Still Winter

Scott Smith and I guided our first trips of the season yesterday on the Snake River. It was a tough decision on where to take our anglers. The South Fork is still running large, cold and green at over 18,000 cfs, and the Snake is also rolling at a good clip at well over 5,000 cfs at Moose. We had initially thought of heading toward Pinedale to try the Green River, but yesterdays forecast called for wind, cold and snowy conditions. Since the Green is at a much higher elevation than Jackson, we were nervous to try an area that could have been even colder and windier. In addition, the flows at Warren Bridge right now are extremely low...under 100 cfs. We decided to try the Snake, from Wilson to South Park. It is a very braided section, with numerous sidechannels to explore, and many spring creeks joining the river where hungry trout may congregate. The fishing yesterday was tough...no surprises there. It was cold the entire day (even when the sun tried to peek through), and the wind did not help either. The few fish we hooked were found in very slow water on nymphs running deep. Some of my favorite channels actually were even running too fast, so finding fish was tough. It's always nice getting that first trip under the belt each season...I wish the fishing had been a little easier for these guys though. Weather today: still cold with wind.

Check this link to Trout Unlimited to enter yourself in a sweet photo contest...good luck! Didn't snap a single picture yesterday...too cold! Here's a couple of shots that I took last week on the National Elk Refuge...my daughters Charlotte and Hannah love to look for wildlife!

Easter Getaway

My buddy Stan Czarniak and I returned last night from a great spring getaway to wonderful Melrose, Montana and the Big Hole River. With rivers around here high and off color, a trip North was in order. We floated three days and had a blast. River flows and water clarity were perfect for this time of year. For those of you not familiar with the Big Hole River, it begins its journey near Wisdom, Montana (in Southcentral Montana), and meanders through miles of pristine public and private land before joining the Beaverhead River near Twin Bridges.

It is an extremely beautiful river, with something for everyone; Brown and Rainbow trout dominate through alpine meadow, canyon and cottonwood environments. Although the most famous hatches are the Mother's Day Caddis and June Salmonfly hatch, early spring can often produce great topwater action on Skwala stoneflies. This weekend was no exception. Warmer temps and nice skies awaited us in Big Sky Country. We picked up fish on streamers, nymphs and Skwala dries.
The fish that were eating on top were in some very specific water. Fast water and riffles did not do the trick; these fish were holding off banks with a medium speed and depth to them; the tailouts were the best.
It's fun being able to fish large dries this time of year!

As always, Ryan Barba, owner of the Sunrise Fly Shop in Melrose, took excellent care of us. Flies, shuttles, gear (and an excellent Lasagna dinner!) awaited us there. If you're thinking about the Big Hole, check these guys out. The weather around Jackson today: back to snowshowers and cooler temps.

I'm ready for it to warm up...time to get this runoff started. The Snake is rolling at over 5,000 cfs at Moran (and very green in color), and the South Fork is now over 18,000 cfs and also very green. Stay tuned for a Pinedale report. More soon!

Getting Organized

We woke up yesterday morning to a few inches of wet snow in our neighborhood, and reports of 11" of snow near the South gate of Yellowstone. This winter weather has certainly had a stronghold on us. I've got some guided fishing trips on the books for next week, and am starting to wonder where I am going to take these guys. The conditions right now around here could be tough on beginners. The Snake is now running a cold 4,950 cfs out of Jackson Lake Dam (with a dark green tint) and the South Fork is now above 16,000 cfs (and also cold), and may climb higher. Some buddies are heading South to do some Pinedale reconnaissance this week, so hopefully we'll get a decent report.
I'll be heading up to Southcentral Montana for the weekend to get my first few days on the oars and some much needed playtime with some friends on the river. The Big Hole looks like it may be in prime spring shape...my fingers are crossed!


I've been spending the past few days tinkering with gear, and getting ready for the season. The boat is about ready and the flies are almost organized. Streamer organization in particular is fun...they are easy to see and I love the colors.

Check out the latest video from Scott Smith...this should wet the appetite!

Thanks Everyone!

As the Western Wyoming Fly Fishing Journal breaks the 20,000 pageview mark, I'd like to say thanks to everyone who has checked it out and stayed in touch! It's been fun sharing photos and stories, while also trying to give a no-nonsense fishing report for the region. The snow and water continue to accumulate around here. It's been a very wet week, with more forecast for next week. The Snake River is on its way up to at least 5,000 cfs (it's at 2,640 cfs today). The river is starting to look more green (and less clear) at the Wilson Bridge. If you did not hit the Snake over the past month, your window may be closing. Cold, high flows in April will make for some tougher fishing. Bureau of Reclamation officials are dumping water all over the region to make room for the large snowmelt that is looming. The South Fork is climbing also, with a reading today of 15,000 cfs. Although the water is cleaner over there, the temps are likely very cold, so fish it deep and slow.
The Green River is nearing 200 cfs near Warren Bridge...the shelf ice is starting to break up there, and probably very cold still. The elevation there is over 7,000 feet, and usually warms up a bit later. Even though it does not feel like spring (see the snowy photo I snapped from our kitchen window this morning), the local wildlife is starting to move around.

This is a great time of year to not only find Moose, Elk, Deer and Bear on the move, but also the fantastic bird life. An early morning walk a few days ago with the kids was productive...numerous raptors (like this one), and Red-Winged Blackbirds were abundant. The Red-Wings are one of my favorites. They tend to hang out near the the willows and trees along the river bottom. Flat Creek runs through our neighborhood, and the the Red-Wings are staring to settle in now near the water. When I hear their unique call, I think of fishing!

Hello April...Are You There?

Rachael and I, along with the girls, returned last night from a great getaway to the Northern California wine country to find that winter has not left Wyoming just yet. It still seems more like March around here. We drove up from Salt Lake City late last night through a blinding spring snowstorm. Apparently, the weather around here while we were gone was very snowy and cold. Today is blustery with snow showers, and the rest of the week looks like more of the same. Some of my buddies who stuck it out around here over the last week (which was the first official week of off-season) have reported tough fishing conditions in some wild weather. I'm hoping we are beginning to switch gears soon into some drier, sunnier weather. If all goes well, I'll be heading up to Montana in a week or so to check in on some Big Hole conditions. Local officials here are increasingly worried about flood potential this spring, and have decided to ramp up the Snake River to 5,000 cfs over the next week in order to make room in Jackson Lake for the mammoth snow melt that will come (The Upper Snake River Basin Snowpack is almost 130% right now!). This could make for tough April fishing on our river, though. We typically see levels below 1,000 cfs during the early spring.


If you make it out there, keep your eyes peeled in the slack water for fish up on Midges...just like this one I recently found tucked in tight to a high bank. Make sure to check out the latest issue of This is Fly... still a great mag with fantastic articles and photography (including a great story on Cuba...love it!). I also wanted to share this great photo from my good buddy Campbell Hough...a beautiful hybrid caught and released today from the Blue River in Central Colorado...nice fish Soupy! "There's mosquito's on the river...fish are rising up like birds." :)