Montana Trout Scout

Karen's first fish on the Hopper!

Nice fish, Lindsay!

Just Hoppers!

Best Hopper Fishing in Years!

I hope you folks have had the chance to fish! All area streams and creeks have been on fire. Nothing but hoppers, hoppers, and more hoppers. The Yellowstone has been outstanding, with fish ripping any hopper imitation you can think of. The same is true of the Stillwater, Rock Creek and the Rosebuds. We have a bumper crop of hoppers out there and fish are really taking advantage of it. We haven't seen much in the way of Tricos yet, just a few here and there on the 'Stone. I'm looking for Tricos and the rest of the fall mayfly compliment to start any day now. Fall's coming early to Montana this year. Geese and Sandhill Cranes are already flocking up for the migration. Get out and fish sooner than later, before the snow flies! I still have some open dates for September, so don't miss your opportunity to take advantage of the best hopper fishing in years!

Hopper Time on the 'Stone

The Yellowstone is finally clear. Still a bit above average flow, but the riffles are beginning to show. We've had some pretty stiff wind out there. That's a perfect receipe for good hopper fishing. I was out yesterday and every trout in the river was looking for hoppers!

Upper Stillwater Hoppers

Floated Cliffswallow to Johnson's yesterday. Slow fishing in the morning, but they really got on the hopper around 2pm. The water was 48 degrees when we put in! No wonder the morning was slow. We did have a few fish rising to PMD's before noon. The water temp rose nicely as the sun got high and hot in the sky. We caught several in the 15-16 inch range and a bunch of small ones on the hopper, a few on a bead head pheasant tail dropper. The float was a lot more difficult that I had anticipated with the reported flow being about 1800 cfs. Most of that is coming from the Rosebud, evidently. Very bony on that upper piece, probably be my last time on it. The lower river looked clear by last night, so should be all good. Thre Stone is still muddy.

Here's one from yesterday before the Stone blew out again. 18.5 inches on the hopper!

Good job dry fly fishing in the dirty water, Ryan!

Yellowstone blown out, mud from the Lamar. Three days out at least.

All the rain has trashed the Yellowstone. Don't even think about it for three days. The Stilly is high but fishable below the Rosebud convergence. Above that it's high and clear. Fished Johnson's to Whitebird today and had good action on the hopper, some on the dropper. My new friends, Ryan and Dick learned to fly fish. Not sure Dick is sold, but Ryan sure is! Dick is a farmer from Kansas, 73 years old , Ryan is the grandson. Dick loves to troll for bass and walleye , so he dragged a wolly bugger behind the boat all day. Nice folks, I'd fish with them any time!

Way to go, Mark! First fish on the fly. Keep up the good work!