Spring Creek — Hopper flies and Caddis nymphs have been productive for trout. — Sport Center, Lewistown.
Stillwater River — Flows are still hovering in the 500 cfs range. The river is bony, but still floatable in the lower sections. Hopper fishing will still continue on most afternoons as it warms up. Big dries like PMXs, Stimulators, Jack Cabe and smaller size Chubbies (10-14) and hopper patterns like Fat Franks in peach, purple, gold, olive and tan have been working well too. Dropper nymphs have been successful with smaller size Prince Nymphs, Pheasant Tails, red Copper Johns, and Lil’ Spankers picking up fish. Straight nymphing with a double nymph setup of a bigger rubberleg like a Girdle Bug or Pat’s Rubberleg along with a smaller beadhead nymph like a Prince, Optic Nerve, Batman, Lightning Bug, Pheasant Tail or Hare’s Ear have been productive. On poor weather days look for BWOs to pop. If so, fish the old reliable Purple Haze in a smaller size. Another good combination has been to fish a double dry setup with a Purple Haze trailed by a size 14 Jack Cabe or Stimulator. — Stillwater Anglers, Columbus.
Yellowstone River, Columbus — Try nymphing in the morning before the hoppers get going early afternoon. Nymphing early with a bigger lead fly like a Rubberleg Prince Nymph, or Batman with an Optic Nerve, Beadhead Flashback Pheasant Tail, Lil’ Spanker, or Hare’s Ear as a trailer should produce. There may also may still be some Trico spinners in the mid-morning with fish rising to them in the slicks and back eddy water. If so, a small size Purple Haze or Parachute Adams should do the trick. If the fish are on the Hopper in the afternoon, patterns like a Fat Frank, Yellowstoner Hopper, Water Walker or Chubby in peach, olive, purple, pink, red or tan size 6-10 have been working well. Try fishing a double Hopper setup with a larger top pattern and a smaller trailing Hopper like an Otter Hopper, Parachute Hopper, Micro Chubby, or Fat Frank. Space them well apart to cover different lines of current on the water. During the afternoon, fishing a double dry fly setup of a Jack Cabe and a Purple Haze searching likely water is a good option. Also try dead drifting Buggers. Now’s the time to start think about streamer fishing, and The Grinch and Electric Goldfish are always good choices. The Hecubas have started to show up on some days and a big size 10 Purple Haze or Parachute Adams has been picking up fish in the afternoon. — Stillwater Anglers, Columbus.
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