Journal
Explore The Journal
After years of journaling my days fly fishing the Greater Yellowstone region, I realized the value this information could bring other anglers. In the journal, I tell the story of my fishing trips and go into detail on what techniques worked for me. I detail the weather, water types, flies, and other important information that led to my success or failure. I go over what I learned from the trip and pose questions about what I left the water curious about.
Fishing The Madison River
The Madison River. Known for its big trout, diverse sections, beautiful scenery, thick stonefly hatches, and windy valley, the Madison is many anglers’ favorite trout stream. It’s one of the most famous trout fisheries and is on the bucket list for many anglers around the world. I know many of my readers have fished the Madison, so you know how special a fishery it is. The Madison is one of my favorite fisheries in the Yellowstone
Summer Fishing Recap 2025
The fall colors and cool mornings this weekend reminded me that it is time for the summer fishing recap. Summer is the time to be in and fish the Yellowstone Region, so it’s hard to see it come to an end. This summer was another memorable one in my fishing journey and for many in the region. Conditions made it tough, with inconsistent hatches and low flows. I spoke with multiple anglers who share the same
Mid Summer Update (2025)
As we near the end of July and head into August, I thought I’d give an update on how the Greater Yellowstone Region has fished thus far this summer season. I hope you have had a wonderful summer of fishing so far and enjoy this quick read. Before I proceed with the update, I would like to note that it is based on my experience on the water. My opinion is limited to the 23 days
Spring Fishing Recap 2025
Spring is nearing its end here in the Greater Yellowstone Region, and what a few months it was to fly fish the area. This spring reminded me how special a time it is to be in Montana, with minimal crowds, epic hatches, and beautiful, greening landscapes. I’ll jump right into summarizing this spring of fishing in Montana while sharing how I fished, what I learned, and what left me curious. I hope you enjoy the
The Time Is Now
It is early June in Yellowstone Country. The parade of hatches is in full swing on many of our legendary trout fisheries, and the stoke is high among anglers. If there is any time of year to be a trout angler in this area, it is now. This is the time of year we all dream of and look forward to throughout the year. After a whole winter tying flies and dreaming of big
The Best of John Gierach
I have been reading and listening to a lot of John Gierach lately. John, unfortunately, passed away last year after a long career as a fly fishing writer. The fly fishing world will forever grieve the loss of John, but we are fortunate to have 23 of the best fly fishing books ever written, full of short stories from his life as an angler. He was so good at portraying what goes on in a
Montana Smallmouth
Montana Smallmouth Fishing This spring, I took a trip with a good fishing buddy that, in years past, I probably wouldn’t have gone on. Smallmouth bass fishing here in Montana. I’ve focused on trout fishing for years, barely giving other species a thought. It’s hard to branch out when surrounded by some of the best trout water in the country, and most warmwater fisheries are hours from Bozeman. Chasing bass always felt a little ridiculous—kind
Winter Fishing Recap 2025
We made it! Another frigid winter is behind us here in Yellowstone country. The end of winter doesn’t mean the snow stops falling, but it does mean spring hatches are soon to come. I am beyond excited for spring fishing, with many trips to plan and not enough time. Before we jump into spring, I briefly recap what this winter of fishing looked like and highlight how I found success, what I learned, and
Dwindling Hatches
As a young angler who enjoys matching the hatch to fool trout, I have traveled to fish the West’s most famous insect hatches. This includes the pale morning dun hatch on the Missouri River, the salmonfly hatch on the South Fork of the Snake, caddis on the Madison River, callibaetis on Hebgen Lake, and everything in between. I remember my first time fishing the famous Green Drake hatch on the Henry’s Fork in Idaho.
Worth The Wait
Here in Bozeman, this week’s low temperatures are well below zero, and the highs are in the single digits. A successful morning is when my truck turns over, and the crack in the windshield has yet to move across my line of vision. Not to mention, the few feet of snow on the ground make spring feel so far away. I never appreciated the change in seasons before moving to Montana. This could be
Match The Hatch Fly Box
If you’re anything like me, you love having a complete and organized fly box going into the fishing season. Dreaming of warm days when bugs are hatching and trout are rising, I have been working on a “match the hatch” box this winter. I am filling it with flies to imitate the many hatches we see in the Greater Yellowstone fisheries. Whether it be green drakes, pmds, golden stones, or caddis, I want a
Dark Dry Flies In Low Light Conditions
If you are fishing dry flies, you want to be able to see the fly. Seeing a trout rise to our fly is what we all dream about. If you can’t see your fly, you miss out on the pinnacle of this pursuit. Many dry flies are tied with white, pink, or orange indicators to help the angler see the fly on the water. On many days, these flies are easy to see and