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.
A Lifelong Pursuit
/*! elementor – v3.19.0 – 05-02-2024 */ .elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px} A Lifelong Pursuit On a recent fishing trip, I caught the biggest brown trout that I’ve caught in my young fishing journey. A brown that I measured 24 inches long. The catch left me fist-bumping and shaking there on the river bank. This was a moment I had been looking forward to for many years. Now that it has come and
End of Year Blog Review (2023)
2023 was a crazy year in my life for many reasons. One of the best things to come out of this year was having the courage to start this blog, The Curious Angler. In this article, I go over the status of The Curious Angler, how I feel about it, and my goals going forward. I hope this gives you a better perspective on why I started it and my success measures. I greatly
Favorite Fish of 2023
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
A Few Things I’m Grateful For
I’m feeling blessed this evening and thought I’d share a few of the many things I am grateful for in my life as Thanksgiving approaches. I’m grateful for wild trout in cold rivers. The people who are passionate about protecting our rivers and lakes. The many fly fishermen who have taught and grown this sport. I’m grateful to live in the Greater Yellowstone Region. The old truck that gets me river to river. The
Fall Dry Fly Fishing The Madison River
The conditions lined up perfectly for fall dry fly fishing the Madison river. I envisioned writing this article talking about big fish rising behind every rock. The weather called for air temperatures in the 40s, clouds, and light rain. Exactly what you want for fall dry fly fishing the Madison river. As many of our trips so often go, it didn’t go as expected. I fell for my high expectations. Though it’s hard to
Fishing Close To Home
We all look forward to those grand fishing trips we plan each year. The long weekends, camping, and nothing but a full day of fishing on the mind. I’ve gotten used to these trips over the years. Often driving hours to fish one of the many blue-ribbon trout streams in the general area. In doing this, I drive over many trout streams that are much closer to home. Funny how we fishermen do this, drive
The Fish That Left Me Heartbroken
I have lost many fish in my young fly fishing journey. It is part of the hobby and adds to the challenge that I love so much about this sport. If you landed every fish you hooked, it wouldn’t be as fun. Because of this, I am relatively unphased when losing a fish. While I will always feel the instant disappointment when the weight lifts from the fly line, I am quick to laugh it
What Goes Into Catching a Special Fish?
On a recent trip, I couldn’t help but ponder what all goes into catching a special fish on a fly rod. Whatever special means to you. A dear fishing friend and I talked through this topic as we made the final hike back on what was an epic but challenging trip. We experienced many ups and downs over the last few days of fishing and it made us realize what all goes into catching the
Dry Fly Heaven- Fishing the Green Drake Hatch
I arrived home late Monday night still on a high from an unforgettable trip. I was sore, tired, smelly, and challenged. The truck dirty, fly boxes empty, and a few new friends to share time on the water with. As I settled down slowly unpacking the mess, I realized I spaced brushing my teeth that morning. Funny how much we sacrifice in our life just to fool some trout with a few feathers. Many may
Exploring Yellowstone Lake With a Fly Rod
June 3rd, 2023 Yellowstone Lake is not only the biggest lake in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) but is also the largest high-elevation lake in North America. It has an average depth of 140 feet and 141 miles of shoreline. Cold water temperatures will give you hypothermia in minutes and nasty weather is almost guaranteed. Why would I venture out on the lake in a small pontoon boat all alone? Yellowstone Lake is home to my favorite
Camping on Memorial Day Weekend
May 27 and 28th, 2023 Memorial Day and camping go hand in hand. It is also an important weekend in fly fishing as it signals the opening weekend for many of our western watersheds, including the opening of the Yellowstone National Park fishing season. I spent Saturday and Sunday camping and fishing at Hebgen Lake near the fishy town of West Yellowstone. This area is a fly fisher’s paradise. With so many legendary fisheries, fly
First Stillwater Trip of The Year
May 21, 2023 Sunday opened up and I was lucky enough to take the day to chase some trout. Some of my favorite lakes in the area are finally ice-free and fishing well, so I decided to try my luck fishing some Stillwater. Spoiler alert, it did not disappoint. I’ve grown to love fishing alone over the past few years. The solitude, freedom, and fishing on my terms is such a rewarding experience. I