When to Come and What To Expect:
Fly Fishing: Yellowstone National Park – July – Gibbon River
The Gibbon river really has three sections as far as I am concerned. The upper part including its beginning down through the meadow sections of the stream; the middle section or fast water sections below the meadows down to the falls, and the lower meadow sections below the falls.
The lower meadow sections is the first part of the Gibbon to warm because it is at a lower elevation. At the first part of July, it is usually fishing very well. The mornings should bring about some good Pale Morning Dun hatches and spinner falls between 8 and 11 O’clock during the first part of July. There may also be some sparse Green Drake hatches the first two weeks.
The middle section is usually in good shape but the first of the month. It is mostly fast pocket water. You will find a variety of insects hatching including several mayfly, stonefly and caddisfly species. At the first to the middle part of the month Yellow Sallies will be hatching. Golden Stoneflies will be present just about all month.
The first two weeks of July you should find some Green Drakes. Pink Ladies and March Browns should start hatching near the middle of July. They are good hatches in the fast water sections.
The upper meadows are tough to fish but can be very rewarding for those that can fish the smooth water carefully. By the middle of the month, the water will be getting too warm but we always find the first week of July in good shape. Most of the anglers have abandoned the meadows and are fishing the Madison outside the park.
Brown Drakes should be hatching the first two weeks of July in both the Gibbon and Elk meadows.
In all sections of the Gibbons, fishing the late evening caddis egg laying activity will work all month long. There are several species that hatch. The White Millers will still be going strong the first two weeks of the month in the lower meadows. The Green Sedges will hatch all month in the fast water sections. Spotted Sedges will also be present all month in large quantities everywhere. Little Black Short Horned Caddis, will be present in large numbers all month in the fast water. About the middle of the month you should also find some Little Brown caddis and a few Long Horned Sedges should show up in the meadows. The best action can be very late in the day and on into the early evenings.
Don’t forget the terrestrials. They will be present all month, but the later in July it gets, the better the fishing will get. Imitations of Grasshopper, ants and beetles will work.
Copyright 2010 James Marsh
