After leaving Big Creek we picked up our National Park fishing licenses and headed for the Gardner river just along the road inside the north entrance of Yellowstone National Park for some fast water rainbow and brown trout fishing.

It was nice and hot out but that didn't put down the fish in this fast water. The rainbows loved hitting the weighted muddlers we threw at them. Toss the fly and hang on.

Olive cone head Muddlers where the fly of the hour.

We had some pretty good action for rainbows but no browns.

Another rainbow.

Quick, stop here!

It was really fun catching these spunky little fish.

A slightly chewed Cone Head Muddler. Hook - Mustad 79580 Streamer hook size 8 Thread - 8/0 black Head - Spun deer hair and lg. gold cone Body - Olive hairs ear dubbing Ribbing - Gold Braided tinsel Wing - Mallard flank feathers & krystal flash Tail - Mallard flank feathers

Sometimes I would pull the fly downstream fast with the current to induce a strike. It's surprising how fast the fly will be going when the fish hits it. Here's another healthy rainbow.

Streamside morning glory.

The Muddler gets another. Notice the spots on the leading edge of the fin.

We decided to move on to another part of the river a few miles up stream.

A common sight in the park.

The Gardner river near the high bridge crossing.

The Salmon fly (Pteronarcys californica).

The Adult Salmon Fly

After catching a few more fish we drove east to fish the Lamar canyon just before dark.

This was a hard shot to get with the camera timer.

The fly really suffered during that last fish.

The fish hit parachute patterns like crazy.

Fishy fun.

I had to switch to something bigger because it was starting to get dark.

Did great!

Ditto...

And again.