You blink here in the Rocky Mountains, and autumn is upon us. Fall brings an end to the short summer fishing season we have in the Greater Yellowstone Region. We have already seen our first snowfall in the high country, the willows changing colors, and I heard my first elk bugle of the fall.
This summer was another one for the books, though it came with some challenges. Warm water temperatures made it difficult on many fisheries, but as I said in my spring recap, there was good fishing for those willing to find it. This summer reminded me of the diverse fishing opportunities in the region. From prolific hatches on legendary tailwaters to sight fishing backcountry cutthroat, I share my summer fishing in the Greater Yellowstone Region.
Summer Fishing Recap
June kicks off the summer fishing season and it showed why it is one of the best months to fish in the Yellowstone Region. June is in the middle of prime hatch season with salmonflies, golden stones, drakes, PMDs, and caddis hatching throughout various watersheds. There is no better place in the world for a dry fly angler than the Yellowstone Region in June.
I fished hard in June, taking advantage of the only one we get each year. Drakes were the hatch of the summer, whether it was the green, brown, or gray drakes. They provided the most consistent dry fly fishing and fooled some of my most memorable fish of the summer. I fished green drakes on multiple watersheds this year, lasting into the last weekend of August. It’s safe to say I need to hit the vise and reload my drake boxes before next summer.
A few early summer highlights included my personal best grayling, my first brown drake hatch, and my first day fishing the Railroad Ranch on the Henry’s Fork.
Witnessing the brown drake hatch was unbelievable, with every fish in the river rising to giant mayflies. This hatch coincides with the longest days of the year, and the fishing was good until dark, which is about 10:30 pm that time of year. I caught what will go down as one of my favorite fish of the year during this hatch, a stunning brown that ate the brown drake after the sun was well behind the mountains.
As the calendar turns to July, my mind shifts to the fantastic cutthroat fishing we have in the region. Yellowstone Cutthroat are my favorite species to target, and I spend July and August chasing these stunning fish. After checking in on a few native cutthroat populations in the region, it’s safe to say they are doing just fine.
What I am most proud of from this summer of fishing is the many new fisheries and hatches I fished. Whether it be a different access point or a completely new fishery, I pushed myself to explore new water this summer. I fished nine new rivers or lakes this summer, just short of my goal of 12 this year. I plan to accomplish this goal before the snow falls.
A few hatches I fished this year that were relatively new to me included the callibaetis, brown drakes, flavs, and mutant stoneflies. I never thought I would love bugs as much as I do. Witnessing these hatches will inspire me on the vise this winter so I am better prepared the next time I fish them. The problem-solving never ends in fly fishing.
I did not spend as many days in Yellowstone as I did last summer, though the few I did were special. Yellowstone National Park is a humbling place to cast a fly. The sight fishing opportunities for big, beautiful cutthroat are one of the many reasons I prefer to fish in Yellowstone. This year provided many opportunities to do so, and a few days left me speechless.
One of my favorite aspects of this summer was not the fish I personally caught but the beautiful fish I witnessed caught by friends. Being there and celebrating a unique fish for a fishing buddy is just as rewarding for me as catching one myself. I love learning and growing with the anglers I fish with, and I witnessed this growth firsthand this summer. Thanks to those who shared the water with me this summer, and congratulations on some unbelievable catches.
Another highlight of the summer was meeting and fishing an evening with John Kreft, author of RiverKeeper Flies. He was kind enough to share some flies and take beautiful pictures from an evening on the Madison—a big thanks to John and Karen for a fun night on the river. Read his blog post where he mentions our evening on the water here.
Fly Fishing the Madison River in Early July 2024 – RiverKeeper Flies
As summer heat engulfed the region, water temperatures in Southwest Montana made fishing difficult. From the middle of July through mid-August, many fisheries closed or were not worth fishing due to high water temperatures and low flows. This drastically limited the amount of fishing I did during the month of August.
During this time frame, I spent time in Eastern Idaho on the Snake River chasing the famous Snake River Cutthroat. These fish are stunningly beautiful and are apt to rise for dry flies. The Snake is a daunting but majestic river, and I plan to spend more time on it in the future. Read about the trip in this blog post.
