Sorry for the delay on getting this out, we've had a few computer issues.

Well, is summer finally here? Can't really tell even with some days temperatures reaching the 80's. I'm not sure we had a spring at all. Seems we went from winter into summer. What I do know is everything is late because of the extended cold and wet November through May.

I know a lot of you who I've talked with the past month or so are having difficulty trying to figure out the trout's feeding behavior patterns. From what I've experienced so far is a lot of lakes are slow to settle. That means the water chemistry hasn't settled causing fish to remain off the bite, late to move into feeding areas or depths where you normally find them and are slow to react to most food forms. In other words guys, they aren't feeding and aren't moving to feed to any large degree yet. But, they will. Yet, there are some lakes where exceptions have taken place and the bite seems fine.

Having just returned from my annual spring romp which took me to lakes in Nevada, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, I experienced every form of weather pattern known to man. Wind and lots of it, rain, snow, hail, cloudy skies, cold along with some calm, sunny days where the bite was excellent. First stop was at Crittenden Reservoir in Nevada where fishing was slow unless you fished with a chironomid under an indicator. Yes, now don't laugh, I fished with this method because they wouldn't take a cast and retrieve. They wouldn't spend the energy to chase anything. After 3 hours and only of couple of fish, I decided if others guys were catching and I wasn't, I better learn this system now! So, I did and was amazed at how well I did. I now have a new respect for you guys that have the patience to stare at that little ball all day. Yes, it works but I also know it has a narrow window. Three hours playing this role and landed 13 rainbows, the smallest about 4 pounds and the top fish went 8.

Next day was slow and hardly any fish landed as a weather front was moving in. So, off to Henry's Lake in Idaho for opening day. The cutthroats were near shore looking for a place to spawn or were in the process. Remember, everything is late and so they were to spawn. The fly that consistently took fish although other patterns worked but not as well was my Midge Larva. I chose to cast and retrieve it as opposed to fishing it under an indicator. Garth Williams and I each landed 30 some fish 15-22 inches. The weather was iffy all day with snow, rain, cloudy skies, wind, heavy at times mixed in with sun and clear sky. The next two days it got worse with the cold, snow and 30-40 gusts pushing us off the water by noon.

Next day I left for Cody, Wyoming and East Newton Lake where the sunshine was pleasant and the bite great. Thirty some rainbows and browns from 16-23 inches made it bearable. I used the Camo intermediate line, black Midge Larva, fished in 8-12 feet of water and used a 30 second countdown with a slow pull and pause retrieve. They ate it bigtime.

The next 3 days were spent with clients on Monster Lake. The wind blew us off the first two days by noon but we managed to take some really nice big browns and rainbows to 12 pounds. Most of the browns averaged 23-26 inches that averaged 5-8 pounds. The bows ran from 16-27 inches and the average fish 4-5 pounds. The third day was really nice with a slight ripple all day and the trout responded accordingly. Same size range but many more fish landed. Most of my patterns worked with the Seal Bugger and A.P. Emerger along with the Stillwater Bug taking the bigger fish.

Back to Yellowstone and excellent fishing on Henry's and Hebgen Lakes. The Midge Larva in black was once again the best fly on both lakes casting and retrieving it.

The last stop was at Piedmont Reservoir near Fort Bridger, Wyoming and the bite was the best I've experienced over the past 10 years. Using my Shiner Minnow patterns, I landed 13 browns, rainbows, rainbow/cutthroat hybrids, brook and tiger trout. Many were over 10 pounds and a client landed a 34 inch, 16 pound hybrid that was a lake record. And this guy was new to stillwater fly fishing. Most of the trout averaged 3-6 pounds but number were there everyday we fished. The last two days I started with my black Midge Larva casting and retrieving it but around 9 am, anglers started fishing the chironomid and indicator method and when I saw what was happening and I wasn't doing all that bad, I switched my clients and myself over to that method and WOW, the bite exploded. We were only fishing in 4-5 feet of water and in 2 hours or so I landed 16 myself, most 4-9 pounds and my clients doing well also. By mid-day the bite was over using that method and I went back to casting and retrieving and hooking big fish. If you guys and ladies haven't fished this reservoir, you need to. Contact me and I'll give you the info you need to reach these people and get on the lake.

Hope all of you are enjoying your fishing season, wherever that may be. Some new products in both fly tying materials, fly boxes, etc are on the way as soon as I get some sun to take pictures. Let me know if I can answer any questions about fishing or whatever.

Best Regards
Denny

For Questions and Information Feel Free to Call: 1 (541) 381-2218