Snake River, Wyoming

As if it couldn’t get any better than yesterday on the Yellowstone, the Snake River was waiting.  We were traveling through the Grand Teton National Forest, and since we were camping out there, I obtained a Wyoming fishing license, just in case.  As luck would have it, there was a campsite open just up the hill from the storied Snake River.  I had already fished the Stelako, one of BC’s most famous trout streams, tossed a fly into the Clark Fork, and soaked up a great summer morning on the Yellowstone, so I guess there was no reason not to hit the Snake.  Late the first night, I fished for probably an hour and a half, but didn’t catch a thing.  I had a few swipes at a hopper, and plenty of hits on the wooly, but no real takers.  The next morning found me on a fog heavy Snake.  The first hour or so was uneventful, and I was beginning to lose hope.  The sun had burned the fog off, and things were warming up.  At the end of a swift run, finally, a bump.  The second toss found a lip, and the fight was on.  I was using very light (5x) tippet, and it felt like the fish was a good one.  The ensuing battle was eventually closed, and a beaut of a brown was in hand.  Held next to my rod, I would guess it was around 20 inches long.  My largest brown yet!

Snake River

A pretty Snake River brown, with the Tetons in the back

Big Sky Montana

A friend at work hooked me up as big as I have ever been hooked up. I told him I was going through the Yellowstone area, and would be looking to go out on a guided fly fishing trip. He told me of a buddy of his that might take me. He warned me, however, that he might be the nicest guy I’ll ever meet. Man, was he right. Mike Barlow is a renowned photographer, with many of pictures making the covers of major outdoor magazines. He is also an accomplished hunter, and owns a rafting outfitter near Livingston, MT. You can view Mike’s most recent passion on display at mikebarlow.com, his flawless scuplting of big game.  But Mike seemed just as excited to show me a great day of fishing on the Yellowstone as was about his next big game hunting trip in Africa for the Vs. channel. He picked me up around 5 am and we made for the river. Early morning fishing produced a few strikes, but nothing on the hook. Big streamers stripped fast near the banks were the fare, but to no avail. So we switched to hoopers and smaller gear. Mike picked up a couple while wading near some riffles, and we floated the rest of the day with the fly. I missed several, and had several on that spit the hook. The “bigun” of the day this little brown. The Absaroka Mountains, a few fish, good company, and big, sunny skies made this a trip to remember. Thanks, Mike, for all the effort, and the fabulous time. I can’t wait to get back up there and see you again, and maybe hit the water one more time.

Mike at the helm

Yellowstone River Brown

Fly fishing the Yellowstone River