific Creek. Here there is noticeably clearer water and trout are being taken on double nymph rigs consisting of Pat's Rubber Legs (size 6 to 8), San Juan Worms, and Micro Stones (size 10 to 12). There is even a little dry fly activity in the riffles on Parachute Adams (size 18) and Red Butt Sallies (size 10 to 12). Expect this to change in the next week or as releases from Jackson Lake Dam (currently at 2,300 cfs) must be increased to meet inflow from upstream.

South Fork
The South Fork was showing signs of increased clarity and and better fishing on nymphs and streamers, but flows have recently been increased to 23,000 cfs. This will put the fishing off for a little while, but once the flows have settled and the increased clarity returns, we should see decent fishing again. The South Fork can be fished successfully at around 21,000 cfs, ala' 2009.