[ARCHIVE] Stillwater River Report 07/09/18

Dry fly fishing on the Stillwater is starting to take off! The post runoff smorgasbord is here. PMDs, Yellow Sallies, Caddis and Golden Stones are all appearing at one time or another. A Purple Haze generally works as a generic dry fly. As the water temperature starts to warm a bit, things will only get better! Fish are starting to eat the big dry with regularity. Stimulators, Jack Cabe, Chubbys and PMXs are good choices. You can fish a dropper nymph, but when they’re on the big dry, leave it off as it allows for better accuracy when casting tight to the banks. Flows dropped substantially and have been holding in the 3500cfs range, but are still running very swift. While the entire river is floatable, the river above Absarokee is probably the best bet as far as clarity and more manageable flows. It will likely continue to fluctuate in response to weather patterns heat. For nymphs, try a prince nymph, hare’s ear, batman, red copper john or pheasant tail. For information, the Stillwater River road remains closed at Midnight Canyon.