Wyoming Swing Starts Tomorrow

[Bill Babler]

Planning to drive to Ogalala tomorrow and then on into Casper on Monday.  
First day of fishing is on Grey Reef on Tuesday.  
I’ll keep ya posted. 

 

[Basfis]

I hope you like I80. It’s painful to me. Can’t see out like you can on 70 or 90. 

[Ham]

Good Luck Catch something weird!

[Bill Babler]

Got home day before yesterday. Kind of a marathon. With extremely HOT weather. 

We were scheduled to fish out of Casper Wy. the first four days with Ugly Bug Outfitters.  We were told fishing was “good”. We scheduled Grey Reef on the North Platte and the Miracle Mile. 

Question is what is good?  Fished the mile the first day. Very nice young guide Devin.  All indicator triple dropped rigs. I had a total of 3 bites and buddy Don had 5 bites. Lots of moss in the water and had to continually clean the flys. Guide said fishing had been extremely challenging. 

From Casper to the Mile it’s a 1.45 hour drive on wicked roads and they use clients as shuttles.  Lots of wild game along the road to look at but it really did not fish well. 

Going to say here since Covid all these resources have been punished. Water covered with drift boats and lots of shore fishermen.   Tough day. 

Next day we fished Grey Reef. Extremely high wind and pushing 100 degree. Guide really struggled handling the drift boat.   It totally beat this young man up. 

Same bobber rig with off color water and moss worse than any I have ever seen on Taney. 20’ drift at best. Season at Casper has been really warm and rainy to contribute to algae growth. I had 5 bites in 10 hours and Don had the same. Total for 18 hours of Hard and I mean hard fishing for me was 8 bites and 5 fish to the boat in two days  

Guide said it was horrible, outfitter said Man that’s good. 

We cancelled the next two days at a big cancellation fee. Don said I bought us out of purgatory.

 We feel we were totally lied to by Ugly Bug. Found out later never to trust most of these Western Outfitters. 

Headed for Pinedale and cooler weather. Had booked with Twin Rivers Outfitters.  Good company. 

50 degree temps the first morning with Stefan on the Green River. Fast, narrow and technical. Used a dry dropper rig and did fine. 

I think we each had 15 fish. No giants but decent fishing. These guys fish long hours. There is travel involved so  first day was 12 hours. Most fish were on the dropper. 

We both were totally beat and I had a taco salad that evening that more than didn’t agree with me. Up at 2 am chewing ammonium one after the other. 

The section of the Green that we were to fish the next day had no boat exit for any reason on private land. I didn’t make the trip. Don caught about 20, mostly on the dropper.  One 20 incher. 

Next day we fished the upper Green with Trey. Huge drive of about 50 miles with a lot of really rough gravel.  Started at 8,700 ft. with fish rising everywhere. It was really great. Cold enough to frost your private parts but hot dry fly fishing.  Trey thought we caught 50, all on dry flys.   I’m guessing upper 30’s. Nothing big but lots of 12 to 16 inch fish. Really fun.  Missed more than we caught. Lots of short hits but mostly flat out misses. 

13 hour day with travel. We both were totally hammered. 

Next day again with Trey we fished the New Fork.  All dry and not as good a day. I had 9 to the boat and Don had 5. Not many bites. I think I had 12 and Don maybe 10 bites.  Another 13 hour day.  

Lots less pressure at Pinedale but locations were challenging and I’m guessing that was the reason. 

All in all the cost of a western week guided fishing is very similar to a week in Alaska with not nearly the results. I really enjoyed the scenery and wild life. 

Super glad we did it but probable will call that good. Alaska is just too good for the same price. 


I caught a big cutty, when I find the pic. I’ll post it. Also something that surprised me was the pure hatred for Brook Trout. Both guide services wanted to throw them on the bank when we caught one of the little rascals. Said they were invasive and consumed all the rainbow , brown and cutthroat eggs. 

