Insights
Explore Your Curiousity
This is where I share the tips, techniques, and viewpoints that have led to my success on the water. I am not a guide or expert angler, though I believe this is a sport of lifetime learning where the most successful angler is the most curious one. I also believe teaching is the best way to learn and grow as an angler, so I hope sharing these insights benefits me as much as it does you. Not only do I share practical tips that will help you catch more fish, but I also share perspectives to ponder in fishing and life.
My Thoughts On Tippet
Tippet is essential in any fly angler’s tackle when targeting trout. It is also a complicated subject; with so many brands, sizes, and types, many anglers get confused when faced with a wall of tippet in a fly shop. As a beginner, I was confused for many years and often made mistakes when selecting and using tippet. I still make many mistakes, but I now put much more thought and priority into my tippet. In
Fishing During The Spawn
As we get deeper into fall, brown trout will move to their spawning grounds and begin their annual spawn. It can be a great time of year to fish, but it also creates controversy among the fly fishing community. In this blog post, I share my thoughts on fishing during the trout spawning season. Fishing During The Spawn Fishing during the spawn is an interesting topic in the fishing community. On the one hand, many of
The Season Of One
Fall is a magical time of year for fly fishing in the Greater Yellowstone Region. Fall’s changing colors, migratory trout, and the onset of hatches make it many anglers’ favorite time of year to cast a fly. There is nothing better than a fall sunrise on the river. My mindset on the water shifts as we sift through the seasons. In the winter months, I am grateful to get out on a “warm” day and
Fly Fishing Is Hard, Embrace It
This fall, I have been reminded just how hard fly fishing is. No matter how experienced you are as an angler, the pursuit’s many challenges are inevitable. You will experience fishless days Feel the disappointment after losing a big fish And tangle your leader to where there is no going back. You endure foul weather Alarms before sunrise And sore muscles from miles on the water. You have to talk yourself
Use a Longer Tippet – Dry Fly Fishing Tip
Use a Longer Tippet Fly fishing is a passion where continuous learning is inevitable. Each day presents an opportunity to learn something new, which is one of the reasons I fell in love with it. This summer has been no different. I’ve explored new rivers and met experienced anglers kind enough to share their knowledge. One thing I’ve learned this summer is the importance of a long tippet when technical dry fly fishing.
Fly Fishing and Warm Water Temperatures in Southwest Montana
As we approach the end of July here in Southwest Montana, what we most feared this winter is coming true. The low snowpack from this winter and the hot weather over the past few weeks are making it challenging to fish in the ladder part of our 2024 summer. Warm water temperatures plague many of our trout streams in the Greater Yellowstone Region, and it doesn’t look like it will end anytime soon. Snow
Time On The Water
Many DIY anglers want to improve and succeed on the water. We want to catch more fish and bigger fish using various techniques. Though this may be our goal, I often see many anglers expect these results without putting in the time. They focus all their efforts on finding a secret location and fishing the right fly rather than developing the skills to succeed in many scenarios. Now, I do not consider myself an
Let The Fish Be The Judge
Fly tying is an art just as much as a means to catching fish. Some tie flies for the beauty of it and never set foot in a trout stream. We all have different reasons why we tie flies and standards for our flies. Like fly fishing, there are many ways to do it and have fun. For me, fly tying is one step deeper into the environment and mind of a trout. It
There Will Always Be A Reason Not To Fish
There will always be a reason not to go fishing. Whether you only have a few hours to hit the river. Or the wind is going to blow. There is snow in the forecast. There will be a bright sun. There may be no bugs hatching. The river is going to be busy. The river flows are too high. The barometric pressure will be rising. The moon
The Salmonfly Hatch: Tips For The DIY Angler
Big water, big bugs, and big fish. The salmonfly hatch is everything a fly fishermen dreams of. The salmonfly hatch is one of the most fascinating hatches in the Greater Yellowstone Region. It can be an angler’s most anticipated or dreaded hatch of the year. Whatever your opinion on the salmonfly hatch, one can’t discount its importance as a food source for trout. Anglers who understand the hatch and how to fish it have
A Beginner’s Guide to Stillwater Fly Fishing
The Greater Yellowstone Region is known for its legendary blue-ribbon trout streams. Rivers like the Madison, Yellowstone, and Henry’s Fork offer some of the best trout stream fishing in the West. Because of these famous rivers, many of the region’s productive stillwaters fail to get the attention they deserve from traveling and local anglers. I have a soft spot for stillwater fly fishing in this region. Spending a day on one of the many
Yellowstone National Park Changes Fishing Regulations
Expanded Fishing Season In Yellowstone National Park Recently, Yellowstone National Park announced they are opening the Madison and Gardner rivers within the park’s boundaries for fishing all year round. This regulation change goes into effect starting November 2024, when the rest of the park’s waters close with the general season. Previously, all waters within Yellowstone National Park opened on Memorial Day weekend and closed on the last day of October. Here is the press release