The Northern California Fly Fishing Board

My son and I will be making our first trip to this area in July. We will be doing the tourist stuff, but also want to get in some fishing. What I need to make happen is successful and fun fishing for a 12 yr old who's casting is , well, "unrefined". Any help that can be offered to help plan this trip is much appreciated. I was thinking of flying into Jackson Hole and visiting that area for a couple days then probably heading to West Yellowstone as a base for a few more days as all reservations for lodging in the park are booked solid. This is a vacation with my son more than a fishing trip (I have to learn to accept this), but I would love to get him on something like a float trip where the casting is easy and the grabs frequent. Is the Snake a possibility for this? Thanks, sorry for the obvious newbie question, this will be the first out of state fishing license I have ever purchased...

You are going to have a terrific time! I highly recommend the book "The Yellowstone Fly-fishing Guide" by Craig Matthews and Clayton Molinero. It was given to me by a friend right before I left on my first trip to Yellowstone NP, and it was a great source of information on when and where to fish. The cool thing about Yellowstone is that the fishing never sucks, even if the catching sometimes does. Nothing like looking up from fishing to realize that bison are grazing right across the river from you.

Let us know how the trip goes!

Dawn

Erik,

I would recommend hiring a guide for a day and doing the South Fork of the Snake. That is about as good as you'll get. Nice floats and usually willing fish. A guide can help your son immensely and work one on one for a day. He'll learn a lot. I have always worked with Henry's Fork Anglers.

Phil

If you're going to be around Jackson Hole, there are some smaller waters than the Snake which might be more approachable. I visited seven years ago, talked to the guys at Jack Dennis, and ended up fishing some spots besides the Snake--the Hoback, which was fun with hoppers, I believe a small stream called Fish Creek, and in Grand Teton I fished Pacific Creek. Lots of nice fish in easily identified holes, and wadeable (when I was there).

Erik,

I agree with the 'hire a guide' approach. i'd try to float the Paradise valley stretch of the Yellowstone R. There are some fly shops around there that must have guides, but I would get hopping if I were you. Tourist season is upon us.

Call West Bank Anglers about a float off of Moose-Wilson Rd access area and fishing back towards Jackson. I took my kid there when he first got him into fly rodding- lots of risers and opportunities for an inexperienced flyfisherman. I was told at the time that the lower Snake was more demanding, but who knows if they were just trying to fill the niche close to Jackson. I let the guide work for his tip by concentrating on the kid and getting him into fish. We didn't see another angler all day long, so it worked for me.