Fishing the Firehole
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Re: Fishing the Firehole
#81"a skillful dry fly fisher in the years 1950 to 1970 could expect to take ten to twenty trout in day, averaging over two pounds each with several of three three or more pounds."
I started fishing the Park in 1965. I may not have been a skillful fly fisher back in the late '60's, but I don't remember that many fish of 2-3 lbs. caught by me or by my more experienced friends who spent all summer in West Yellowstone. I think it was the big quake of 1959 that changed the Firehole. That Brooks book was written in 1984 and I think Brooks' recollection of temperatures and fish sizes in the '60's was faulty. He also said that the Firehole fish liked temps in the 70-75 degree range and didn't move out until they hit 80. That certainly isn't the case today as many of the fish run up the cooler tribs and the Park will discourage fishing or close the river when the temps are in that range.
I started fishing the Park in 1965. I may not have been a skillful fly fisher back in the late '60's, but I don't remember that many fish of 2-3 lbs. caught by me or by my more experienced friends who spent all summer in West Yellowstone. I think it was the big quake of 1959 that changed the Firehole. That Brooks book was written in 1984 and I think Brooks' recollection of temperatures and fish sizes in the '60's was faulty. He also said that the Firehole fish liked temps in the 70-75 degree range and didn't move out until they hit 80. That certainly isn't the case today as many of the fish run up the cooler tribs and the Park will discourage fishing or close the river when the temps are in that range.
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Re: Fishing the Firehole
#82Silvio Calabi fishing Muleshoe Bend by Adriano Manocchia
Scott
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"An undisturbed river is as perfect as we will ever know, every refractive slide of cold water a glimpse of eternity" - Thomas McGuane
"An undisturbed river is as perfect as we will ever know, every refractive slide of cold water a glimpse of eternity" - Thomas McGuane
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Re: Fishing the Firehole
#8316pmd wrote:"a skillful dry fly fisher in the years 1950 to 1970 could expect to take ten to twenty trout in day, averaging over two pounds each with several of three three or more pounds."
I started fishing the Park in 1965. I may not have been a skillful fly fisher back in the late '60's, but I don't remember that many fish of 2-3 lbs. caught by me or by my more experienced friends who spent all summer in West Yellowstone. I think it was the big quake of 1959 that changed the Firehole. That Brooks book was written in 1984 and I think Brooks' recollection of temperatures and fish sizes in the '60's was faulty. He also said that the Firehole fish liked temps in the 70-75 degree range and didn't move out until they hit 80. That certainly isn't the case today as many of the fish run up the cooler tribs and the Park will discourage fishing or close the river when the temps are in that range.
That sounds much more believable ... and logical!
Thank you.
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Re: Fishing the Firehole
#84Yes, that does make more sense. I don't suppose we have an "old timer" that would have fished it in the 50's.
Jim
Jim
Re: Fishing the Firehole
#85Flyman615 - the matting on yours looks to be the same as on my painting g but the frames are different. There is no title on it.
Mike
Mike
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Re: Fishing the Firehole
#86Mike:
Mine is also signed in pencil "Silvio Calabi" in the lower left white margin.
I purchased the frame to match the print. It is #15 of 350 as published by Rod & Reel Magazine when Silvio was the Editor.
Scott
Mine is also signed in pencil "Silvio Calabi" in the lower left white margin.
I purchased the frame to match the print. It is #15 of 350 as published by Rod & Reel Magazine when Silvio was the Editor.
Scott
Flyman615
"An undisturbed river is as perfect as we will ever know, every refractive slide of cold water a glimpse of eternity" - Thomas McGuane
"An undisturbed river is as perfect as we will ever know, every refractive slide of cold water a glimpse of eternity" - Thomas McGuane
Re: Fishing the Firehole
#87re: big fish in the Firehole in the past. Here are two references (1) The Wise Fisherman's Encyclopedia, 1951 -"Trout over 3 pounds are no rarity" and (2) Back, The Waters of Yellowstone with Rod and Fly, 1938 - "The Firehole harbours very large trout."
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Re: Fishing the Firehole
#88Thank you, it will be interesting to read those recommendations.
Jim
PS I have "The Waters of Yellowstone...", but had not read it in years. It was fun to revisit what the fishing must have been like back in those years.
Jim
PS I have "The Waters of Yellowstone...", but had not read it in years. It was fun to revisit what the fishing must have been like back in those years.
Last edited by wefishcane on 04/03/20 14:30, edited 2 times in total.
