Scott Smith's Jackson Hole Fly Fishing Chronicles

Tramping the Rough Track- New Zealand 2011

2011-12-02T21:04:00.000-08:00

On November 5, 2011, a great friend, Mark Fuller and I embarked on a 3 week fly fishing odyssey to the South Island of New Zealand. We had both turned forty this summer and realized these sort of opportunities just don't pop up every season, so we jumped on it. Our fall fishing had been pretty good in JH this year so I stayed distracted with some work and local fishing right up until our flight to Auckland. I was packed well but mentally had not got my mind around the essence of this fishing journey... most often the best part- the journey. Once you arrive in NZ it kinda hits you, along with sheer exhaustion, that you are in the southern hemisphere(my 1st time) and that we were about to go fly fishing for nearly 3 weeks! An unbelievable road trip and adventure lay before us.

We loaded up with essentials after picking up our transportation for the trip, all in Christchurch. After getting licensed up we were officially set free to wander and explore the multitude of rivers and creeks of the Island, a feeling like your a kid again arriving at the gates of Disney.

Our living by camping(this was a budget trip, absolutely no helicopters) came easy for Mark and I, we are both experienced backpackers so quickly a routine was established and a pace was set on our first day. Most days went something like this: wake, coffee, re-organize gear, eat, dress for fishing, begin hiking/fishing, snack, more hiking/fishing, snack, hike back to camp 2+ hours, beer, dinner, beer & deep sleep. A very satisfying and exhausting day.

Each day poised a different set of obstacles that we quickly adapted to and dealt with, some involved gear or camping but the most interesting challenges came from the trout, which were absolutely mesmerizing to watch. To be successful as an angler can have many facets and levels, some not requiring a catch in hand, yet on this trip we were aquatic hunters akin to human herons and the prize each day was to hold that wild trout, an intoxicating moment indeed.

On our first day, on our first NZ river we both went a good two hours before seeing much of anything. I soon realized that this trip was going to be what I quickly coined as a "water study"; instead of casting hard for 10-14hrs like we do in Wyoming, I was going to walk slowly and stare at rocks, sticks, riffles, seams, flats & anything else that looked fishy for a dozen hours or more. This activity can really let your mind run loose and fortunately the exotic bird songs kept me grounded and mostly focused.

When you spot a trout in this magnificent landscape your heart truly begins to race, a feeling more similar to casting to a large tarpon or sighting your first permit. Yet, these were just large wild trout that can test every aspect of our art form and it is then you realize this is what we crave on a daily basis, a connection with nature that makes you feel very much alive.

Our luck with the weather could not have been better in the first 2 weeks. As we arrived the conditions were favorable on most rivers in the regions we intended to focus, the Nelson & West Coast regions and better yet, there was no serious rain in the extended forecast. Our first experiences on the rivers was a combination of elated spirit and humbled promises. We caught nice fish daily but the typical mistakes were made and the trout punished you severely, often making you walk for miles before having another shot, and even then there was no guarantee.

After those first few days we fell into a good groove in the Murchison area. We made friends, rested up, replenished supplies and got our game plan down for the remainder of the trip that allowed for two back country outings and several good rivers to explore from the highway in marathon day trips. The trip was nearly half over and we were now ready and eager to apply some tactics we had learned and caught onto.

Backpacking & "tramping" in NZ is a widely celebrated activity and is available all around you. Our experience in the West Coast region's native bush lined trails was one of captivation and pure excitement. The native bird calls seemed to flow into a continuous song even after covering several kilometers. It was interesting to see such a contrast in vegetation from what we were familiar with, there fern trees rose above to create a dense canopy that looked to be from the Mesozoic Era. Our tramping at times was very strenuous and some of the slip(landslide) crossings quite treacherous, again an experience that heightens your awareness of life.

The back country rivers we visited were in prime condition and stunningly beautiful. While searching and studying the water you would often loose your focus and just be completely blown away by the clarity and richness of this aquatic environment.

After all the hard work getting there was over the fishing was at a minimum, spectacular. Our daily routine was simple, we worked up new water slowly and as we came upon a trout you would immediately stop and start scanning the scene. First, study what the fish was doing, speed of the water, depth, sun-angle, nearest deep lie, logs, etc... the whole scenario was in constant evaluation as you formulate an approach, fly & cast. Meanwhile, your chest is pounding and your brain is rolling through all the possibilities and the clock is ticking, you have to move quickly otherwise the fish would often turn off for no reason... its pretty intense. If you were lucky enough to close the deal you felt elated, if not it was hard to watch your mate work the next sighting, only fair.

After our adventures in the West Coast bush we headed to the town of Reefton to again supply up and stage for what we had planned to be a full week of exploration, instead the weather had other ideas. A 24 hour flood dropped 255mm of rain in the area and every river was a complete torrent. The locals were saying a 50 year storm! Amazingly, the flows dropped as quickly as they rose and by mid-day the following day we had fish able water. This time with higher flows than we had encountered anywhere, we did less spotting and tried blind fishing streamers. This proved to be effective in the slow backwaters and offered some good numbers of hefty trout. The rain came back for a second round and did the rivers in again, this time for 48 hours. On our last 2 days we hiked into a lake and had one more day on the Inangahua River with fair success but still high flows. After our 3 weeks in New Zealand we had walked nearly 85 miles and fished almost 30 miles of breathtaking waterways... it was time to head to our wintry home back in JH.

