Yellowstone report
Just returned from a weeks vacation in Yellowstone. What an amazing place... from the geysers to the wildlife to the scenery, just unbelievable. And oh yeah, the rivers. While the fishing in Yellowstone was not red hot, it was not as bad as some reports (and local fly shops would make it out to be). Since this was a 'family' vacation, I picked my spots for fishing and while the numbers were not off the charts, the fish caught were extremely memorable.
We started camping at the Madison campground near West Yellowstone at "The Confluence". This is where the Firehole River and the Gibbon River meet to form the headwaters of the Madison. Due to temporary restrictions, fishing was limited to 5am to 2pm. The rivers were low and warm and my fishing was primarily done early and on the Madison, a five minute walk from the tent...
It was a great way to start the first couple of mornings. I caught a bunch of browns and bows in this range with my 8 year old son Jack at my side (and taking some pictures for me!)...
But the main mission for me was to get Jack his first trout on the fly. While I hooked this next fish, Jack played it masterfully and did a fine job of releasing it. The smile on his face (though not in this picture!) was priceless!
It doesn't look like it in the photo, but he was very concerned and handling fish gently and releasing them quickly and unharmed... he's got the makings of a fine fisherman. He was pretty pumped about his "first fish" and I was very proud but not totally satisfied... more on that later. He wanted to keep fishing even though it was getting a bit later in the day so we were chasing brownies in this deeper hole, when to our suprise...
I swear I thought the poor kid was going to crap his pants when I pointed out the buffalo and he realized the only thing separating it from us was about 30 feet of river!
The next several days were consumed with seeing just about the entire park and trying to mix a bit of fishing in along the way. The most memorable fish for me was on the Yellowstone just below Le Hardy Rapids. We stopped to have a picnic dinner and fish...
I got my daughter Sydney fishing too...
While we were eating, I met a gentleman named Mark who was fishing as well and after dinner we fished together for awhile. Mark hooked in to a BIG cuttthroat and played him for a few minutes. This fattie was jumping and rolling and I was as excited as if it were my own fish! I was moving up to him to take a picture when, bam, the fish was gone. LDR'd!! He told me he had seen this guy just off the point above Sydney's head in the above picture, actively feeding. We chatted for few minutes and let the spot rest, then he told me to get there and give it a shot. Sure enough after a few moments (and some crummy casts), that big boy was at it again. Gulping down whatever got in it's path. I finally got one over his nose and after refusing it, he turned around, chased it 3 feet down stream and slammed my Parachute Adams! Game on! The kids saw my rod bent and came running. Mark volunteered to help me net him and I gladly accepted. Jack got my camera from me and Sydney just giggled and laughed. I swear it was one of the coolest moments of my life! We played that bad boy for what felt like and eternity and had him at our feet waiting to tire. I wish I were exaggerating when I say that fish was 20+ inches but I am not and Mark agreed. A 20" Yellowstone Cutt. Man this was going to be the hero shot of all hero shots in my brief angling career! Mark reached down with his net, that fish gave one last shake and... he was gone. Disappointed? Yeah, sure, but really, in retrospect, that memory will live on just as long as a photo would've. The Yellowstone is an awesome river.
So, on with the trip... Jack and I fished the Gibbon above the falls for a bit. Jack had a nice take on an EHC but no dice. Tough fishing in crystal clear slow moving water, almost like a spring creek...
Our final fishing stop was on the Gardner River in the North part of the park. We had been driving most of the day when we pulled to a spot to check it it out and low and behold, there was the river! I gave my wife the puppy dog eyes (as best I could) and she said... go fish! Jack and I bolted out and I started slinging nymphs. I pulled out a first for me... a brookie! I was pretty stoked as I'd never caught one before! Well, I guess we'd been gone from the car for awhile because my wife and daughter came to see what was going on. Jack wasn't having any luck fishing dries so suggested he try high sticking my rod with a prince. I got him in a good slot and instructed him as best I could, sling it upstream, lift the rod, slowly drop the rod while pointing at the fly, wait for the swing, repeat. It took him a bit, but he began to get it. So I decided I might as well give Sydney a shot too. I took her down stream a bit and was rigging Jacks rod for her, when Jack shouted "Hey Dad!". I looked up and his rod was bent. I said, "Is it snagged?". He replied, and will never forget this as long as I live... "IT'S SHAKING!!!". I bolted up there and Jack had caught his first unassisted fish on the fly!!! The only regret, in my haste to get on the river, I'd left the camera in the car! Oh well, another one of those memories that is as good in the mind as it is on film. I did go back later and take a picture of the stream...
That was it for the fishing. Again, not big numbers, but VERY memorable fish!
If you haven't been there, go see Yellowstone. It is a really cool place! Thanks for letting me share... Derek
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