Back from Montana, Yellowstone, Jackson Hole...

[Loopdawg]

If you've never been to Yellowstone, you owe it to yourself to make the trip. There's so much to see and experience, and the surrounding area has so much history and beauty, not to mention world-class fishing!

This is the skinny version. I have so many more pictures and information for those interested, but here's a few highlights. I owe Paul Puckett of The Fish Hawk a couple cold ones for his help in planning my fishing jaunts.

We fished here on our first night in West Yellowstone. (you have to back track back into Idaho)
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/WildWestVacation2007020.jpg

Caught a bunch of these little eager cutts on PMDs.
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007032.jpg

My new rod saw it's debut here. Gary, she did me proud!
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007037.jpg

Ryan with one of her fish.
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007035.jpg

On to the Madison. We fished below Quake lake twice. It was epic fishing. My first experience on the Madison was amazing. Sniff, Sniff.

The water was being released high due to the irrigation needs out in the plains. This caused the fish to stack up along the banks and in the side channels.
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/WildWestVacation2007051.jpg

A mountain white fish. Caught sevearal of these. They say the higher water turns them on.
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007039.jpg

The Madison will teach you about the LDR. I lost several trophy size fish. That's just part of the game out there. The average fish is 16 inches or better.
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007186.jpg

Another brown
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007187.jpg

And another...
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/WildWestVacation2007057.jpg

Yet another...It was such great fishing.
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/WildWestVacation2007048.jpg

Ryan and I hiked in Yellowstone to a trib of the Yellowstone river full of native cutts. Just get your big dry fly in the water and whamo! It was stupid fishing. We could have caught a rediculous number of fish this day, but a thunderstorm was rolling in, and we chose to hike back out.

typical cutt
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007177-1.jpg

And another...these were fiesty wild trout!
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007166.jpg

stream
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007171.jpg

We floated the Snake river in Jackson Hole with Westbank Anglers. Our guide's name was Dean Burton, and he grew up here in Alpharetta. He was great. We lost count of the fish we caught. We had perfect overcast weather all day.

my fishing buddy and sweet wife at Teton Village. She did great, and caught plenty of fish. She hooked a pig cutt on our float, but he popped off. Probably a 20'incher. She had him on for awhile but he finally had enough.
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007234.jpg

One of Ryan's fish. She caught this dude on a big Chernobyl ant that I tied. his lip was already missing when she caught him.
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007228.jpg

I have so many more pics. (we're only allowed 15 pics per post on NGTO) We can't wait to go back and do it all again. Next time we'll hopefully be able to hit some of the water that we had to pass up because there's just so much to do and see out there. Peace,

Loopdawg
<)))><

[scooby]

Nice pix dawg, I'm heading to WY in 3 weeks. I'm going to make it a point to take lots of pictures on this trip, having lived out there and caught a million fish and all that I never seem to take pictures unless the fish are over 21-22". Nice trip details and cute partner. If she ever needs any private lessons let me know, I will be more than happy to accommodate! ;)

[Gaines'BowBum]

Thanks for the pics... Some buttery browns out there on the Madison. I lived out in GTNP for a little while. Never got a chance to go up and fish YNP much. Really wished I had fished more and worked less... I guess thats how it always is. Can't wait till I can make it back out there... Henry's Fork here I come... Eventually. Appreciate the report and pics, brings back some memories... Post some more pics if you can...

--Alex

[Windknot]

Awesome fish, scenery and report. You are a very lucky man.

[terry creech]

I've fished the Snake in Jackson a couple of times over the years and cutthroats are really battlers. My avatar on here used to be a cutt taken on a rainy morning there. And a twenty incher in the Snake there is huge as their "growing season" is so short. Wish she could have landed that one. We used a different guide service but also caught lots and I would have caught more if I hadn't been taking so many pictures. Gotta get back out there. My wife and I are thinking about working in Jackson Hole or Yellowstone for a summer when I retire in a few yrs. so she can take pictures and I can fish.

[flyfisher8]

LD,

WOULD YOU MIND DIVULGING WHAT THE BROWNS TOOK? IS THAT 3 DOLLAR BRIDGE IN THE BACKGROUND?

[UGAflyguy]

Jealousy is a sick disease...

[Loopdawg]

LD,

WOULD YOU MIND DIVULGING WHAT THE BROWNS TOOK? IS THAT 3 DOLLAR BRIDGE IN THE BACKGROUND?

Sent you a pm.

[Loopdawg]

another Madison brown...
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/WildWestVacation2007047.jpg

and another...
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007183.jpg

yet another..(2nd pic of same fish in first post)
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007188.jpg

Snake trib cutt
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007226.jpg

Teton views on the float all day. We had perfect overcast weather.
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007207.jpg

Here's one of my best from the float. He was right at 16". It's hard to appreciate the size because Dean was using a large guide's net. We tried not to handle the fish too much, as the heat is already affecting them out there.
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007204.jpg

another cutt
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007202.jpg

Dean at the oars
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007200.jpg

Another Snake Cutt
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007157.jpg

Madison above Hebgen lake
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007105.jpg

A young moose in Grand Teton Nat. Park
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007192.jpg

An elk antler we found on one of our Yellowstone hikes
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007146.jpg

bought a few local flies here
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007028.jpg

Grizzly with cubs
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007137.jpg

The Firehole River
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007082.jpg

[Reel'em In]

Hey Jonathan,

Those are some great photos.....I'm jealous. Wish I could make it out there. Maybe one day!