Thanks for viewing, best to all!

New Zealand Bound!

2011-11-10T00:28:00.000-08:00

Just a quick update from Kiwi land, Mark Fuller and I embarked last weekend on our 3 week journey touring around New Zealand in search of trout paradise... well I am here to say I think we found it! Stay tuned as great stories and photos follow! best to all.

Fall report- October at its best!

2011-10-22T08:14:00.000-07:00

Drew Cosby enjoying the fall action in JH.

Just as it appeared winter conditions were rushing in two weeks ago the weather turned back to a warm pattern that keeps the trout of our area looking up, in fact hoppers and attractors are still getting some attention on the Snake River. In my opinion when these conditions unfold it is the best window for an angler throughout the entire year with nice sized trout feeding on the surface among snow capped peaks and no crowds whatsoever.

To JH Legends, Tom Montgomery & Paul Bruun elated with the trout of autumn.

Obviously no fall report would be complete without mention of brown trout. For the determined rewards do await and sometimes you can score big. Pre & post spawn trout can be aggressive and streamer fishing can be every much as gratifying as a good day fishing dries, your numbers are generally less but the anticipation of the big grab is exciting. Be aware the fish are spawning and never wade in shallow redds.

Henry & Susan Cadwalader super psyched in Western Wyoming... great to see a mother & son fishing combination!

Fly Fishing Report-10/2/2011

2011-10-02T16:04:00.000-07:00

To make up for a nasty spring the start to autumn has been more like mid summer here in Jackson Hole with most afternoons nearing 80! Our fall foliage is right on time as mornings start a bit cool and as the day quickly warms so does the fishing, peaking around noon and slowing after about 2pm considerably. This combination makes for some of the most pleasant and enjoyable conditions imaginable, a true delight fishing among the Tetons in late September.

The Snake River is in its top condition of the entire season and as river flows drop next week look for the action to pick up as trout drop out of side channels and main river channels slow enough to present smaller dries to the pods of cutthroats. BWO's & mahogany duns will be common on cloudy days and as this Indian Summer holds on ants and hoppers will still move some trout on the grassy banks.

Mira & Mayce showing off what the ladies can do, nice September Cutties!

One Fly 2011 Report

2011-09-07T16:15:00.000-07:00

The annual Jackson Hole One Fly Tournament is here again signifying the home stretch of the prime fly fishing season here in our region. Contestants will match their "one fly" each day against our wily cutthroats, browns & rainbows from Jackson Hole all the way through the South Fork Canyon in Eastern Idaho. With flows still slightly higher than historical I am betting on some foam stonefly creation to take the top spot. Streamers could be a good bet but the forecast looks to be clear and sunny, better off staying with dry flies perhaps. I will be guiding the event from Moose to Wilson and my gut feeling is mixed. This section is traditionally a top producer of larger trout, however this year the high flows drastically changed the channel and fishing has been challenging, largely due to the powerful flow that prevents advantageous fly presentation and/or boat positioning. I will certainly get a good workout this weekend... hope my cutthroat friends are looking up!

John Campbell with a real brute from the Green in late August... Hopperiffic!

Very fortunate to fish some "special" Wyoming water this year with supertanker browns.

Darren Calhoun with a fine specimen that fell for a Morrish Hopper.

The fishing for our area is superb right now! I have guided 15 of the last 16 days and every day has been good to excellent, best of all I have yet to tie on a wet fly for 2 weeks now! In Jackson a mixture of mayflies, caddis and stonefly/terrestrials patterns are getting the trout up just about all day with a few adjustments here and there. The South Fork is finally fishing well with dries and the trout are loaded in riffle zones, pmd emergers and cripples get the picky eaters and big bugs do the job on the banks.

Good Luck to all this weekend and get out there, the mornings are getting frosty & it all ends too soon.

Fishing Report for August 20, 2011

2011-08-20T09:42:00.001-07:00

Its that time of year again- terrestrial season! Alas, water conditions are gorgeous on just about every drainage and locally the Snake River in Jackson Hole is running bank to bank with beautifully clear & cold water. As the hatches of early summer wane we are seeing a daily increase in hopper activity that will be heightened over the coming weeks as temps remain in the 80's in the afternoons. On the busier sections ants and beetles get more strikes but on our remote floats big hoppers bring the heart stopping grabs.

Teton Park is fishing rather well for medium sized cutthroats(12-14") with an occasional brute(over 17") showing himself but not always committing to strike. This lack of aggression is due to several factors, namely higher flows, bright weather & fishing pressure. As we approach September these larger trout will feel a greater urge to feed and will be looking to the surface for more nourishment.

John Marion with a nice Teton Park Cutty... never a bad day in the park!

