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Drifter
07-09-07, 08:55 AM
Jul 8, 7:50 PM EDT


Heat killing fish in Yellowstone


YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP) -- A heat wave has warmed the Firehole River to as much as 82 degrees, killing hundreds of rainbow and brown trout.

Park officials noticed the kill Friday. Yellowstone spokesman Al Nash said temperatures above 73 degrees can be stressful or even fatal for trout.

He said the trout died within the previous three days.

Meanwhile, park officials enacted voluntary fishing closures at several areas because of the stress that warm water places on fish.

"We have a strong, involved, responsive user group here," said Nash. "We know that people come here because of the world-class fishing opportunities. We know how important it is to them and we know they'll join us in protecting this resource."

He said the current advisory is earlier and more widespread than in years past.

"I am not aware that we've involved this many rivers and creeks before," he said.

In northern Yellowstone, the advisory applies to the Gardner River below Osprey Falls; Lava Creek below Undine Falls; Lamar River below Cache Creek; all of Slough Creek; Soda Creek below Amphitheater Creek; and Yellowstone River below Seven Mile Hole.

On the west side of the park, the advisory applies to the Madison River, the Firehole River and to the Gibbon River below Gibbon Falls.

In southern Yellowstone, the advisory covers the Bechler River below Ouzel Creek; Fall River below Rainbow Falls; Mountain Ash Creek below Union Falls; Proposition Creek; Boundary Creek below Dunanda Falls; Robinson Creek; and the Snake River below Six Mile Ford.

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Aquadump
07-09-07, 10:34 AM
:pissed: I hope things change. I’m supposed to go there in early September. I already bought my tickets so the creeks and river better be open by then.

Loopdawg
07-09-07, 11:33 AM
This is not good news. I leave on Wednesday for Yellowstone. This is not what I needed to hear today! :pissed: :pissed:

scooby
07-09-07, 12:43 PM
Guys, this happens almost every year out there with the Firehole usually being the first to close. Two or three years ago nearly the entire west half of the park was closed to fishing for 6 weeks or so. There's plenty of places to go outside the park with water temps that are great so don't despair. I know the greater Yellowstone area like the back of my hand having lived and guided out of Cody for a few years. Feel free to email me for suggestions.

S.Trutta
07-09-07, 01:04 PM
Loopdawg.....my father and I were out there a few weeks ago, and even then the streams in yellowstone were getting to warm. There are PLENTY of streams outside of the park that were ice cold.....with our favorite being beaver creek, about 8 miles outside the park, towards enis. If you go into blue ribbon flies they can get you into alot of good water outside the park.


rich

Loopdawg
07-09-07, 01:27 PM
Rich and Scooby,
Thanks for cheering me up. I will probably send you guys pms. I had my heart set on the typical cutty streams in the park, but maybe the larger water outside the park will be my ace in the hole. I know the Yellowstone opens on the 15th, so that might be worth a try.

scooby
07-09-07, 02:54 PM
Loopdawg, I've been fishing this area for 15 years now and I can tell you that there is indeed better cutthroat fishing OUTSIDE the park. By better I mean less crowds, easier to fish, and in some cases more isolated. Everybody and their brother knows about the Yellowstone, Slough Creek and the Lamar River and they do stay crowded. My first year guiding out there, I was still in the whole mindframe of "Yellowstone is where it's at, I must fish there!" on my off days. After going fishing in the park only once early that summer, it dawned on me that I had better places to go. Yellowstone is awesome and beautiful and it is one of my favorite places in the world, and I do enjoy fishing there so don't get me wrong. I just like places that are less crowded and if a guy does a little research he can find more water than he'll ever be able to cover in a lifetime within an hour or two of the park.