The Northern California Fly Fishing Board

Since my friend was laid off from work and I have the summer off, what else is there to do but a road trip? We are doing a western fly-fishing trip, and would appreciate your input from your wealth of knowledge from your experiences. We are starting in Denver about June 21st, and will fish our way back to California over the next 3 (or so) weeks with an open schedule and itinerary.

The original plan was to fish Co for about a week, and then the next 2 from Yellowstone thru Mt and Id. I have never been fishing in any of these states. But my friend has (years ago) fished Id, Mt and Wy. He seemed to think that we would have more access to water in Co, than the other 3, so we now might spend more time in Co. We’ll also have our tubes and packs for possible overnighters.

I think we’ll be chasing good water from the snow pack run off, but regardless of the area, I think we’ll be able to find some good stuff.

I would hate to leave endless miles of Co streams, to find that I am stuck on large water, too early to wade in the 1st weeks of July in Mt, while the boats are stacked like a dealer’s deck in Vegas. So where should we spend out time?

If there are some places you wish to keep off of the board, please PM me.

Thanks in advance,

Pound

It's pretty hard to predict what you'll find that time of year--big rivers could be stuck in runoff, you could get stuck in a blizzard in Yellowstone (happened to me one July 3), or rivers could really be rolling into good wading shape. My advice would be to wait as long as you can to firm up your plans, and even then be willing to shift to a new itinerary as the situation merits. Driving makes it easier, you're not tied to plane tickets.

You could always head south into New Mexico, too, and fish some of the great small streams. And you'd be in New Mexico...

There are dozens of places that you can hit North and South of interstate 80, which I assume that you would be taking back to CA. Go North in Wyoming and hit the lakes and streams in the Wind River range. Go South in Western WY and then drive into Utah and fish the Green River. You can go North on 89 in Wyoming and fish the South Fork of the Snake, The Teton, and up to hwy 20 to Henry's Fork, all in Idaho. Go an hour further North and you're on the Madison in Montana. Go further West and then North on 93 and then you can fish the Jarbidge in Nevada or another couple of hours North, get into Idaho again and hit Silver Creek and the Big and Little Wood Rivers. Colorado is a good place to start too: Rocky Mountain NP, The SF of the Platte, Chessman Canyon, The Frying Pan, and The Gunnison. Yer in Gerach territory there.

There are a TON of other, smaller and lesser known places in that vicinity that I could tell you about, but I only mentioned the famous, well documented waters that are easily accessed with only a few hours driving from 80. The other spots will remain nameless and hopefully uncrowded.

I'll be back that way myself this summer, whenever the conditions are best...and I can't stand waiting to go any longer

Cheers!

--FlyGuy (Dave)

Pound,

If I were to take a three week trip (now) it would look like this:

Start in Ennis, MT, fish the Madison for three to four days, in the channels section first, then upriver to Varney Bridge, The Palisades and at least one day at $3.00 Bridge, one day on on Henry's Fork...

Next: The Stillwater River, Absarokee, MT ...one week fishing the whole River...Absaokee and upstream

Next: The Bighorn at Ft. Smith, 3 days minimum...

Down to Basalt, CO fish 2-3 days on the Frying Pan - 2-3 days on The Roaring Fork...From Woody Creek up stream towards Aspen...

Back to CA, with 3 days on The East Walker...

Yer' done...

Do Idaho as a separate trip - too much good water...
Do Wyoming for a month, Grey Reef, Wind River Mountains, Jackson Hole Area (Snake) and Tetons...

Photos of much of the above may be found below, at PT



PT/TB

When you are in Colorado make sure to check out Rocky Mountain National Park. The scenery is amazing and the fishing is great too, especially if you like small mountain streams and beautiful native greenback and colorado river cutthroat.

The Yellowstone /Jackson area is hard to beat as well. If you are afraid of being stuck on larger waters, it is not an issue at all as there are tons of small streams to good sized trout in them that are seldom fished. Yellowstone itself can be a bit crowded and I find myself getting frustrated by low hole/ high hole problems on some of the more popular fisheries, but if you try lesser known streams or hike in somewhere it isn't really a problem.

Consider staying in a central location for a while to cover as much as possible or different parts of the same stream. When you put yourself on a schedule (if it's Thursday, we're fishing the middle reach of "Piss Ant Creek" in the morning then driving all afternoon to fish the famous Lupus Rex evening hatch on "Should've Been Here Yesterday River"..repeat daily for 3 weeks?) you may miss some great fishing or sights that are available if you just meander around.