The most bizarre thing that occurred on the river this summer was being watched by a drone. Yes, while fishing below the high water mark on a stream, a ranch employee operated a drone to ensure we stayed off the surrounding private land. I usually avoid fisheries like this, but the hopper fishing was well worth it.
Writing an article like this on summer fishing in this region is overwhelming. I cannot encompass all the stories, fish, hatches, people, and views from the summer in just one article. When reflecting on this summer of fishing, I can’t help but feel immense gratitude. We are so blessed to fish in a region full of public land, wild trout, cold water, and fly fishing history. I hope this is a reminder to not take it for granted, and fight to preserve it for the future.
I want to make a point as you finish reading this summer recap. There are many beautiful fish and stories of fantastic fishing in these articles, but a summer of fishing comes with many failures. Two broken rods, many miles walked without seeing fish, getting skunked on new rivers, storms that killed the evening hatch, and countless fish that didn’t make it to the net. This summer was full of the inevitable ups and downs in fly fishing. Fly fishing is hard and takes patience, but the few incredible days make it all worth it. I want to better portray these moments in future content, but I hope you understand that not every day of fishing includes big trout, plentiful hatches, and rising fish.
With this understanding, those who have fallen in love with the sport know fly fishing is a lifestyle, and I can’t imagine a better place to live it. We embrace the challenges as we know what is on the other side of them. So many days this summer left me speechless and in awe, wanting more but incredibly grateful for what I experienced. I gave it my all this summer, and I hope you did, too. Let’s continue the momentum into fall.
My Setup
This summer was another one full of dry fly fishing, though nymphs were more prevalent in my fishing than last summer. Specifically when sight fishing to spooky fish. A lightweight pheasant tail proved to be a day saver on many days when I struggled to trick one on the surface.
I primarily fished my 9-foot 5-weight Orvis Helios 3f paired with the Scientific Anglers Smooth Trout Taper floating line. I fish a 9-foot standard tapered leader to 3x, adding varying lengths of tippet when needed. When dry fly fishing, I often fish 10 to 13-foot leaders (unless I’m fishing big bugs), usually down to 5x tippet. If you have further questions about my gear or setup preferences, message me, and I’ll gladly share any insight I can give.
A few flies stood out this summer as I fished many regional hatches. Below are my top flies from the summer, many of which caught the fish pictured in this article.
What I Learned
There is so much to learn from a summer fishing in this region. I was blessed to fish with and meet many experienced anglers this summer, which was humbling. The list of things I learned this summer is long. However, the advice that stood out to me this summer is that it is okay to let the fish win sometimes.
This advice came from an experienced angler I look up to in the fly fishing industry on the banks of Henry’s Fork. As a young angler who takes fly fishing seriously, I found it relieving and insightful. Hunting and fooling the fish is most of the fun; landing the fish is just a bonus. The fish in this region are already under plenty of pressure, so if one gets away occasionally, it is probably for the better.
I have heard this advice from other mentors, but it resonated this summer. It is changing how I view each day and what I consider a successful day of fishing. Thank you to those who taught me something this summer; it means the world as a young angler.
What Left Me Curious?
Are there too many fisheries in the region to explore in a lifetime?
As I explore new fisheries, the list of rivers and lakes I want to fish in the region grows larger and larger. It’s as if for every new fishery I explore, three more get added to the bucket list. I wonder if it’s possible to fish all of the rivers and lakes this region has to offer the trout angler. And is it something I aspire to pursue?
I find myself battling between fishing a new river or continuing to learn a fishery in depth. This balance and my limited fishing time are my main obstacles when exploring new rivers and lakes. It may be a daunting pursuit that I don’t necessarily need to accomplish, but there are many fisheries I’d like to see firsthand in the Greater Yellowstone Region before I die. I’m happy to continue sharing the journey through The Curious Angler. Thanks for following along.
1 thought on “2024 Summer Fishing Recap”
Hey, for 1 you should be on your Honeymoon or close to it and 2, it’s still Summer. So,
those browns you caught are Summer browns.