Favorite Fish of 2023
While the fish are just a part of what I enjoy about fly fishing, they do make days on the water more memorable. Between the friends on the water, beautiful sunrises, and nights on the vise, some memorable fish were caught this year. While scrolling through the pictures, it was hard to choose a select few that made this year unforgettable. Here are a few of my favorite fish of 2023 and why they were so special.
Red-Spotted Brown Trout
Exploring one of my favorite sections of river in the Greater Yellowstone Region, I caught the prettiest brown trout I have ever seen. The spots on this brown blew my mind, especially in the tail section. Words or pictures do not do this fish justice. I am so grateful to have come in contact with this brown to start the summer season.
Dry Fly Brown Trout
One of my first epic dry fly days of the summer ended with this stunning brown trout. This fish was special as I got to share it with Xavier, who has grown to be a valued fishing buddy of mine. Starting the summer with a bang, this brown was caught on our first day fishing together. We caught our fair share of fish that day on dry flies and streamers. As we made our way out, we checked this pool one more time to see if any fish were still rising. This beautiful brown was rising sporadically, and I was lucky enough to fool him on a size 18 blue-wing olive dry fly.
Sight-Fished Yellowstone Cutthroat
This list wouldn’t be complete without a Yellowstone Cutthroat. This fish was a culmination of many mistakes, failures, and hours spent for my friend Isaac. The pressure was on as we ventured into the third day of our trip. Isaac had spent the 12 hours of fishing the day before without landing a fish and we knew our chances were dwindling. I can still see this cutthroat feeding left and right in the crystal-clear water. Isaac made a great cast and we watched the fish turn and eat his unweighted pheasant tail. It was an honor to net his personal best cutthroat.
Personal Best Westslope Cutthroat
While big fish are not the most important thing to me when reflecting on fishing trips, they sure do make incredible memories. This fish was a surprise on a trip that had little expectations. A lot of luck went into landing this Westslope Cutthroat. A random cold spell the first week of August opened up a window to try out a fishery I had in mind. It led to a personal best Westslope and a trip that will never be forgotten with a close friend.
4th Quarter Cutthroat
On the last riffle before the boat ramp, my fly-fishing mentor and I witnessed this beautiful Snake River cutthroat engulf my hopper pattern. The slow rise of a cutthroat will never get old. It feels as if time slows down as you await the eat. What a blessing it was to explore a new river and share this moment.
Striking Gold
The last fish that stood out to me this year was another personal best. A high alpine golden trout caught on a trip with my wonderful fiance. I was grateful she was there to snap a picture. While it was more of a hiking trip, I planned to fish one of the lakes along the hiking trail. While I had no expectations (it’s hard to with little time and research), I knew there was a chance at golden trout in this lake. Lucky for me, the orange scud got it done and made me want to chase golden trout in the future.
It’s gratifying to reflect on the many memories made and fish caught in this area of the world. What a special place for a trout fisherman. I hope you have a few special fish to reflect on and would appreciate any fish stories you would like to share with me. I wish you more fish to the net and special days on the water in 2024.
2 thoughts on “Favorite Fish of 2023”
While all these fish are stunning and I’m sure a great story, that 4th Quarter
Cutthroat is stunning. I’m yet to catch a cutthroat. Plenty of cutbows but..I’m hoping the summer of 2024 will be my time in Montana. Thank you so much for sharing your adventures!!!
Thanks Dan! A special fish for sure. I hope your able to find the elusive cutthroat your looking for this summer!
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