 

[BilletHead]

2 hours ago, Bill Babler said:

Got home day before yesterday. Kind of a marathon. With extremely HOT weather. 

We were scheduled to fish out of Casper Wy. the first four days with Ugly Bug Outfitters.  We were told fishing was “good”. We scheduled Grey Reef on the North Platte and the Miracle Mile. 

Question is what is good?  Fished the mile the first day. Very nice young guide Devin.  All indicator triple dropped rigs. I had a total of 3 bites and buddy Don had 5 bites. Lots of moss in the water and had to continually clean the flys. Guide said fishing had been extremely challenging. 

From Casper to the Mile it’s a 1.45 hour drive on wicked roads and they use clients as shuttles.  Lots of wild game along the road to look at but it really did not fish well. 

Going to say here since Covid all these resources have been punished. Water covered with drift boats and lots of shore fishermen.   Tough day. 

Next day we fished Grey Reef. Extremely high wind and pushing 100 degree. Guide really struggled handling the drift boat.   It totally beat this young man up. 

Same bobber rig with off color water and moss worse than any I have ever seen on Taney. 20’ drift at best. Season at Casper has been really warm and rainy to contribute to algae growth. I had 5 bites in 10 hours and Don had the same. Total for 18 hours of Hard and I mean hard fishing for me was 8 bites and 5 fish to the boat in two days  

Guide said it was horrible, outfitter said Man that’s good. 

We cancelled the next two days at a big cancellation fee. Don said I bought us out of purgatory.

 We feel we were totally lied to by Ugly Bug. Found out later never to trust most of these Western Outfitters. 

Headed for Pinedale and cooler weather. Had booked with Twin Rivers Outfitters.  Good company. 

50 degree temps the first morning with Stefan on the Green River. Fast, narrow and technical. Used a dry dropper rig and did fine. 

I think we each had 15 fish. No giants but decent fishing. These guys fish long hours. There is travel involved so  first day was 12 hours. Most fish were on the dropper. 

We both were totally beat and I had a taco salad that evening that more than didn’t agree with me. Up at 2 am chewing ammonium one after the other. 

The section of the Green that we were to fish the next day had no boat exit for any reason on private land. I didn’t make the trip. Don caught about 20, mostly on the dropper.  One 20 incher. 

Next day we fished the upper Green with Trey. Huge drive of about 50 miles with a lot of really rough gravel.  Started at 8,700 ft. with fish rising everywhere. It was really great. Cold enough to frost your private parts but hot dry fly fishing.  Trey thought we caught 50, all on dry flys.   I’m guessing upper 30’s. Nothing big but lots of 12 to 16 inch fish. Really fun.  Missed more than we caught. Lots of short hits but mostly flat out misses. 

13 hour day with travel. We both were totally hammered. 

Next day again with Trey we fished the New Fork.  All dry and not as good a day. I had 9 to the boat and Don had 5. Not many bites. I think I had 12 and Don maybe 10 bites.  Another 13 hour day.  

Lots less pressure at Pinedale but locations were challenging and I’m guessing that was the reason. 

All in all the cost of a western week guided fishing is very similar to a week in Alaska with not nearly the results. I really enjoyed the scenery and wild life. 

Super glad we did it but probable will call that good. Alaska is just too good for the same price. 


I caught a big cutty, when I find the pic. I’ll post it. Also something that surprised me was the pure hatred for Brook Trout. Both guide services wanted to throw them on the bank when we caught one of the little rascals. Said they were invasive and consumed all the rainbow , brown and cutthroat eggs. 

 

                I am sorry it was so tough Bill. This is just why we fish out of the way places and small water and catch lots of fish on our own. Cutthroat that matches or beat what you will catch with a guide. We don't mind the brook trout and eat everyone we get the chance to but don't kill just to kill. Where we fish, they are invasive and cross with the natives which is exactually what we target. 

  I Wyoming you are right there is no getting out of the boat or even dropping anchor in the river or stream. Montana is the best around. Anywhere you can get in and stay below the high water mark you are golden. 

