Green Drakes are in full swing!

Well, if you are just getting up and are disappointed that we don't have our usual blue skies, keep in mind that warm cloudy weather is Green Drake weather! Nothing does this big tasty bug like better than a few clouds.
 The Wood is finally down to a fishable level, and you can even wade in some places now. Although the Green Drake hatch has been going on for a while ,it has been hard to predict when exactly the bugs will start coming off. Day before yesterday, it was in full swing by 11:30, yesterday the spinner fall happened around 9:00, but the emergence did not take place until 3:30. You can always tell when it's getting close by the bird activity on the river. With the cloudy weather I would expect the hatch to start around noon and continue for at least a couple of hours. It's quite a spectacle when you see heads up everywhere!
Besides Green Drakes, a size 10 bug, there have been the smaller size 14 flavs, some little yellow craneflies, and even some Pink Alberts, which are size 16. Yesterday I saw a few yellow sallies as well. Don't forget about the caddis once the sun goes down. I had some great success with quite a large green elk hair caddis the other day( about size 14!)  Scott fished a big Turks Taranchula with a hare's ear dropper yesterday with good success. Here's the picture of a nice fish caught on the Wood yesterday.

  The Big  Lost below the dam is just above 500cfs, quite a bit below normal but still a little fast. Nymphing is your best bet here. I personally like to use a red anato size 12 followed by a lighning bug size 16 or a size 18 zebra midge. If nymphin isn't your cup of tea, try a yellow sally size 16 or a pmd size 16. Today's cloudy and drizzly weather will probably bring out some baetis as well. Look for the risers in the slower back eddies.
 The Copper Basin and the North Fork of the Lost are also starting to fish well now. Big attrator patterns are bringing up some nice fish and hopper season is not far off! Make sure you have good tires driving over Trail Creek Summit. Although the road is in decent shape, it can still leave you stranded in the middle of No-Where.
If you have had a hard time catching bigger fish on Silver Creek, the cloudy weather should give you some reprieve as well. When it gets cloudy, the baetis and midges come out and the fish start looking up. Come into the shop to get some expert advice on what patterns work best. Callibaetis have been a big player on the Creek as well. This relatively large( size 14-16) 'speckled dun' brings up the big boys to play in the latter part of the day.
Above is the picture of a callibaetis...........
Soon it will be time for tricos and you can always throw some beetles as well. If you are not successful as you would like to be, our experienced guide staff can help you make some progress on any of these bodies of water.
Our kids camp is also in full swing now, so if you have a child who would like to give fly-fishing a try, be sure to give us a call !
We still have a few openenings for our fall Yellowstone trips to the Lamar Valley. As lodging is limited, it's a good idea to reserve your spot soon.
It's time to see if the bugs are out yet! Tight lines and see you on the river!