For the past two years, all over the world, it was "before & after COVID" then "new normal".
This year, here in Livingston, it's been "before & after the flood". However, as for the spring creeks and fishing there, there is "NO new normal", it's just "normal as previous years". In other words, "we did dodge the bullets".
My annual PMD trips were successfully conducted. We witnessed GREAT PMD hatches and so many trout rising. Over all we quite enjoyed and had better-than-ever fishing for this time of year!!
Got Bugs??
Blue Sky and clear water!!
Colors & Shapes...............
So, as I've been asked, did trout get washed away?
We could easily imagine there must have been some shuffles and changes among trout in the creeks and in the river. Whatever the case is, considering the colors and shapes of trout we've been catching in the creeks, they are the "resident trout", i.e., "trout that have been in the creeks for a while".
Spring creek enthusiasts and committed anglers keep coming back and in fact, I couldn't find any cancel rods. So please DO NOT trust what's said or circulating in the online world. Just ask myself or other specialist guides. This must be the season for you to challenge the spring creeks!!
Yellowstone National Park has re-opened and one can drive in to fish. However, there's no prediction for when the north and northeast entrances (most heavily damaged area) would open and and fishing in the northeast streams such as the Lamar would be possible.
As for Yellowstone River, outside of the Park, in Montana section, water has been dropping constantly but still too high to think of floating (I prefer 7500cfs or less). On top of that, there has been no improvement in "color" - you know, a "green is good" color. It's been an unprecedented "muddiness", the density is so thick. I just cant' predict when it would be low and clear enough for fishing. I'll keep my eyes on and will update every so often.