Wyoming/Montana Fly Fishing Info

[Bill Babler]

Buddy and I are going to take a Mt/Wy fly fishing tour in August for 3 weeks. Any info on rivers you like or great wading or guide service ie names of guides would be great. 

Let me know your hot spots   Thanks
 

[BilletHead]

3 hours ago, Bill Babler said:

Buddy and I are going to take a Mt/Wy fly fishing tour in August for 3 weeks. Any info on rivers you like or great wading or guide service ie names of guides would be great. 

Let me know your hot spots   Thanks
 

           Bill are you guys just winging it or have a definite plan?  I can freely give some great information on lots of places. Have you thought about setting a goal to try?  Pat and I have done the Cutt slam. Actually, pretty easy and fun. You could take your time or get it done in a few days. We did this in 2010 and have done it a couple more times just for fun. I have maps well marked up for this and more in Wyoming, Montana and Utah. Yes, Utah has a Cutt Slam also which we have completed. Big country, lots of fish and places to go. August is hopper time and actually that is all you need but you don't have to just use those. All of the waters we fish were wading and sometimes small enough you can step over them. Our adventures are documented here on the Forums. Mostly on the USA South & West Regions. Many years of our trips can be found there. If you insist on a guide, go with Northfork Anglers out of Cody. Pat and I have a personal friend who owned the place. He recently sold out after owning it for many, many years.  After fishing with him for a few years and learning a few things, I can tell you that on your own is the way to do it. 

CUTTSLAM_InfoMap.pdf (wyo.gov)

   Marty

[Terrierman]

Double Cabin above DuBois Wyoming is a nice high country stream braiding it's way across a meadow.  I caught a nice cutthroat there the summer we were there.   You'll cross a couple of other smaller but still nice streams on the way up too.

Wind River is right there at Dubois too but any rain at all nearby will make it a no go.

Have fun.

[Al Agnew]

I know plenty about streams in the area of SW Montana where we live half the year.  I know a lot less about Wyoming streams.  If it's anywhere from the Missouri River south and in between the Bighorn and the Big Hole, I can help.

The choices are endless, from tiny mountain streams full of native cutthroat that are so small and so brushy that you never actually make a fly cast, to big, brawling rivers like the Yellowstone (which still have places to wade but are mostly fished from boats).

A few pieces of general advice...

Don't fall in love with idea of a road trip fishing rivers all over Wyoming and Montana.  This is BIG country, and there is often a LOT of space in between rivers.  You end up doing more driving than fishing.  Pick a region where there are several rivers and all their tributaries all within a couple hours' drive.  For instance, in my area, within two hours or so I can fish 50 miles or more of the Stillwater, 40 miles of the Boulder and the West Boulder, a hundred miles or more of the Yellowstone, 75 miles of the Gallatin, 50 miles of the Madison, and goodness knows how many miles of smaller tributaries.  And there is a LOT of variety in all those waters, it ain't like cookie cutter streams.  There is far more variety in Western streams than there is in Ozark trout streams.  So pick a base to stay and branch out from that base to whatever rivers or creeks that most interest you that you can easily drive to without wasting half the day.

Guides are essential for fishing the big rivers from boats.  They are far from essential if you're wanting to fish smaller streams by wading.  Personally I'd advise doing at least a little of both, and hiring a guide for a river trip.  You should learn a lot about things like the spots trout hang out in from the guide, and how to fish those spots, if nothing else.  There are plenty of good fly shops, but don't get too hung up on "local" and "hot" patterns.  I use pretty much exactly the same stuff in Montana that I do in Missouri...basic nymphs, dries, and streamers.  For instance, my Montana nymph box has a whole bunch of Hare's Ears, Prince, Pheasant Tails, Copper Johns, scud patterns, San Juan Worms, Pat's Rubber Legs, and some soft hackles.  Any other nymphs found in my box were bought on a whim and are unlikely to ever get wet.

Yes, it will be hopper season when you're out here.  Don't fall in love with hopper patterns, though.  Try them, but what we are finding in recent years is that the fish in the more heavily pressured rivers are so conditioned to avoid hopper patterns that they've almost stopped eating the real grasshoppers.  I discovered last year that all the foam hoppers that look so realistic that the fly shops sell by the truckloads weren't working at all, and I went old school and fished a Joe's Hopper and actually caught some nice fish on it.  First good hopper fish I'd caught in a couple years.

Let me know if you decide to fish in my area.  I'm not saying it's the best region; it certainly gets a ton of fishing pressure and the fishing can be tough.  But it's a beautiful area.  

[Bill Babler]

OMG , guys thanks so much. Here is our tentative initial plan. 
We’re arriving in Casper on the 14th. And fishing with Ugly Bug Outfitters and staying at Crazy Rainbow Ranch Lodge.  Right on the North Platte with lots of private water to wade from shore.  They are an Orvis shop and Lodge.

Anyone stayed there or used them?  

I have 2 good past clients that fished with them for over 20 years and another good friend that has fished with them 13 straight years.  All gave them 5 stars.
We’re fishing the NP Miracle Mile section one day “Bucket List.”  Grey Reef one day and Big Horn one day. 

So that will be the base for that time. The next part we are very open. Choice’s are going to Pinedale or down to fish the Yellowstone and Big Hole. Not a bit decided on that week so your info is pertinent and any further is welcome. 

I’m going to reread each post and research everything you all have told me  also look up BilletHead’s adventures  

We’re not so much about fishing the extremely small creeks and spring runs  we want to unlimber the 5/6wts.

Thanks much, Keep it commin.

 

[grizwilson]

11 hours ago, Terrierman said:

Double Cabin above DuBois Wyoming is a nice high country stream braiding it's way across a meadow.  I caught a nice cutthroat there the summer we were there.   You'll cross a couple of other smaller but still nice streams on the way up too.

Wind River is right there at Dubois too but any rain at all nearby will make it a no go.

Have fun.

Now now Rick, you left off the long rough gravel road trip up there and the Grizzly bear infestation.  Actually I do carry bear spray and a side arm fishing up there anymore.  Seen a guy wear them out up there with 15lb on a zebco 33 using a mepps......impressed me. 

[Terrierman]

32 minutes ago, grizwilson said:

Now now Rick, you left off the long rough gravel road trip up there and the Grizzly bear infestation.  Actually I do carry bear spray and a side arm fishing up there anymore.  Seen a guy wear them out up there with 15lb on a zebco 33 using a mepps......impressed me. 

It is a bit of a drive, but totally worth it.  The whole Double Cabin history is pretty fascinating too.

[Bill Babler]

Guys, thanks for the advice, much appreciated. We are set. 
Itinerary we had to change dates for lodging and floating availability. 
Casper Wyoming August 21. Staying at the Best Western Ramkota. Fly shop got us a reservation $77.00 a nite so we got a room each. “ No Problem with Snoring.”

Drift and wade fishing. Grey Reef. Private Ranch water that the fly shop owns so we can wade. 
N.Platte  Miracle Mile. Float                                     
Big Horn River float                                              
Ranch access wade Grey Reef unguided  

Pinedale Wyoming  2 Rivers Fly Shop  another great lodging rate at Hampton  

Green River Float                         
New Fork River Float                   
Private Ranch 2 day wade unguided  

I think that’s going to do it for this trip  I’ll give you the day by day in the Western Rivers Forum 

Again Thanks  much  

 

 

 

 

 

 

[snagged in outlet 3]

On 7/27/2023 at 6:38 AM, Bill Babler said:

We’re not so much about fishing the extremely small creeks and spring runs  we want to unlimber the 5/6wts.

Nice!!!