Fishing in Yellowstone?

Hi All, odd question here but this is way out of my comfort zone.. We are going to be taking the kids for a road trip to yellowstone. We are staying right next to the Madison river. The regulations show this is fly fishing only. I do not have a fly rod but believe I can still use a spinning rod/reel. Does anyone have any experience out there?? I dont plan to do alot of fishing but cant miss the chance to actually fish this river and try to catch a few new species to me. I just wanted to see what advise you might have. I could buy a fly rod and some tackle but dont know where to start.. I would prefer to still use spinning gear and maybe a handful of flies but dont know if thats the way to go either?? Thanks for any help in advance.

I have a fly rod you could borrow Joe. Might need to practice a bit.

It would be it’s second time fishing in Yellowstone. Last time was on the Fire Hole.

Just keep an eye out for Bison…you want to keep them 3 “you to car lengths” away.

I can’t comment on using a spinning rod in place of a fly rod.

I would make a call out there but this is all over the net.

“Take your bait casting or spinning rod to the park and you can “Fly Fish.” If you put a bobber, (casting bubble?) on the end of the line and have a fly dangling from the end of it, you are “Fly Fishing.” And you can fish anywhere in Yellowstone Park with a rig like this. Read your regulations, this rig is recommended.”

Madison is fly fishing only. Period. No exceptions. Don’t expect a slap on the wrist if you violate that law.

There are other rivers in the park that are open to “normal” type fishing, just be aware; no lead, no plastic lures, no live/dead/food bait, no barbed hooks, no attractants, only 1 hook allowed(can be a single treble). There is probably a bunch im missing. I highly suggest you read through and become fully acquainted with the regs before going out there.

http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/fishing.htm

Use water bobbers and tie your flys to that, the bobber filled with water gives you weight, then a fluorocarbon leader to that. My uncle lives out there and that’s what he uses. BTW if you going to Glacier, fishing is free in that park and the fishing is way better. My young kids at the time were catching 20 trout each an outing easily.

Brian Klawitter wrote:

I would make a call out there but this is all over the net.

“Take your bait casting or spinning rod to the park and you can “Fly Fish.” If you put a bobber, (casting bubble?) on the end of the line and have a fly dangling from the end of it, you are “Fly Fishing.” And you can fish anywhere in Yellowstone Park with a rig like this. Read your regulations, this rig is recommended.”

This was my plan.. I have a few of the adjust bubble bobbers (Clear water bobber). We will be out there next week. I just wonder about line/flies that would be best??

Thanks for the offer BK! If I do go with a fly rod I might buy it. I always wanted to learn.

You are right not to miss the chance to fish Yellowstone and the Madison.

I have put in about 10 days of fishing in YNP. As has been said, read all regs.

“Fly fishing” as they define it is fishing with a lure that meets the YNP regs definition of a fly. How you get it to the fish is up to you. Just be warned, if a ranger sees you with a spinng rod, he will check you 200 percent of the time so stay legal.

Hoppers are the go to late in the summer.

Grouse

bigpike wrote:

Use water bobbers and tie your flys to that, the bobber filled with water gives you weight, then a fluorocarbon leader to that. My uncle lives out there and that’s what he uses. BTW if you going to Glacier, fishing is free in that park and the fishing is way better. My young kids at the time were catching 20 trout each an outing easily.

Were not going to Glacier but that sounds awesome!! I will only have time for the Madison river I think.. The wife and kids have a full schedule but I will have a few early mornings where I can walk over to the Madison and get a couple hours in before we get started on the other stuff. I will call it mission accomplished if I can even catch a couple.

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

Hoppers are the go to late in the summer.

Grouse

Thanks Grouse, i will be sure to find a couple of these.

Try Trout lake also on the north east side of the park, trout were thick in there last year. There are places in town just outside the park on the west side that rent fly stuff and lots of good info from the workers as most fly fish. I talked to a few in June of last year about how to fly fish and how the flys you use change as the different hatches come about through the year. There is a trout that is a invasive also to the streams that if caught they want left out. I watch a guy from NY catch a fish of a life time and helped him net it. He said that fish made his trip.

The Madison has more repute than Yellowstone. Its one of those long endeared classic trout streams and as Munchy has suggested, fly only. As in tied onto a fly line and fished from a fly rod. Nephew lives right on the Madison and knows it well.