[backwoods]

Beautiful pictures maybe one of these days I'll make it there

[Trout8myfly]

Nice shots, LD and some very nice fish. Too bad about that biggun' that broke off your wife's line.

I love fishing wild Cuts - they take a lot of dry topwater flies. I'm headed to Jackson in late September with my wife and some friends - this was a nifty appetizer!

[flylady]

Jonathan,
You have been infected with the "real fly fishing country disease". This was our summer home for the last 10 years (been going there since 1982 when it was only for vacation) and we were so lucky to have been able to do it.

We drove our RV from Florida to Island Park, Idaho (12 miles west of West Yellowstone) every summer except one when we drove it up to Alaska, still went through there then.

What a flood of memories returned seeing the photos, $3 bridge, Bud Lilly's a mainstay for us and really great person, and the photo of the Henry's Fork sign, fished there hundreds of times.

Before your next trip PM us and we will tell you some of our "secret" places that are great. Older son and wife just got back from there and she caught 21trout, 15-22" on one fly that Tom tied, a pattern of his own.

You should use a float tube in Hebgen and catch those wild bows and cuts. A thrill to have them jump 6 feet in the air when they come out of the water. I have a 4 1/2 pound hybred on our living room wall that I caught on a #18 PTN in Henry's Lake using 4# tippet, (when it was still good fishing). That was a thrill I will never forget.

This is a special place we will never forget:cry: , Linda & Tom

[Loopdawg]

Jonathan,
You have been infected with the "real fly fishing country disease". This was our summer home for the last 10 years (been going there since 1982 when it was only for vacation) and we were so lucky to have been able to do it.

Before your next trip PM us and we will tell you some of our "secret" places that are great. This is a special place we will never forget:cry: , Linda & Tom

I will never cease to get a thrill from a day spent on a small creek here in our Chattahoochee Nat. Forest. But I agree, once Montana get's a hold of you, your next trip is already circulating in your mind; "should it be early June for the Salmonfly hatch, or September browns on their way to the Junction."

We we're already talking about our next visit half way into our trip. There's just so much fishing out there, and we didn't even scratch the surface.

Jonathan,
Before your next trip PM us and we will tell you some of our "secret" places that are great. This is a special place we will never forget:cry: , Linda & Tom

Secrets are good. I'd love to meet you guys and share info. I'm a better fisherman because of this trip out there.

[Loopdawg]

Nice shots, LD and some very nice fish. Too bad about that biggun' that broke off your wife's line.

I love fishing wild Cuts - they take a lot of dry topwater flies. I'm headed to Jackson in late September with my wife and some friends - this was a nifty appetizer!

The break offs were just part of the game out there. The promise of tangling with big fish like that is why everybody needs to go for themselves.

WARNING! :yikes: Your fishing addiction will be "off the chain" after a visit to Montana/Wyoming. Your only hope will be to temporarily satisfy the passion by regular visits back out there!

[Trout8myfly]

Yeah, I'm already addicted - and spoiled! Multiple years of floating and fishing the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho and just getting slammed by wild cutts. Some days we'd bring 20 - 30 fish to hand, and we didn't even count LDRs and refusals.

[Loopdawg]

I still haven't uploaded all of my photos yet that are on my hard drive at home, but here's a few more that I haven't put up here on the board.

Access trail that we took on one evening....
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/WildWestVacation2007019.jpg

The destination....The Henry's Fork
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007031.jpg

Ryan fishing the Snake on our float. She caught a goodun' after I took this photo. Eventually, I'll have video to post, but I want to do alot of editing and documenting first.
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007208.jpg

Another Snake Cutt...
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007199.jpg

West Slope Cutt. Looks similar to a rainbow, but has the characteristic orange chin mark.
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007170.jpg

Trail head.
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007139.jpg

Switchbacks down to the Yellowstone...
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007145.jpg

On the way down..
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007144.jpg

Suspension bridge
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007147.jpg

Above Hebgen Lake...
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007102.jpg

[Windknot]

I am really enjoying your trip! Thanks for sharing. :)

[Reel'em In]

Wow! Causing me to get the itch. Didn't know Henry's Fork was so big. I'd love to give that one a try.

One thing I have always loved about the outdoors is the beauty and not knowing what is around the bend.

[THE EG]

I see bright smiling faces on the trip DOWN that trail. Where are the photos after you walked UP that trail.:yikes: A shot I took in '02. Look Familiar?

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n175/THE_EG/055YellowstoneRiver8-13-02.jpg

stream
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/Loopdawg06/Vacation2007171.jpg



Here's a photo of it's confluence with the Yellowstone.
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n175/THE_EG/068ConfluenceofTwoStreams8-13-02.jpg

And what you see looking down from that suspension bridge.
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n175/THE_EG/058SuspensionBridgeOverYellowstone8.jpg

Thanks for the reminiscing.

[Mulligan]

Great shots, lets get some more pics..

[flylady]

Dawg, The salmon flies can vary by 2 week either way, hard to predict. Water levels are critical as is the weather. Two years ago we had snow every day from June 1 thru June 9, it was cold. The snow melted quickly but the fishing really turned off and did not get good again until we had some warm, sunny days about a week later.
When we flew out and rented an RV we went the end of August and first of Sept. Water levels could be very low due to water rights of the farmers, now it is the drought in addition to the draw down for irrigation. Last ten years we spent August in Colorado and Sept. working our way back home.
PM me and we can talk more, Linda.......

[Warmouth]

Man, Those are some excellent photos. It's great to "feel" your enthusiasm in your posts too.