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Me and a couple of friends are going to Colorado, Montana an Idaho in september this year.

With nothing but ice and snow outside my door a lot of time is spent tying flies.
So just a general question, what needs to be in the box?

This topic is for my inspiration. There are months and months before anything will be hatching here. Everything is sleeping, silent nights, all is calm, all is bright.

What rivers are you hitting. Are they tailwaters, spring creeks, or freestones?

Hi Aaron!

The answer to your questions is 'Yes', I guess.
We will be there for three weeks.
Madison, Missouri, Gallatin, Blackfoot, Firehole and so on.
And a couple of others.

My question in this topic are'nt easy answered, and I guess I could find a lot of info by checking out hatch charts on the internet and stuff like that.
I also think the content of my swedish boxes would catch me fish, just looking for some inspiration for the hours by the vise.

Hey bud i just got back a semester in Montana and during september, lets see; definitely tie some larger darker cahills and adams for the mahogony hatch. Have some bwo's that are smaller to match some of the other smaller mayfly hatches. That time of year the big boys are really lurking so always have some streamer patterns with you. The rest bud you'll figure out not to hard. The basics is really all you will need. One other thing i found to be a big food source some of the western fish that time of year, which i thought was kind of strange, was the water boatman. I saw some lunker fish in inches of water along sand shoals all day chasing and eating these things. It was amazing, and terribly hard to catch the buggers. That might be something to consider as well.

I agree with what Jesse said. You will also want to add some terrestrial patterns like a tan or yellow Madame X or bullet head hoppers, or just basic stimulator patterns. For the freestones don't neglect the stonefly nymph patterns for when all else fails.

Jesse//
Thanks!
The 'water boatman', is that Corixa?
Mohaganys, check!


Aaron7_8//
Some hopper fishing would be nice.
Never really experienced that before, the terrestrials here in the north of scandinavia is mostly ants and beetles, and on occasions Bibio or 'Russian flies' as they're called here.
Thanks for the advices!

Dont forget about Chernobyl Ants they can be a ubiquitous pattern to use. Kinda look like all big terrestrials...

http://www.flyfishingyellowstonenationalpark.com/hatchch.html

Check out the above link for a hatch chart for Yellowstone Park...You will have to cut and paste it since I'm not sure how to make it a live link.

If I were going there with you this next fall I'd tell you to follow the chart and give yourself a "general" box to cover mayflies, caddis, and stones, that are listed there for that time of year, but concentrate on Baetis, Baetis, Baetis, and the standard ties for ants (including the flying variety), beetles, and hoppers...Don't forget Tricos especially if you are thinking about Hebgen Lake.

The Firehole may still be a bit too warm to fish well in September...Ask at a local shop...It is known as an early & late season "hot-spot". The Lamar/Slough Creek area may be more productive...If you are camping you can camp there and hike up to the 1st or 2nd meadow at Slough and the Cuts there will slurp down your hoppers, especially if there's a little wind about, which is the norm there anyway.

If you are anywhere near West Yellowstone and don't plan a visit to Blue Ribbon Flies, it would be like visiting Paris and not seeing the Eifel Tower...It is one of the premier fly shops anywhere and I'd say that even if Craig Matthews wasn't originally from Michigan! :)

Baetis...Do not miss this...It's very easy to do because you probably won't see them at first...If you see fish eating something/anything you are unable to see, tie on your Baetis imitation...You can thank me after!

Don't over do the fly thing...Tie for fun etc and so you will have something of your own to toss, but local knowledge is very important and you don't want to take the chance of missing something that may make your trip...Only Matt can actualy make it to "Paradise" every year :) the rest of us are left to day-dreaming of trips there. Don't mess up what may take you a long time to do again!

What I'm saying is stop in the shops and let them know you need some advice and buy some locally tied bugs! You are coming a long, long, way to visit a place that offers some of the best fishing in the world...A guide isn't a bad idea either...There are some shops that will offer up floats or guided trips etc...In 1995 I floated the Madison with a guide from the Madison River Fishing Co in Ennis and caught a 23.5" Brown that still puts a smile on my face 15 years later!

If you are really lucky Matt will chime in here but he plays his cards rather close to the chest :) especially when it comes to fishing out west...He may even tell you to skip over it and fish someplace else..."There's no real trout out west! Right Matt?! Maybe you should just fish the Driftless. :)"

Remember, "No lead weight allowed in Yellowstone Park!"

Spence

DAAAAAANG, Spence!! We can always count on you to post the longest contribution to any thread on this site!

;oD

Jonathon

Thanks everyone!

A special thank to Oldredbarn for that great little essay on the subject!
Don't worry, Matt and I are already talking trout, both on this forum and elsewhere. Nice guy. :)

About the Baetis, I'm used to them. Our grayling and trout can really be bastards when the Baetis is around. Grayling and Baetis at the same time in my home-waters, jees.. I kid you not..
Sometimes I feel like throwing the whole box in to the stream and yell; "- Fine! Just pick one yourselves!"

The driftboats, that will be something new.
Honestly, it does'nt appeal to me that much. But heck, I'll try anything once, and maybe it'll be a pleasant surprize.

Messing up you say.
Well, that's something I made in to an artform. I went to Scotland for some salmon fishing in late feburary last year, of course the river was frozen over cause of the worst winter since Braveheart or something. I tend to have a blast anyway.
It all works out in the end.

Lead weight?
My flies tend to sink with that stuff anyway. Sometimes I want them to be low-float, but hey, adding lead seems to be to over do it.

Thanks Oldredbarn.
This is a pilgrimage for me.

Joakim,

Sounds like you have it pretty much covered. It is very difficult to "not" have fun where you are headed...

1995 was my first trip back to Montana since 1973 and I swore I'd be back every year there after but it hasn't worked out. I've only returned one more time since then.

You will enjoy yourself...I was so geeked in 95 that when I landed in the Twin Cities for a connecting flight they offered me some dough and some perks if I let them bump me from my seat...They promised I would be on another flight a few hours later and I turned them down...Every minute in Montana is priceless.

Spence