Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from Wyoming! Thanks to all of my clients and fellow guides for such a great summer on the river last year...I couldn't have done it without you. The weather here has been very dry lately, and we are barely seeing a white Christmas. There's probably more snow in Central Park, New York, than there is in our yard right now. Hopefully this will change soon! I'm already receiving emails from some of you inquiring on fishing next summer...can't wait! Our big holiday gift this year was the birth of our second daughter...Hannah Victoria Fuller was born on Monday morning. Mom and daughter are doing great. Charlotte now has a little sister she can teach to fish! If anyone has not been visiting Josh Graffam's site, you should be. www.tetontrout.com has some great photos following Josh's 3 month adventure currently happening right now in New Zealand. I'm very jealous. The year is almost over, so don't forget to make your tax-deductible donation to Trout Unlimited...they need our help! Here's a shot of our new addition, as well as one of my favorite shots of Charlotte from last summer. See you in 2010.

One Fly Board

The Jackson Hole One Fly board typically meets in mid-December to make evaluations and decisions on who will be fishing in the upcoming event. As some of you may know, I made my debut in the 2009 event as an angler (instead of a guide), on team This Is Fly. John Holland, Jon Wylie and Peter Chung have applied again, and have invited me to fish with them again! After guiding in the event for so many years, I was not sure what to expect when I competed in it this year. It really exceeded my expectations...it was a lot of fun. I'll gladly show up this year with this team...hopefully we can beat our ninth place finish from 2009. This week finally saw some better snowfall in the valley and the mountains. The higher elevations picked up a few feet of snow over the weekend, which is great news for skiers. It's also great news for anglers, since we need to start building our snowpack for our 2010 water year. We've made great strides concerning our reservoir levels over the past two years, it would be a setback to see a drought winter this year. At the moment, we seem to be in an "El Nino" flow, which typically does not bring us much moisture. The jet stream is splitting, bringing snow to the southwest, and the northwest, but bypassing much of the northern Rockies. Hopefully, this will change as the winter progresses. My daughter Charlotte turned 2 years old on Sunday. Among other things, she got her very first pair of skis! For now, she'll learn to walk with them on...one step at a time. While we wait for more snow, my thoughts will always drift to fly fishing. I've been daydreaming about the Wind River Canyon lately...hmmm. Here's a great shot of me and Darren Calhoun with a typical canyon brown. More soon!

GoFishn!

My good friend and Jack Dennis fishing client Ned Desmond successfully launched "gofishn" this week,and it looks great. The fishing community now has its own "facebook" like website which connects anglers, guides and outfitters. Go to http://www.gofishn.com to check it out, or if you would like to see my profile page, click on the gofishn link off of my link list below. Once enough people join, it will really create a national spiderweb of connectivity among us all. There are already some great photos on there from a variety of anglers. The weather has still been very cold, will no significant snow fall yet. Rachael and I took Charlotte today up into the Gros Ventre mountains to cut our Christmas tree. As we were heading north out of Kelly, we came across what we thought was a herd of bison, but as we got closer, we realized that they were Moose...12 of them! I've never seen so many moose congregated in one spot. Here's a photo of them...enjoy!

High And Dry

Hopefully everyone reading this had a great Thanksgiving! The weather around here the past week has gone from cold and snowy, to clear and dry, with relatively warm temperatures by each afternoon. We'll be coming into December with virtually no snowpack at all elevations...not good news for skiers. It will undoubtedly be here soon enough. There has been a window each of the last few afternoons of about 2 hours where the temperatures have been in the mid 30's, under clear, calm skies. Rachael, Charlotte and I took a walk yesterday afternoon on the Snake River levee, just north of the Wilson Bridge. We noticed a very small sidechannel with a deep run in it, holding a handful of some very nice fish. As we watched them carefully, we could see them ever so slightly feeding on the surface. If this weather holds a little longer, we could still see some action on the Snake before the big chill really comes. Congrats goes out to my good friend John Holland...he's a new dad! Brooke Holland was born this past week in Seattle to proud parents John and Shelley. Here's a photo of John on the oars from a trip we did last spring to the Henry's Fork during the blizzard Mother's Day Caddis hatch. Click on the image to enlarge it, and check out the bugs!