[Bill Babler]

My cutty was 21” and the guide guessed 3.5 pounds. For the life of us both we can’t find the picture. 
We spoke to a group that had booked a trip on the Yellowstone, but didn’t get to fish it as a fish kill was going on.  
Guide took them to the Madison but they said it was way too technical for their ability. 
They ended up catching some on the Snake out of Jackson Hole. 
I had wanted to do some fishing on our own but my buddy would not have it, he only wanted to use the guides. 
You simply had to have a 4X4 on most of the walk in areas around both Casper and Pinedale to get to the fish.  Roads were  just terrible and we were in my friends Toyota SUV.  We got the windshield broken on the road to the Miracle Mile. Got it hit again going up the Green River road. 
Really hard trip I thought. 

[Foghorn]

I enjoyed the pictures and scenery but hate that it wasn't a great trip. A friend and I were fishing the Yellowstone area several years ago and stopped a conservation truck to see if they knew any good spots that were accessible that held fish. Gal told us the directions and we pulled into the parking area only to see a sign saying this section was closed due to bear activity. I figured I could outrun my buddy. 

[BilletHead]

1 hour ago, Bill Babler said:

My cutty was 21” and the guide guessed 3.5 pounds. For the life of us both we can’t find the picture. 
We spoke to a group that had booked a trip on the Yellowstone, but didn’t get to fish it as a fish kill was going on.  
Guide took them to the Madison but they said it was way too technical for their ability. 
They ended up catching some on the Snake out of Jackson Hole. 
I had wanted to do some fishing on our own but my buddy would not have it, he only wanted to use the guides. 
You simply had to have a 4X4 on most of the walk in areas around both Casper and Pinedale to get to the fish.  Roads were  just terrible and we were in my friends Toyota SUV.  We got the windshield broken on the road to the Miracle Mile. Got it hit again going up the Green River road. 
Really hard trip I thought. 

           We loved the Pinedale area. To the West just north of Pinedale we caught multiple Colorado River cutthroat on South Cottonwood creek. Made that trip twice. Good roads back there about 20 miles of dirt. Been up the upper Green twice to the headwaters at green river lake. Once with kayaks in trailer behind pickup with overhead camper. Had the kayaks on that lake. I caught a small lake trout in the lake on fly gear. A splake Brook trout and lake trout hybrid in the upper green below the lake on a bug heavy nymph fished deep. You are right for one thing that is one washboard rough road up to the top. We drove easy but were passed by others doing who knows what speed pulling campers and even fifth wheel campers up that road to the forest campground. Northwest of Pinedale on 189/191 will take you to over another range and along the Hoback river. Off that river Cliff Creek dumps into the Hoback. In the Hoback are Snake River findspot cutthroat. Ther is access to the Hoback for wading and bank fishing, but it is spotty. All of Cliff Creek is on National Forest. That little creek is fun to fish. Have stopped there and camped three times for one night but always took the time to catch snake river cutthroat. Now I want to go back to Pinedale. Next year when Pat retires, we should be able to hit the road for a couple weeks again.

   Same goes for everyone on here like I told Bill. If you don't mind a DYI for cutthroat in Wyoming I have maps marked and will share places. Everyone that can should experience the natives and fishing out west. August is hopper season and the time to be there. 

[ness]

Kinda fun to hear about some of these familiar locations. 

We did a guided trip on the North Platte and did ok, but I get more of a kick out of fishing the small streams for native trout.  There’s just something about the close quarters, the wild fish, and beautiful surroundings that appeals to me. More so than riding in a boat. 

Here’s a pic. We were fishing the Encampment in WY in 2015 and headed up a side channel. ness 2.2 says ‘C’mon dad, that’s too small, there won’t be any fish in there!’ Then the old man proves him wrong. 

Then the 12-inch leviathan pulled the old man into a side-side channel 😀


Good times. 

[Ham]

Did you catch any non trout species?