Tom Sawvell wrote:

The Madison has more repute than Yellowstone. Its one of those long endeared classic trout streams and as Munchy has suggested, fly only. As in tied onto a fly line and fished from a fly rod. Nephew lives right on the Madison and knows it well.

So Tom, are you saying a guy with a spin rod, water bobber and fly will be ticketed?

Panther Martin inline spinners. #2 (I believe) Black with yellow dots and gold spinner works really well for browns in the driftless area. Also original floating raps do well for trout. If you want to go a little more finesse the the trout magnet jig and plastics are fairly solid as well.

That being said, not sure if any of that is legal in that area you described.

“Thanks for the offer BK! If I do go with a fly rod I might buy it. I always wanted to learn.”

Hey Joe, I know a guy who could help you with that….

Have fun, sounds like a great trip!

SR

bigpike wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Tom Sawvell wrote:</div>
The Madison has more repute than Yellowstone. Its one of those long endeared classic trout streams and as Munchy has suggested, fly only. As in tied onto a fly line and fished from a fly rod. Nephew lives right on the Madison and knows it well.

So Tom, are you saying a guy with a spin rod, water bobber and fly will be ticketed?

On the Madison you will, according to the nephew. When we were there visiting he and his wife I asked about fishing the river and he said its traditional fly only, with barbless flies no less. There are waters inside the park that have other regulations that differ from the Madison River and can be fished in the manner you suggest. That Madison river is a huge draw to fly anglers from all over the world. Its a beautiful river.

Wow. A bit too purist for me. But hey, good for them.

BTW, I think the fly fishing mystique often overshadows the reality that casting and fishing with the fly rod isn’t that difficult to learn.

I taught myself how to fly cast in 1980 at the age of 10 after I picked up a flea market St. Croix fiberglass rod and found a Field & Stream “how to” article with a diagram of how to cast. That was the extent of my casting lessons for the next two decades and I fished with the fly rod on 3 continents.

My first “formal” fly casting lesson from somebody who actually knew what they were doing was a 20 minute “how-to” on the basics of Spey Casting with a 2 handed rod, literally while standing in the River Spey in Scotland. 3 hours later I landed my first chrome-bright Atlantic Salmon. I write this not to brag, but to show fly casting and fishing isn’t as difficult to learn as I think many imagine.

I say gear up and join the fun.

Grouse

Trout guys are a bit eccentric like musky guys can be, possibly even more. No thanks on both accounts.
One of the spots we camped at was Mammoth. A nice little creek runs through the grounds loaded with trout. Lots of fun. Had some bison wander through at night based on the large tracks all over in the morning. Also had some large horned elk watch me fish as they were bedded on the hillside when I grabbed my rod for some exploration of that creek away from the campground.

Glacier is a beautiful park too with several streams and a couple lakes to fish. Just off the east slope I fished a lake and caught a couple rainbows. When we left home for that vacation I did not pack a rod. I bought one and a good reel while we were in West Yellowstone prior to heading to Glacier. In Glacier I picked up a couple spinners and that’s what I got my trout on.

When the nephew moved to Montana they lived in Butte. There were streams all over in that area and we’d fish them and catch Cutthroat trout. On the first trip to visit them we took him his grandfather’s fly rod, fly tackle and fly tying equipment and goodies. He fished that fly rod and I tossed spinners to get those Cutthroats. We had elk pass us as we fished and a couple were no more than a dozen feet away. Funny how those big animals know you mean them no harm while you’re fishing but can’t hardly find one to save your butt during a hunting season.

It might be worthwhile to contact a local fly shop in the area. They’ll know the hatches and fly patterns for the time frame you’ll be out there. If you wanted to try the fly rod, lining up a guide for a day would really help out. Having someone on hand to provide pointers and give you feedback.

Although not in Yellowstone I did have a chance to fish part of the Salmon River system in Idaho back when I was starting fly fishing. I only had rudimentary knowledge at the time and I was able to catch fish.

You don’t need to wear tweed or be eccentric. You just need to be curious.

Very little of the Madison River is inside the park boundaries, if any. Its mostly around and north of the west entry.

Steve Root wrote:

Hey Joe, I know a guy who could help you with that….

Have fun, sounds like a great trip!

SR

Steve, I might just take you up on that sometime. Sounds odd but I would love to catch a carp on a fly when we have the may flies on the water down on P2. We watch them slurp up flies by the 100’s.