Just A Memory

The weather around Western Wyoming has turned to full winter mode these past few days. The 2009 fishing and guiding season is now a distant memory. It's time to break out the skis, shovels and sleds. It's snowing heavily today with some wind, and it's piling up. I've been pouring over fishing photos from the past year and recalling just how great it was. For now, the excitement of the upcoming ski season is starting to build, and the daydreaming about future fishing trips will begin! Here is a photo of what I think was the prettiest brown I got the chance to net this season...an absolute leopard. Location: No Tell Canyon. Thanks to everyone who has been following my site this year! Stay in touch, and I'll do the same.

Shoulder Seasons

We're in the middle of another shoulder season right now in Jackson Hole. The summer tourist season is all but forgotten, and the winter ski season is still a few weeks from starting. The "off season" around Jackson can be a good time to recharge the batteries. No one around but locals taking a breather before the next push into winter. Although the outdoor pursuits can be harder to participate in (slower, colder fishing and no skiing yet), it is still a great time to be here. The town is extremely quiet; there is much less auto and pedestrian traffic, and the restaurants that are open have a mellow feel right now. After all the years here, I still don't mind the off seasons. Most of my friends (including myself), have hung up the waders for awhile, so I don't have much of a local fishing report. Make sure to check out Josh Graffam's site on my link list (Teton Trout)...he's in New Zealand for 3 months stalking large brown trout, and will undoubtedly be posting some great pictures. I'm very jealous! I took a drive tonight up to Teton Park to snap some sunset photos with Charlotte. Here's a nice shot of the Sleeping Indian (Sheep Mountain), guarding the valley. Stay tuned!

Guide's Trip

A few of the Jack Dennis guides piled into three boats yesterday to float the Upper South Fork for our annual guides day. The day started with a very greasy (but filling) breakfast at the Angus in Swan Valley. We were on the water about 7 hours, and had pretty good fishing. I spent the day in Scott Smith's boat, along with Tom Montgomery. The day was filled with as much story telling from the guide season as it was with actual fishing. Action was good on streamers all day. There was a very good Midge and Baetis hatch that started late in the morning, and really peaked at about 4 o'clock. There were many pods of rising fish to cast to, but they were tough. There was a lot of food on the water under very bright skies; the fishing felt like they had been seeing some pressure. We did not see any real monsters in our boat...oh well! It was a lot of fun though! We officially bid Jeff Currier farewell at our lunch site...good luck Jeff! He's got a great new blog that should be highlighting his post-Jack Dennis pursuits... check it out... http://flyfishingbum.blogspot.com/ Now would be a great time to go walk the South Fork with a dry fly rod and some light tippet. Fishing from noon until dark should be good. Size 18-22 midges and olives got the most attention.

Warm Start To November

The first week of November here in Western Wyoming has been unseasonably warm. It's been mostly sunny, with our high temps nearing 60 degrees. I've been busy watching Charlotte, and getting back to work at the ski shop in Teton Village, so have been unable to take advantage of any fishing in the nice weather. I've received a handful of good reports from the Snake over the past few days through this warm weather. It sounds like fish are surface feeding on midges in the middle of the day. This time of year, I think the best fishing is on either end of the river; fish the first few miles below Jackson Lake Dam, or on the South end closer to Alpine in the Snake River Canyon. Cutthroat should be "podded" up in their winter holes. The river is at about 1,000 cfs at Moose...a great wading level. It looks like the weather pattern should hold a little longer, so if you can sneak out, it sounds like fishing will be good. The South Fork is holding at 1,830 cfs near Irwin, and should be fishing just as well right now. As I transition into winter mode, I'll be updating the blog a little less frequently, and may recycle some of my favorite photos from the past season. I'd love to hear from some of you with any fishing reports via the blog or email. Don't forget to check out the latest issue of This Is Fly...it's great! http://www.thisisfly.com/ Here's a nice shot of us pulling out the skiff under some beautiful Montana alpenglow. Stay tuned!

