Stillwater and Yellowstone Flyfishing River Reports

[ARCHIVE] Stillwater River Report 7/1/2020

Stillwater 7/1: After spiking due to warm weather and rain, the river is back on the drop, warming and clearing. As it does so, It’s rounding into excellent post runoff shape. Adult salmon flies have started to be seen here and there on the upper river, so start to look to fish them. The nymphs are plentiful, so our guides have been having success fishing stonefly nymphs and rubber leg patterns like a girdle bug or pat’s rubber leg. Also fishing a san juan or jiggly worm or dark color wooly bugger dead drifting while the lower river is dropping and clearing is a good tactic. Also try fishing a big dry like a Chubby with a long dropper to a rubber leg pattern. Yellow sallies have been popping as well, so fish a double dry setup with a big dry and a smaller yellow sally pattern trailed off of the back. A smaller size Jack Cabe has been working as well. The major salmonfly and golden stone hatch should be going off anytime and catching the leading edge of it can make for some fantastic fishing. Fish a single big dry pattern, no dropper to get it in tight on the bank and along overhanging willows. Once that happens, fish the big bugs and get ready to set!

By Chris Fleck River Reports