Pictured Above: David his wife and four children spent a little time here in Yellowstone country on their 38 day journey. David said the kids had a blast! Thanks for the photos David and we look forward to seeing you again next year!

Report By Craig Mathews, Blue Ribbon Flies

It is a great time to be here for sure. Let's look at some fly-fishing opportunities.

Henry's Fork is showing signs of strong late season fishing. Mahogany duns, Callibaetis and Baetis mayflies, a couple caddis flies and strong hopper action can be expected. But, the best fishing now is during ant times on this river so be ready with honey ants, leaf hopper and small hopper patterns in addition to the above mayfly and caddis flies. If we do have overcast/rainy weather make sure you get to this river quickly as it will give up some large rainbows during BWO times.

The Gallatin River is fishing well during afternoon hopper, bee and beetle times. Look for tiny blue-winged olive mayflies if we have overcast afternoon hours. Fishing the upper river requires a good small cricket pattern as you will see lots of naturals along the shoreline.

The Lamar has fished well near Rose Creek and in the canyon stretch. The cream colored Baetis #22 is emerging as it always does in August and September. Emergences of the fall green drake, (drake mack) have not been seen yet but are eminent with the next overcast day. Crickets and bees have been good lately also.

On Soda Butte you can expect Heptagenia mayflies so have a #16 PMD Sparkle Dun for this fine hatch and look for them in the riffles and tail-outs of pools. Late afternoon, when everyone leaves the stream around 4p.m., has been strong with these mayflies. Otherwise our Yellowstone Bee and Tiger Beetle cannot be beat searching the water or fishing to cruising trout.

Slough Creek's upper meadows are fishing during morning and late day midge and caddis times. Afternoons can be fun with small foam crickets, Para Wulffs and royal trude cripples sight fishing big cutthroat.

The Yellowstone River in Black Canyon has been super lately. Try a Para Wulff and trail a Wired Dip behind, a deadly combination. Make this hike and you will not believe the number of big cutts you will score.

The Madison River in the Park is fishing well when the grasshopper winds blow during the afternoon hours. Then try a Chaos or Spent Hopper. Early morning anglers can expect a good fish or two on streamers and big fall soft hackles like our famous Shaky or Purple Beeleys. The river between the lakes has fished well in the early morning and late evenings when caddis and mayfly spinners bring trout up.

Below Earthquake you can't miss with Wired Dips below a Para Wulff or Royal Trude Cripple. Hopper action has been strong downstream of $3 and below Standard Creek too. Evening fishing is hit and miss. Some nights midges and Epeorus and Margarita spinners bring up big trout and others it might be caddis emergers. One things for sure you must cover water to find rising fish. Expect to walk a bit as you search for risers in likely pockets and pools.

On overcast days strong E. margarita emergences will bring every big fish to the surface and you will need #18 BWO Sparkle Duns and foam emergers. In the evenings look for their spinner falls and have a #18 Hi Viz Spinner for success.

We've reported several times this year, veteran and local anglers alike feel the Madison River has fished as well as it has in the last 20 years.

This just in; I talked with my fishing buddy Yvon Chouinard who just returned from Iceland where he fished Atlantic Salmon. Yvon caught and filmed a few salmon taken on his Tenkara rod. He and I have had to throw our Tenkara rods a few times this summer when large trout and salmon have taken our flies and run to the limit of the line our Tenkara rods hold. Wait until you see the vimeo and our book coming soon so stay tuned in here! In the meantime try a few of our favorite Tenkara streams like Blacktail Deer, Rose and Cascade, Grayling, Cougar, Cache and Soda Butte as well as upper Gibbon and Gardner Rivers, Straight, Indian, Solfatara and Fan or Bacon Rind Creek and so many more fine small trout streams in and around Yellowstone.

You should plan to fish lakes like Hebgen, Lewis, Ennis, Earthquake, Elk or Cliff and Wade this week if you like fishing dry flies to big trout rising to mayfly emergences and spinner falls, or flying ant and spruce moth times.

Those who want a hike and off-the-beaten-path stillwaters might try Avalanche, Hidden, Grebe, Grizzly, Shoshone or Heart Lakes.

I hope to see you on our rivers soon. And, remember to call us for information on hatches, river conditions, where to stay and what to bring as well as what flies to tie and more. Thanks and see you soon here in Yellowstone country.