I did run over to cabelas and the guy in the fly shop was super nice and helpful. He walked me through the basics and I also plan to stop at a fly shop on our way in. I wont be fishing day one but we will be stopping in at a few places. I still plan to just use my light action spinning gear for rod/reel. 6 lb SA X4 line and will be bobbing flies/hoppers. From everything I read you can do this. Just has to be traditional fly tackle, 1 hook, barbless and no lead.
The text in the regulations for this zone just say ” Use only artificial flies
regardless of the type of rod or line”

My brother wants to join me also so bringing two rods and will for sure have to get more flies… He is a rookie with a spinning rod!

Here is what I picked up yesterday to get my base down.

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To be honest I am really just looking forward to walking in that water and fishing them. I will be fishing the Madison, Fire Hole and should have time for one more before we leave. If I can catch a few trout it would be a slam dunk!!! I am ok with the spinning gear for now. I will post a few photos when I get back.

Did a couple quick i-net searches and noticed this:
Firehole, Gibbon, and Madison River (in YNP) Fishing Report – Updated July 9
The Firehole below the Old Faithful closure zone, the Gibbon below Norris Geyser Basin, and the Madison throughout its run in YNP are too warm. Check back on the Madison around September 1, the Gibbon shortly thereafter, and the Firehole after the 15th. In their headwaters, the Firehole and Gibbon are fine small-fish fisheries, but there are many streams closer to Gardiner that are as good.

It may be a good plan to get some current reports to come up with a game plan with some alternatives.

ugg, that would stink! I will be talking to them. Thanks for the heads up. Hope this was from last years reports.. haha. Either way I will find somewhere to drop a line.

Slough Creek, the Lamar River and Soda Butte Creek in the northeast part of the park may be some places to try.

I see a lot of anglers on the Lamar in mid September.

Buffalo Fishhead

I just got back last night and Yellowstone park might be the coolest place I have been to. There is so much to see that is not found anywhere and park staff, campground and other campers were all great!!!!

I did catch a cutthroat and little brook so added two new species to my list of fish. Long story short mission accomplished!!

I fished the Madison, Gibbon and Fire Hole river. The Gibbon and Fire Hole join together and make the Madison river so they are all right there next to our camp (Madison Junction camp site). I would highly advise anyone going to yellowstone camping to use this site. It was a perfect location if you want to see what the park has to offer. As far as fishing the Fire Hole was super warm but the Gibbon was much cooler. This forced the fish to go up the Gibbon looking for the cool water. I didnt realize this till the 2nd day. I also figured out that I suck at trout fishing but learned a lot and hope to be back there with a better game plan one day! The last day we were there I changed from hopper fishing to wooly buggers with an ant fly dropped off the back. That was the deal. I did loose a very nice cutthoat in the rocks that last morning but was one of the coolest bites I had so still a good experience.

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We’ve been there several times and prefer the north entry’s Hot Springs campground. West Yellowstone just outside the west entry has some camping too and we’ve done that as well.

To really “do” Yellowstone a guy has to plan on at least a 4 day stay. There’s so much that doing the north drive one day and the south drive another is best with a couple days to go back and catch things you may have hurried thru.

Our last trip was five years ago and we camped in the Hot Springs campground again. Our campsite was one of three at the very end of the loop and we had elk walk thru our site while we were eating breakfast on two mornings.

Did you do the hot springs themselves Buschman? I made it to the third pool from the origin and came away pretty much convinced that no sperm survived that visit. Man that’s hot water.

Tom, I did not get to hop in.. My wife and sister in law gave me the 3rd degree for letting the kids feel the water. They were worried that they would melt or something. We swam in the fire hole river every evening. That was the best way to get the kids cleaned up after hiking all day. They had the swimming hole closed and a few other campsites and lodges were closed so have more we want to see in the future.

I agree on the timing. We were in the park for 4.5 days and really wish we would have stayed two more. We saw a quite a bit of park but think we could go for another week and see all new stuff. So have another reason to go back in the next few years. We missed Lamar valley. I hear the fishing is great up there. So might stay west for a few days and then move camp the the NE end next time we go. Madison Junction is about perfect for location if someone wanted to see as much as you can in 4 days.

Glad to hear you had a good experience. As you pointed out if water gets too warm the trout can vacate the area.

FYI… the little brook looks to be a little brown.