Re: Fishing the Firehole
#89Adriano is one of my best friends. I showed him this thread and your input (he's not a member) and he asked me to say this to you: "Just wanted to tell the guy I’m glad see he’s still enjoying the print and that the Firehole has always been one of my favorite spots to fish and paint."
Gary
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Re: Fishing the Firehole
#94Regarding the size of the fish in the Firehole in the past, Bud Lilly wrote a book about his fly shop in West Yellowstone and commented about this. His guides kept records of all the fish their clients caught. Lilly said that he was amazed at the size of the fish reported in the outdoor journals, as this was not reflected in the records his guides kept - and some of these writers used his guides so he knew exactly what they caught. It's human nature to exaggerate and it's more entertaining. How many of us, when we catch ten fish 8 inches long and two pushing 16 inches, report that we caught a dozen fish up to 16 inches long? One year later the fish have grown to 18 inches, at least in memory.
Usually when I hear someone talk about the number and size of the fish they caught, I'm reminded of a comment about the dramatic paintings of the Rocky Mountains by Albert Bierstadt: "The mountains don't exactly look like that, but they sure FEEL like that."
Or, another quote: "Never let the truth get in the way of a good story".
Whatever the size of the fish the Firehole sure is a fun river.
Usually when I hear someone talk about the number and size of the fish they caught, I'm reminded of a comment about the dramatic paintings of the Rocky Mountains by Albert Bierstadt: "The mountains don't exactly look like that, but they sure FEEL like that."
Or, another quote: "Never let the truth get in the way of a good story".
Whatever the size of the fish the Firehole sure is a fun river.
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Re: Fishing the Firehole
#95As per what "Cutthroatkid" stated above, I agree. I've been fishing the Firehole regularly since 1986. More than a few times each year, the entire length. The headwaters are awesome if one likes small fish. That's the point here. Over the years, with my wife included, neither one of us have ever caught a trout, rainbow or brown, that went over 15"s. Oh, I've seen some rising trout that I said to myself "Oh man, this one is huge, look at the snout on that bugger". Then after I crept up and made the cast and put the steel to'em it weighed in at only 13 or 14"s. I may have spooked one or two over the years that MAYBE went larger than 15"s but those are few and far between. If one is looking for larger trout than fish somewhere else. That's the reality of the Firehole IMHO.
Mark
Note; What I've stated here does not include the stretch of river below the falls where one may take an exceptional trout up from the Madison in the fall.
Mark
Note; What I've stated here does not include the stretch of river below the falls where one may take an exceptional trout up from the Madison in the fall.
Re: Fishing the Firehole
#96True size of fish is like those old outdoors magazine action shots, you know the ones, where the angler is rearing back to set the hook on a violent, exploding bass strike...it was a thrown rock, or assistant slapping the water with a branch.
Re: Fishing the Firehole
#97A friend often asks, "Why do you drive so far (70 mi.) to fish for such small fish?" when I talk about the Firehole. I have to admit, if I saw a Firehole-size fish rising on the Henry's Fork, I wouldn't bother to cast. By the same token, if I saw a Henry's Fork-size fish in New Zealand I'd just keep walking.
It's all about the perspective. I love fishing the Firehole.
It's all about the perspective. I love fishing the Firehole.
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Re: Fishing the Firehole
#98Yep, I agree. Perspective is everything.16pmd wrote:A friend often asks, "Why do you drive so far (70 mi.) to fish for such small fish?" when I talk about the Firehole. I have to admit, if I saw a Firehole-size fish rising on the Henry's Fork, I wouldn't bother to cast. By the same token, if I saw a Henry's Fork-size fish in New Zealand I'd just keep walking.
It's all about the perspective. I love fishing the Firehole.
Scott
Flyman615
"An undisturbed river is as perfect as we will ever know, every refractive slide of cold water a glimpse of eternity" - Thomas McGuane
"An undisturbed river is as perfect as we will ever know, every refractive slide of cold water a glimpse of eternity" - Thomas McGuane
Re: Fishing the Firehole
#99[Totally agree, boys. This little rainbow could be a bigger trout's dinner. But he has a survivor's story, caught and released during a 5-6 year drought, somehow living through it all in his deep canyon pool. It used to be about 3' deep, and when I caught him it was maybe 12". I tossed in a lot of branches after, hope the Great blue herons didn't get him. Seeing him gave me hope in dire times.
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Re: Fishing the Firehole
#100In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life. It goes on. ~ Robert Frost