Cold Weather

This past week in Jackson has been quite cold and blustery. After an amazingly warm and sunny September, the month of October started with snow,and with the exception of a couple of days, was mostly cloudy, wet and cold. The start of November has always been synonymous with the end of the fishing season for me around here. Although there are still many places to throw a fly around here in November, the weather often discourages me from going. I did get to fish this past week with my buddy Stan Czarniak again. We decided to rally and go walk the North Fork of No Tell Creek near the Southern end of Yellowstone looking for fall browns. It was cold (in the low 20's) and very windy. The fishing was surprisingly good on streamers. We each netted a handful of nice fish over about 4 hours of fishing. The cold, windy conditions prevented us from fishing any longer. There is literally no one around this time of year, so that in itself makes a day on the water worth it. Bright streamers did the trick in slow moving water. For anyone that is interested, a friend of mine is launching a new website called "GoFishN". It is essentially going to be like Facebook for the angling and guiding community. It is still in a test phase, but you can submit your email and be a part of the launch. Click on the link http://www.gofishn.com/ for more info. Here are a couple of shots from the other day...very cold! Happy Halloween!

South Fork Fishing Well

Although I've not been able to get out fishing since returning from Montana, I have received multiple reports from friends that the South Fork has been fishing well. Not surprising, since the water levels are very low (2,560 cfs near Irwin), and the weather has been cloudy. Reports of large fish on streamers and pods of risers are floating around out there. Be armed with big and ugly buggers for the 6 weight; don't forget your BWO's, midges and tippet down to 6x with the 5 weight. The fish are podded up in the lower water, so wade fishing or a short float are great options. The last few reports I've heard from the Snake have not been as strong. The temps on this side of the hill have been a little cooler, so the window of active feeding may be a little shorter through the day. For those of you that have not heard, Jeff Currier ended his 23 year tenure as the fly shop manager at the Jack Dennis Fly shop this week. For those who don't know Jeff, he's probably caught more species of fish on flies throughout the world than anyone; I believe his enthusiasm and knowledge of the sport are unmatched by anyone. Check out his link on my list to see what he'll be up to next. Good luck Jeff! Fly-tying guru Scott Sanchez will take Jeff's place at the fly shop helm. Enjoy this recent photo of one of my favorite sites: a fall sunset from Montana. More soon!

Southwest Montana

I returned this week to Jackson from Southwest Montana with good friend Stan Czarniak after a great fishing getaway. This part of Montana is home to some very hallowed trout water, including the Big Hole, Beaverhead, Jefferson and Ruby rivers (to name a few). We set up basecamp at a cabin in Melrose, and split our time between the Big Hole and the Beaverhead. It was a fun trip; streamer fishing was great and there was nobody around. Yellow and black buggers brought many nice brown and rainbow to the net under a variety of weather conditions. A summer with ample water in this watershed meant for many healthy, happy fish around. Ryan Barba, owner of the Sunrise Fly Shop in Melrose was very helpful with flies and shuttles...make sure to check out his shop if you are ever in the area. Along with great fishing and some unique people we met, we also enjoyed some of Montana's finest dining. Don't miss the New York cut at the Hitchin' Post in Melrose, or the eats at the Blue Moon Saloon in Divide. The weather this week in Jackson is pleasant; dry with temps in the 50's. I've received a few decent fishing reports from the Snake; it sounds like fish are feeding on top still, eating BWO's, midges and even tricos near the dam. Just two more weeks to fish Yellowstone...don't miss the Firehole, Madison or Lewis Lake, sure bets in the fall. Enjoy some "grip and grin" photos from Montana. More soon!

Anticipation

I look forward to planning any fishing trip almost as much as I enjoy taking the trip itself. I've spent most of the day today happily organizing gear and food for my next adventure to Montana. Stan Czarniak and I will have the next four days to ourselves on the Big Hole River in Southwestern Montana. Typically this time of year we are heading to the Big Horn or the Missouri, but given how much water the Big Hole has had this year, and how well it fished, we thought we would try it in the fall. My normal Big Hole excursion is in the springtime, before runoff, so this will be a treat! The excitement of heading to Montana in the fall is hard to explain. Fall in Montana is not just a season, but it is a state of mind. Wide open spaces, great foliage, world class fishing and unique people make a trip through Big Sky country this time of year a must. My yearly fall Montana excursion is therapy for the soul. The weather in the region has finally turned a little warmer; temps around Jackson are back into the 50's, which should really light up the Snake. Look for fish podded up in their winter holes, munching mahoganies and baetis in the afternoons. There should be some nice noses up! Don't forget the South Fork; with the levels at 3,130 cfs below the dam, and a mere 1,100 near Heise, the float and wade fishing should be fantastic right now. Here is a shot of my buddy Jon Wylie from the Beaverhead River, in Montana from last weekend. A very healthy rainbow...nice Jon!

