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Fly Fishing
in Jackson Hole |
Fly Fishing In Jackson Hole
Flat Creek in National Elk Refuge
Flat Creek -- National Elk Refuge Section
Open Season: August 1 - October 31
Best Time of Year to Fish: This section will fish consistently well through the entire season.
Best Time of Day to Fish: The first part of the season can fish from sun-up to sun-down but as Fall comes on with its cooler temperatures it becomes much more of a mid-day fishery.
Species: Snake River Fine-spotted Cutthroat Trout and a very few Brookies
Access: As you leave Jackson going north towards Grand Teton National Park on Highway 26/89/191 you will find the only 2 access points (see map). One will be a parking area, just past the National Wildlife Museum, along the right side of the highway. If you continue on about another half-mile you will find the National Fish Hatchery entrance road that veers of to the right.
Hatches: This section of Flat Creek can be quite complex with multiple hatches going on simultaneously. It has very good mayfly hatches throughout the entire season. We will list them somewhat in the order they occur, but remember that hatches can overlap. Grey Drakes, Pale Morning Duns, Callibaetis, Mahogany Duns, Tricos, Pseudocloeons, and Baetis. Not only are the adults of these species important, but also keep in mind the spinner form of the life cycle. Spinners can be very important to the extent of sometimes out-fishing the adult. Caddis can be important also with many of the western families represented...Brachycentrus, Hydropsyche, Rhyacophila, and the fall Limnephiloidea are all present. But typically you won't find the caddis as important as the mayfly families. Stoneflies are primarily Perlodinae or Yellow Sally's and there is enough of a hatch to warrant carrying a few patterns in your fly box. As with all spring creeks, terrestrials will be very important. Some years grasshoppers can be established by opening day and last well into October, so hopper imitations will be essential. Ants and beetles will also be prevalent the entire time that this section of Flat Creek is open.
Flies: Parachute Adams 10-20, Quigley PMD Cripple 16-18, Challenged Callibaetis 14, Don's Mahogany No-Hackle 14-18, AK's Trico Parachute 18-22, Brook's Baetis Sprout Emerger 18-20, CDC Rusty Spinner 14-20, Hackle-Wing Olive Spinner 14-18, Two-Wing Trico Spinner 16-20, Hemmingway Caddis 16-18, Smith's Translucent Caddis Emerger 14-18, U-Con Caddis Emerger 16-18, Slickwater Caddis 10-12, Parachute Yellow Sally, Jay-Dave's Hopper, Chernobyl Ant, Hi-Vis Parachute Ant, Disco Beetle
Points of Interest: Although most Yellowstone area streams and rivers are very scenic, this section of Flat Creek is different as it meanders through a treeless hay meadow. It lies between Gros Ventre Butte to the west and the Gros Ventre Range to the east, with the stately Sleeping Indian Mountain always looking down on you from any point on the stream. The mountain gives the appearance of an Indian sleeping on his back (with a substantial stomach), his head (with prominent nose) on top of the mountain, and full Indian head-dress following down the south slope. The whole panorama can bring the core of your soul very near the surface.
Comments: We normally shy away from this but we are going to preach a little from the pulpit. We hope you take away some of these concepts and apply it to the rest of your fishing.
First of all, this section of Flat Creek is the only FLY ONLY water in the state of Wyoming. Secondly, this really being the only public spring creek water in the valley, most of the locals have a certain reverence for it. With its recent popularity it has become a special place for fisherman around the world. It receives a fair amount of fishing pressure and we only see increased use in the future. Hence, our obvious concern.
Flat Creek is a small and fragile fishery and needs to be handled in that light. This last winter (2002), whirling disease was discovered. It could have been contracted many ways but with all its popularity we cannot ignore the fact that human contamination very well may have been the culprit. High Country Flies has provided wader dip tanks, that will eradicate whirling disease, at each entrance for the last two years. Now more than ever we implore you to use them. We know whirling disease is there, let's not spread it to other fisheries...in our area or yours.
If you are looking for solitude this is not the place for you. You are going to have to deal with people at every time of the year. Stream etiquette is mandatory. Don't be uncomfortable telling someone that may spook the fish to which you are fishing to, "please steer clear of the bank because I have a fish here." At the same time, don't storm up to a fisherman and ask, "what ya' catch that last one on?" Be considerate of your fellow fisherman and treat them the way you would like to be treated. This is the west, leave plenty of room. You should never be in the same pool or within casting distance of your fellow angler. Even with all the fishing pressure, with a little walking you will find plenty of fishing.
Flat Creek is not a quantity fishery, it is a quality fishery. If you are looking to catch numbers, again this is not the place for you. A little bit more from the pulpit...did you notice our fly selection? All dries. We are not dry fly purists and we are not saying that streamers and nymphs won't work. They will. But that is not the game here. It is a hunting and stalking fishery...finding a particular fish and fishing to it. Trust us that you will catch more fish by sitting on the bank and watching, than you ever will by jumping in and getting after them without thought. This applies no matter what form of fishing you decide to use. Sight nymph fishing is as difficult as it gets, but if you really need to throw a streamer or nymph, please fish blind. Doing whatever it takes (i.e. nymphing or streamers) just to catch a fish on this particular piece of water is not fishing, it is simply obtaining. You really are missing the whole concept of Flat Creek. On a even playing field it takes skill to catch these fish. For the people who say cutthroats are dumb, come give these guys a try, we think you'll see what we're talking about.
Please leave Flat Creek as you found it and take home the knowledge and the memories that it awards you.
