Water Temperatures Are Still High! Now Stage 1 and Stage 2 Fire Restrictions are starting to Stack up Across the State! Have You Checked Out West Yellowstone Yet?
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale held over the podcast with Garrett Ostler for another week. Why? If there was ever a time to head to West Yellowstone or Montana’s Mountain Lakes, it’s now!
Water temps in our rivers are triggering Hoot Owl Restrictions and even more river fishing closures so it’s time to find some cooler spots and that is what our podcast is all about this week. Thousands of you watched and listened to the podcast but if you haven’t or if you missed any part last week’s podcast now is FOR SURE the time to watch or listen to it. Rigger went on the hunt to find some alternatives for anglers, especially you flyfishing anglers that have had to cancel your fishing plans due to high river water temperatures. Rigger got a hold of his buddy Garrett Ostler in West Yellowstone. Garrett is one of the most knowledgeable anglers across Southern Montana.
The West Yellowstone area is home to Hebgen Lake which has some excellent flyfishing for awesome trout and sure enough Garrett reported that the fish in the lake are doing what they call “the Gulp” right now. He said there is all kinds of hatches happening, callibaetis, caddis, mayflies, hoppers etc. Best of all there are no fishing restrictions!” Now, here is where things get even better so make sure you watch or listen to this podcast because Garrett also gave a TON of great ideas that the whole family can take part in! The West Yellowstone Rodeo runs nightly events (5 to 6 days a week) through mid-August! Also check out that Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center where you can see up close Grizzly Bears, Wolves, Otters and more. Garrett told us the Grizzly Bears also do product testing. Watch them test the latest “bearproof” containers! So that ought to give you plenty to do right?
Well Garrett tells us even MORE great stuff that is going on that you will love and there is a huge added benefit considering how hot it is out there, West Yellowstone is usually 10 to 15 degrees cooler than the rest of the state! That is why we are saying you really need to watch or listen to this podcast to learn about all the incredible stuff you can do! BUT this podcast delivers even more “cool news”. When you watch or listen Downrigger shares a few secrets you do not want to miss! In fact, he actually SHOWS you how to get to a place on the FWP website most folks don’t know about, not that they don’t want you to know about it, it’s just hard to find but your boy Rigger has got you! He shows you an easy way to find it on both the desktop website and mobile website.
So, what is it that we are talking about? Listing after listing after listing of mountain lakes all around the state where it is nice and cool and trout, salmon and more are just hanging out in that nice cool mountain water just waiting for you to throw a cast to them! These listings show you what kind of fish are there, stocking info and the latitude and longitude you can enter into your GPS to take you right to them. See, we told you, you just must watch or listen to this awesome podcast!
So, what are you waiting for? Mash that play button right now!!
Links:
- Click here to head to the website that Garrett talked about called Destination West Yellowstone. That site has all kinds of great info about what is going on, where you can stay and more!
- Click here to get more info and make reservations at Garrett’s hotel the historic Madison Hotel. Very cool place!
- Get tickets to the Rodeo in West Yellowstone! Click here to learn more!
- Click here to learn more about the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone.
- Click here to find ATV rentals in West Yellowstone.
- To see a listing of current Montana river restrictions and closures click here.
- Click here to get info about Mountain Lakes in Montana. Keep in mind though you will have to do some scrolling once you get there. Watch the podcast and Rigger will show you how to get right to it.
- Click here to learn more about Hebgen Lake, such as size, fish species, stocking info, etc.
- Questions for Garrett Ostler? Click here to email him.
- Click Here if you have questions and/or suggestions for Downrigger Dale.
Editor’s note: Corrected the insect hatch name from 'calabasas' to 'callibaetis,' the mayfly responsible for Hebgen Lake's famous Gulper fishing.
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