Cold In Montana

Rachael, Charlotte and I just returned from a long weekend in Bozeman, Montana. We were visiting our good friends Brian and Jen Hodges, who just relocated there. We had a few activities planned, including fishing. It was a fun weekend, however the fishing did not happen. The low temperatures were near zero degrees, and the highs were not even hitting 20 degrees. It was also snowing fairly heavily...oh well. It looks like the weather around here was a little nicer this weekend. Last Wednesday, I floated the lower South Fork with fellow Jack Dennis guides Scott Smith and Ben Brennan. Fishing was very good. It was a sunny day with little wind, and fairly warm temperatures. There were some browns caught in the morning on streamers and tons of cuttys up on baetis and mahoganies all afternoon. No huge fish were caught...it was a numbers day. By now, the Snake has had a few days at its winter flow, and hopefully the cuttys are now well adjusted to their new holes. I probably won't make it on the Snake this week, so if anyone has any reports, feel free to comment or send me an email. This could be a great time to fish it! The weather this week is supposed to be warmer here (and in Montana!). Good news, since we are heading to the Big Hole Friday. Here is a shot of Scott Smith from the South Fork on Wednesday with a typical cutty caught on a dry fly. The second is a great shot from the Salt River, sent to me from Tom Putnam. We fished it a few weeks back and had great fishing and foliage. More soon!

Thanks For A Great Season

Last Friday was my final guided trip for the season. I took a couple of local guys down the Snake from Pacific to Deadman's, and found a couple of hours of good dry fly fishing in the afternoon. Since then, our weather has turned back into winter. We woke up yesterday to a few inches of snow on the ground, and cold temperatures. I had planned on guiding all week, but the weather has kept the bookings pretty lean. Even though fishing can be great during the wintry weather, most clients prefer to book a trip when it is a little bit warmer. I'll keep busy the next few weeks with my daughter Charlotte, as well as some personal fishing trips and some long weekends away with the family. I'd like to thanks all of the clients that I fished with during 2009, as well as my fellow guides for such a great season! It would not be possible without you. The Snake River drop will be completed by Friday night; look for some great fishing next week, as the Cutty's will be stacked in their winter holes. The South Fork and Lewis, to name a few, should really be lighting up on the streamer action for browns, particularly since we've received some snow. Here's a shot a friend Dede Burris with a nice Snake River Cutthroat from a few weeks back.

Winter Weather

Winter weather arrived yesterday into Western Wyoming with a vengeance. Strong winds, cold temperatures and sheets of snow moved into the area Wednesday morning. I joined two other guides on a group trip yesterday from Astoria to West Table on the Snake. The fishing was good for the first hour; there were nice fish up on small mayfly patterns. The weather forecast had us thinking that the hecubas would be coming off by late morning. We've been hoping for a weather change for over a week now to spark some fall hatches, and get the bigger fish looking up again. The sunny, warm weather we have been seeing had toughened up the fishing. By noon yesterday, the wind and snowfall was so strong, there was little hope of any hatch coming off, let alone staying on the surface of the water. One of our clients was literally near hypothermic by lunch, so we opted to push out in the storm. It sounded like the weather was not quite as rugged in the Park; fishing was reported to be OK on BWO's and drakes. The weather we were hoping for came in a little to strong. Today is quite cold and windy, and it may stick around for awhile. Starting this coming Monday (October 5Th), the Bureau of Reclamation will begin cutting the flows out of Jackson Lake Dam on the Snake River. Between Monday the 5Th, and Friday the 9Th, they will lower the water from 1875 cfs to 500 cfs. There will be at least two water cuts per day done, in order to get the river down to winter flows. Typically, fishing during the water drop can be difficult. I usually opt to stay below South Park bridge where there are less sidechannels, and perhaps the fish don't react as strongly to the drop. By next weekend, we should find many fish stacked into their winter holes and adjusted to feeding. I guided on the lower South Fork on Monday, and the Salt River on Tuesday with Tom Putnam. We had decent fishing in the sunshine with a variety of dry flies. This weather should really spark the South Fork streamer fishing. Here's a couple of shots from the row off yesterday in blinding snowfall and wind.