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Sunday, January 22, 2023, 18:45 | No Comments »

Martin and Charley Spradley, Second Meadow of Slough Creek, July 2016

I am going to take several blog posts to answer this question. Let's begin.

For more than a quarter of a century, in the spirit of Lewis and Clark, I have been exploring the waters of Yellowstone National Park, fly rod (and pen) in hand, trying not only to reel in the essence of this magical place, to understand what it is that draws me back year after year, season after season, but also to unlock a small fragment of its innumerable secrets. As I say on the landing page of this very website, Yellowstone truly is a land which inspires anglers the world over to dream of baptism in its sacred waters. It's a special place.
 
I write here from the perspective of a do-it-yourself fly fisherman who prefers the thrill of personal discovery. I am someone who’d rather find and catch a fish using his own sweat and wits rather than having someone whom I'd only met an hour before drive me to a famous spot in a famous river, tie on a unknown fly, and tell me exactly how and where to cast. Having said that, Yellowstone National Park offers the fly fisherman an enormous variety and number of places to fish. It is big, it's complex, and -- more than anything else -- it's often maddeningly reticent to reveal its piscatory secrets to the casual do-it-yourselfer. Having a little help in the form of a good fishing guide is not a bad idea. It's just not how I went about this thing.
 
At the end of the day, this blog series is meant to be a practical guide to your own discovery. I am going to tell you the basics about how to plan and execute your trip: when to go, how to get there, where to stay, what to eat. I will give you an overview of what I call the “core” rivers and lakes in the Park, including some flies and techniques that have worked for me over the years. 

What I'm doing here is, by its very nature, personal. While there is not a lot of leeway for material disagreement on what ought and ought not to be included in a list of core Yellowstone rivers and lakes (other than the odd river or creek here or small body of water there), there does exist a broader spectrum regarding how and when (and whether) you fish them. While I will try to be as authoritative as I am able, one cannot get around the fact that what I am relaying here is often little more than what has worked for me.  
 
I am confident that this series will enrich the experience of every park angler, whether total newbie or seasoned veteran. It is up to you to create your own knowledge and experience that aligns with your expectations about what fly fishing Yellowstone National Park should be. 


Wednesday, April 26, 2017, 12:20 | No Comments »

The road to the upper meadows

Slough Creek is a place of superlatives.  It's jaw droppingly beautiful, chock full of large native Yellowstone cutts, and -- if you take the time and effort to hike to the famous Meadows sections -- just remote enough to make you think you've somehow slipped into a time machine set to a day in pre-Columbian Wyoming.  

You'll fish Slough generally from about July 4th through, oh, maybe mid September.  While you can fish downstream of Slough Creek campground, if you're in reasonable physical condition you'll want to take the hike to the First, Second, or Third Meadows.  So you'll need a daypack.  In it, pack a rain jacket, your largest Nalgene water bottle (or a smaller one and a water filtration device), a bag of beef jerky, sunscreen, your fly vest or chest pack, a reel -- you get the idea.  I like to also pack my Patagonia goretex hippers and wading boots -- though it's possible you'll never need to enter the stream.  

On your person, you'll need bear spray as this is prime grizzly territory.  It's part of the deal.  Far more dangerous, however, are moose -- which you'll likely encounter on the hike up.  

Park at the trailhead, which you'll see on your right before you get to the campground (look for the sign in box), and make a fairly strenous one hour hike to the First Meadows.  A less strenous extra hour will get you to the Second Meadows, and another easy hour of walking will get you to the Third Meadows.   Plan to get to your destination by about 9:30am as the fishing will generally start about 10am, so back up your start time accordingly.

Regarding flies, while you can have a good day with general attractor patterns, I'd check with a local fly shop before heading in.  Blue Ribbon Flies in West Yellowstone is a great option and you can even call and have your flies shipped to you if are not planning on taking the long drive to West before going to Slough.  Their number is (406) 646-7642.  An online option is a really cool outfit called Fatties on the Fly: https://fattiesonthefly.com/. My buddy Ben will be more than happy to set you up if you choose that route.

One last thing: On your hike in, you will occasionally see a horse-drawn wagon with a potentially cranky driver at the reins.  They do not give rides, so don't ask.

Good luck!


Monday, April 10, 2017, 10:50 | No Comments »

While often overlooked in favor of places like the Madison from National Park Meadows downstream to Seven Mile Bridge, the Baker's Hole and the Cable Car runs, the Yellowstone at Buffalo Ford, Muleshoe Bend on the Firehole, the Lamar Valley and Slough Creek, the Gallatin near its confluence with Specimen Creek is a must-fish spot.  A cold river only in peak form for a few weeks per year, the Gallatin often fishes well at exactly those times in the summer when the Firehole and the Madison shut down due to overheating.  Some bushwhacking required to get to the spot where Specimen Creek enters the main river.  Highly recommended.

Hank plies a Gallatin sidestream















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