Located just south of Livingston, Montana in the Yellowstone River valley
DePuy Spring Creek is a prime destination for any serious fly-fishing trout
angler. When you turn off highway 89 into the entrance of DePuy Spring Creek
you are greeted by a sign directing you to the main house where you check
in for your day of fishing.
The big white antebellum house was the dream of the patriarch of the DePuy
family, Warren DePuy. Today the house is occupied by his oldest daughter,
Betty Smith. Betty, along with her son Daryl and his wife Theresa, operate
the fishing operation as a joint venture. When you drive up to the house
you will be greeted by Betty and given your permission slip that you need
to place in your window. Now you are prepared to embark on one of the premier
fly-fishing experiences that any fly-fisher could hope to experience.
Two other spring creeks, Armstrong’s and Nelson’s are found in
close proximity to DePuy Spring Creek, and they all offer exceptional trout
fishing, but DePuy’s has nearly 3 miles of water and offers the greatest
variety of water types. I have had the privilege of being associated with
this creek and the family that owns it for many years. For several years I
worked with Bob Auger as associate Riverkeeper, and I have logged hundreds
of hours working and fishing this quality water.
Angler’s Hut and Spring Creek Specialists Fly
Shop
Strategically located along the creek are three angler’s huts with table
and chairs, a wood stove for heat during the colder months of the year, and
picnic tables where anglers can enjoy a streamside meal. There are portable
toilets located at each location for those times when nature calls.
There is a full service fly shop located on the upper end of the creek operated
by Buzz Basini. [www.springcreekspecialists.com] He carries a complete fly
selection for fishing the local spring creeks plus just about everything else
you might need except rods, reels, and waders.
The stream is open the entire year and the cost of a day’s angling varies,
depending on the season. The number of rods is limited to 16 per day, and
reservations are a must. Rates and other information about the creek are found
on their web site –www.depuyspringcreek.com.
THE FISHING
Brown and Rainbow trout are the principle trout species, but anglers occasionally
encounter Cutthroat trout in the creek especially during the months of June
and early July when they enter the creek from the Yellowstone River to spawn.
The creek has a very healthy population of 12-14 inch trout, and there are
many fish in excess of 16 inches. Since the creek empties into the Yellowstone
River fish move in and out of the creek, especially during the spawning season,
so the possibility of hooking a true trophy trout is always a possibility.
The creek is limited to fly-fishing, catch and release only. Barbless hooks
or hooks with the barbs pinched down are required for fishing on the creek.
While it is possible for a novice angler to catch fish on DePuy’s, the
more accomplished angler will enjoy greater success. Spring creeks, with their
gin clear water, subtle currents, and multiple complex hatches make for very
challenging situations and DePuy’s offers many such challenges. Hatches
include a plethora of mayflies from Tricos to Pale Morning Duns. There are
prolific hatches of Blue-winged Olives in both spring and fall along with
a great variety of caddis flies throughout the warmer months of the year.
Terrestrials are common in addition to aquatic
insects including aquatic sow bugs, scuds, water beetles, leeches, and even
Sculpin minnows.
The most prolific insect any season are midges, and the trout are continually
feeding on them throughout the year. The trout can become very selective when
feeding on midges, and it can be quite a challenge to fool one of these sippers
as they continue to engulf minuscule insects. Only a careful approach, pinpoint
casting, and exacting fly selection will consistently produce results when
spring creek trout are keyed in on midges.
One of my favorite activities is prospecting for bank side sippers. During
the summer months lines of drift often form along the banks where the Reed
Canary Grass and other stream bank loving forbs provide cover from overhead
predators. These lines of drift are often only a couple inches wide, and dropping
a fly onto this slim drift line without hooking the overhanging vegetation
is a challenge, but the payoff is often more than worth the test. Early in
the morning and during the heat of the day surprisingly good trout will often
move into these protected pieces of holding water and discretely spend several
hours sipping in the varied fare that the current provides.
Early in the morning, particularly after a heavy spinner fall the night before,
a spinner imitation fished to these protected places will produce some surprisingly
large fish. During the heat of the day a terrestrial imitation plopped into
these drift lines will often disappear in a subtle dimple and then a violent
explosion as the hook bites into the corner of the mouth of a hidden brown
trout.
On a recent outing on DePuy’s with the Ladyfisher I was drifting a Royal
Coachman parachute dry along a particularly promising bank while she worked
the other bank with a black foam beetle. In a piece of thin water between
the bank and an emergent weed bed the noise of a 16 inch brown appeared, engulfed
the Coachman, and then exploded when pricked by the hook. Ah, it’s good
to be able to out fish the boss!
The “Boss Herself” trying hard to keep from
falling in and cast at the same time.
If this does not whet your appetite perhaps the following images will do the
trick.
Brown Trout Brown
Trout waiting for a fly
A fair Rainbow Trout
A nice Cutthroat Trout
Underwater photos by Tom Travis, all other photos taken by the author.
Originally published August 3, 2009 on Fly Anglers Online by By Neil M. Travis.