YNP closes fishing on west side rivers

Yellowstone To Implement Fishing Closures - Yellowstone National Park

Nothing really special with this. Every year the water on the west side warms up. This just makes it official that you shouldn't be fishing those waters in the heat of the summer.

It's bern really hot recently. Hopefully we make it through August without the Yellowstone and others in the northeast part of the park warming up too much.

Southeast Idaho dam denied

Application for Oneida Dam denied by Idaho

I drove this section of the river last year to get familiar with this issue and to see the river. It is really beautiful, and I'm glad to see that the dam is currently denied. I didn't get to fish it because the water was really high from a big snowpack last year.

On-Scene reporting!

A note from the Lamar River on July 22, 2012. We were right below the bridge that is being re-built.  Production value is minimal, but it's the thought that counts!

http://youtu.be/v5H1ofcJxaM

Where to take young kids in the Yellowstone Backcountry?

Now that we have two little boys, me and my wife's time in the backcountry gets limited. OK, her time in the backcountry is nonexistent; mine is limited.

Now that the boys are 3 1/2 years and 16 months, I figured we could plan a day in the backcountry for some fishing, one parent watches the kids while the other fishes. But where?

We went to the Lamar River, about 200 yards upstream from the confluence with the Yellowstone. It was about a two mile hike in. We could have just pulled off the road and walked to some nice gravel bar, but we wanted to teach them about hiking in and spending the day away from the noise of the road.

So the boys spent a day on this gravel bar, throwing rocks and playing in the sand. Seriously, they could throw rocks all day and not be bored at all. Paul hiked in the two miles all by himself, and hiked out all by himself, carrying his camelback, too.

There were great fishing spots above and below this area, and the water next to the gravel was very slow and shallow for at least 50 feet before getting to the main channel. Reminder: the river is constantly changing, so it could be different when you get there.

Where are some other good spots like this?

1. On the Lamar River, upstream from the confluence with Soda Butte. Walk a mile up the gravel, and it will be mostly quiet.

2. Upper Soda Butte Creek, near Pebble Creek. You'll be close to the road and traffic noise, but there isn't as much traffic here.

3. Slough Creek: walk downstream from the parking area between the main road and the campground. There are some grassy spots on the bank but not alot of shade.

More details and spots will be in an article I'm writing for hatchmag.com. We'll get some links up for you when that happens.

Back from Yellowstone!

Got back yesterday from a family trip to Yellowstone. Got a little fishing in, and a little hiking in, too! Fishing was tough, but I was standing in the middle of the Lamar getting alot of looks but not takes, so it really wasn't that bad!

Will put up some pics and details later.

I can tell you that the fish are not keying on orange like they normally do at this time of the year, even if all the salmon flies are gone, which is not the case on the Lamar River near the confluence with the Yellowstone because I had several crawling on me at some point during the day.

Anyway, look for to some details on taking kids into the near-backcountry (two mile hike or so) and what to do with them when they get there.....that was my big experience over the weekend.

Native Fish Conservation - Yellowstone Park Foundation

Everyone is asking for money these days. Yellowstone Park Foundation is one of those places that gets mine.

Native Fish Conservation - Yellowstone Park Foundation:


"The top priority of the NPS plan is to decrease the number of predatory, non-native lake trout, which in recent years have dramatically reduced the number of native Yellowstone cutthroat trout in Yellowstone Lake. Yellowstone Park Foundation funding of the Native Fish Conservation Program will allow for a significant effort to suppress lake trout through private sector netters on Yellowstone Lake. The goal of sustained efforts is to recover Yellowstone cutthroat trout to mid-1990s levels.

To help Save the Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout, Donate now>>"

'via Blog this'

Winter in July

There's more than fishing in Yellowstone. I would personally like to be able to ride a best available technology snow machine in the park with no guide.....snow camp possibilities are awesome (no Backcountry though to preserve their quiet peace).

Traveler's View: Yellowstone National Park Deserves A Better Winter-Use Plan | National Parks Traveler

Getting Ready! Be Fire Aware this year too.

I am SOOO ready to get to Yellowstone!!! Two more weeks. The salmon flies will be probably just over when I get there. So far it's been hot, and I think the water is down already. The Yellowstone in the Blacktail Canyon will probably be pretty warm come August; I suspect there might be some limitations on fishing this year similar to a few years ago (2007?) when there was no fishing during the afternoon....that turned out to be a great time to actually physically relax and take a nap anyway because it was so dang hot.

You've heard about bear aware. I'm asking you to be FIRE AWARE.

I'm worried about fire season this year. My home town here in Pocatello just got nailed by a wildfire in a populated area just outside of town. Sixty-six homes burned in about four hours. Thank God that nobody died or was injured. And our first responders did such a great job....they really jumped on that fire and got it out quickly because it could have been MUCH worse.

Anyway, I learned the other day that the fire season follows a 12-year cycle. Every 12 years is a bad year. 2012-12=2000..."

During the 2000 fire season in the United States, almost 93,000 wildland fires burned close to 7.4 million acres and destroyed numerous structures. Subsequently, recommendations were developed on how to reduce the impacts of fire on rural communities and ensure sufficient firefighting resources for the future. That report, now known as the "National Fire Plan", identified five key points that continue to emphasize interagency approaches." from 

http://www.yellowstone-natl-park.com/fire.htm

2000-12=1988: VERY BAD FIRE YEAR IN YELLOWSTONE.

While you're out and about fishing in Yellowstone and other pristine areas of God's Backyard, please be careful.

1. No cigarettes please. If you have to, switch to Copenhagen. I chewed Cope for 23 years. Quite October 4, 2010 at 10:22pm cold turkey. Do it if you have to...it's better than smoking in the backcountry.

2. Try to live without a camp fire. Seriously. If you have a very active day, you should be sleeping by 9pm, before the end of evening twilight. Just cuz it's legal, doesn't make it right. Please don't have the camp fires.

3. Be especially careful with your camp stove. Triple-careful if you have white gas.....that stuff is incredibly flammable and spills fairly easily if you're not careful.

4. Watch for smoke while you're in the backcountry. Don't depend on the Rangers to tell you to leave. Take personal responsibility for yourself.

5. Have a NOAA capable radio and listen to it during your meals. Learn how to set it up for alerts. Take enough batteries or a solar charger for rechargeable batteries.

Here's a look at the fire forecast. Translation = Red areas covering all of Yellowstone = Be CAREFUL WITH FIRE!

http://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/outlooks/monthly_seasonal_outlook.pdf