Go, have fun, find a spot on a piece of water on your own that gives you the satisfaction of figuring out the answer to what & where to fish.

Paul

Over all, it is a problem that I wish I had more often - as do the rest of us. And thanks for your input so far, I appreciate it.

The general game plan is to wait to see what is in prime shape, and plan around from there, by staying in central regions, and fishing out from there; such as find a spot in the Basalt area and fish the Roaring Fork and the Frying Pan and tribs for a while. I usually like the attitude, don’t leave fish, to find fish… but yet I will want to see new and exciting places.

But in trying to seek out a new place, I wouldn’t want to leave good a good area and end up in Yellowstone with a million of my new found “friends” who are clueless and end up high or low holing me, finding myself in situations like Gig mentioned, which is the basis of my inquiry. Would that be the same situation at the $3 dollar bridge?

The original plan was to do something like PT/TB mentioned, but backwards, with a little Silver Creek as a cherry on top before heading back to the Bay Area. At first 3 weeks seemed like a good amount of time, now that I am thinking about it, 3 years would be better suited for this. So we have to pick and choose and I don’t want to spend a third of our time in a car.

Last I checked the snowpack in these states are running at 100 to 110%, but the temps will dictate how fast it melts. And we do want to fish both big and small waters. I’ll have light 4wt thru fast 7wt rods with me.

I do not and would not want anyone to give out the good small stream names on forums for obvious reasons. I do have good books for the big guys with access points, but the small streams do seem endless…

PT, I have already checked out your site, and will continue to do so. The vise (and all my vices) will be thrown in the car.

Pound,

The last time I went to Montana, it was for 4 months...next time, I hope to never come back...

Don't forget this little guy...

http://pla...ing-the-madison-in-june/

PT/TB

Late last June, when the snowpack was about 140% of normal, we found high water and snow drifts at the higher elevations (over 10K feet) in the Wind River Mts. of Wy. Not unfishable, just high.

There is some nice water near Durango, CO, and I'm certain the Duranglers fly shop could give you some info.

There are some big fish in the San Juan River (average size is 16in.), in northern New Mexico, but you definitely won't be alone if you fish up high near the dam. Many fishermen do tend to clear out by 2 p.m., though, and there is plenty of water down lower where you won't find so many fishermen, although you'll find fewer fish there. But then, 5-10 15" - 18" fish in a morning ain't bad and you can go to the upper reaches in the p.m.

The entire blue ribbon fishery is only 4 miles long, and VERY wader friendly. Don't forget your hoppers.

Forgot to mention that the SJ is a tailwater, so the flows are very controlled. Call Abe's Fly Shop or Float 'N Fish at Navajo Dam to find out about the releases.

ALSO, I did not put that winking smiley in my post after mentioning the average fish is 16", which they are, and that damned smiley doesn't appear in my version so I can't edit it out.

While we're at it, nymphs for the Juan are #24 - #26. If you don't tie, there are at least 3 fly shops in Navajo Dam that can outfit you.

I make attempts at tying. I’m pretty much self-taught. However, I do have plenty of partridge and peacock hurl with red an chartreuse threads.

From what I’ve read, tying a 26 is like tying a 16, only smaller. (and for the record, I did mean that laughing face)

Several of the places I mentioned in my post are tailwaters (The Green, Madison, SF of the Snake, Henry's Fork, etc.) so their flows might be a bit more controlled if the melt is late this year.

All of these rivers are big, so there's lot's of room to spread out, even at $3 Bridge. Just get on the path and hike for a while.

Silver Creek can be AGONIZINGLY technical, so be read to be schooled now and then. I've been "educated" there more times than I care to admit.

If you stay in the vicinity of Ashton, ID, you can fish the Teton, SF of the Snake, the Madison and of course Henry's Fork all within an hour and a half of driving. You can also access Yellowstone NP, but that'll cost ya $25 (good for a week) and even more driving, with slow driving tourists trying to spot wildlife all over the park.

I could easily spend all of my summers back in the Rockies fishing these great places. Don't get me wrong, I like California just fine, but the fishing back that way can get REALLY good.


Cheers!

--FlyGuy (Dave)