![]() ![]() Opitz compares what happened with the flood to a wildfire event: there can be some negative impacts, but it's also a reset for the system that later brings rejuvenation.įly fishing Guide Matt Wilhelm says he's excited to get back out on the river this summer and look for fish in some of the habitats the flood created. There may be some declines initially, followed by a rapid rebound. Last year was a once in 500-year flood event, but Opitz anticipates fish populations will follow historic flood trends on the Yellowstone River. "The one saving grace with the Yellowstone and a lot of our other systems in Montana is that those fish aren't restricted to just spawning in the Yellowstone River," he said. "It was a brand new river in a lot of places."įishing Guide Matt Wilhelm says there are "all sorts of new challenges" for anglers on the Yellowstone River after last year's floods "There were all sorts of new challenges," he said. When huge amounts of water barreled through here last June, it cut a new pathway through what was grass and cottonwood trees. "That is a new channel, that's a pretty significant channel right there," he said. On a recent visit to its banks on a private ranch near the town of Livingston, surrounded by snow-capped peaks, he points out some of the changes last year's flood brought. Matt Wilhelm is a burly mid-westerner who's been guiding fishing trips on the Yellowstone for 20 years. And for fly fishing guides, relearning the river, with its new gravel bars and channels, means there are some uncharted areas to look for fish. It also damaged boat ramps and fishing access sites, and made some parts of the Yellowstone River unrecognizable to guides who have been fishing in the area for years.īut, from an ecological perspective, the flooding benefitted fish habitat. Last June, flooding in and around Yellowstone National Park upended the lives of nearby residents, damaging homes, ranch properties, and roads. Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Cam Sholly, left, shows a visitor damage from last year's flooding
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