Don Birmingham with a wild bow from the Wind River... this fish destroyed a size 4 hopper!

Fly Fishing Report- 8/5/2011

2011-08-06T20:27:00.001-07:00

Just finished up a fine 9 days in a row to officially announce our summer dry fly season has kicked in, finally! Up until the past week or so we have had spotty at best dry fly fishing which normally by now is in full swing and often slows from low, warmer flows. Some of the season's best hatches are happening and will soon cross over to terrestrial insects and while flows remain slightly higher than normal the trout are remaining mostly untouched... yes, you still have to work for them! I have had a string of great clients in town and each day I feel the urge to show them the best fly fishing experience possible and this year Western Wyoming has kept us busy. The Green and its tribs have been fantastic for 2-3 weeks now and this year was the best grey drake hatch I can recall.

Bob King and I appreciating the cloud cover... twitch, twitch!

Matt Lenzen in Wyoming, enjoying every second!(do the dew!)

After a round of storms brought mind boggling action with large dry flies the trout got a little more lock jawed so I began to investigate Eastern Idaho and the South Fork of the Snake River. The reports were not good but I had to find out for myself, low and behold I had very good streamer action followed by exceptional dry fly fishing in very small isolated spots. A research day turned into 3 consecutive outings with similar success... no bad report from me. Truth is everything is now fishing just fine and each day should be received for what it has to offer.

The Snake River in Jackson is flowing mostly clear with 3'+ of visibility but the flows remain a little high... 5400cfs @ Moose. As these flows drop the action should pick up and all anglers will be looking for a spot on the river between Pacific Creek & Palisades, nearly 80 miles of prime cutthroat habitat.

Bill Lenzen & I checking in on some local rainbows!

Fly Fishing Report- 7/29/11

2011-07-29T20:53:00.000-07:00

A serene view of the upper Green River in Western Wyoming has been my office for the past week or so and I must say, I like it. The days have been fairly long as they generally are in July because of the driving time and remote floats. In addition, some consistent fishing that is more reminiscent of early July... like everywhere in the region a good 3-4 weeks behind. With the end of this high water season behind I think positive and realize the benefits it will yield in a couple years and beyond... lots of healthy trout. When we have high sustained flows you often will see a much higher survival rate of juvenile trout and a faster growth rate... a look on the bright side right?

John Campbell in Western Wyoming

The Green is spotty but fishing decent as flows really begin to drop below 1400cfs. The Snake is very close to releasing the masses, it is fishable at this point with 2' of visibility but may need to drop another 1000cfs before it really gets good. The South Fork is dropping as well but is still a bit off color, not sure why at this point, and the fishing again is spotty with mostly wets catching the trout(15000cfs).

The hatches are all over the place on the Green and its tribs with Green & Grey Drakes, caddis, sallies and golden stones... above is one of my favorite insects, the Grey Drake spinner.

Fly Fishing Report- 7/16/11

2011-07-16T08:22:00.000-07:00

Conditions are slowly improving for area rivers, yet many still remain unfishable. The past couple weeks I have been scattered between private spring creeks, lakes and the Firehole River. As of July 13, I began to play around on the upper Green as flows there are dropping to favorable levels the quickest. The upper Green drains the northern end of the Wind River range and has its origins in the Green River Lakes, therefore flows clear fairly quickly even while they remain high. Optimum levels are below 15oocfs and for now they remain above 24oocfs, this is good news for the trout and anglers visiting in late- July or August, there will be plenty of water. Hatches are in full swing on many rivers regardless of their flows. The Green has a soup of green & grey drakes, pmds, caddis, golden stones & sallies! Most fish are being caught on nymphs but some trout are beginning to look up, this will improve as water drops and clears.

The South Fork is massive still flowing over 22,000cfs! I hear some fish are being caught but it cannot be easy and a bit dangerous as well, looking for 17,000cfs or lower soon!

The Snake in Jackson is 4500cfs out of the dam and is fishing pretty well from the dam to the Buffalo Fork on sallies and pmd's.

These are some brutes we came across on Legacy Ranch last week with Skip Hildebrand and his guests... a great place for trout and bird hunting, share it and check out the link below.

Legacy Ranch with Livewater Properties

Fly Fishing Report- 7/4/11

2011-07-04T13:39:00.000-07:00

Western Green Drake nymphs are primed for hatching on many Snake River tributaries... as flows recede and warm look for thick emergences... many hatches appear to be a month behind.

Our mountain summer arrived on the solstice this year reminding many of us that the spring we just had is a common reality in the northern Rockies. Temps have become more seasonable lately and the last peak of runoff occurred nearly a week ago. With that behind us we are still looking at a long slowly dropping hydro graph for most rivers in the region and excellent river fly fishing is easily weeks away. In the meantime area lakes are providing fantastic action for a variety of trout species, from lake trout to browns & cutthroats.

In years like this with record snowpack and cool spring temps even the famous tail waters of the region can run high and dirty. Luckily, the sight fishing potential is high for a few weeks after ice out on the lakes in Jackson Hole, this scenario can be as good as it gets in the fly fishing world... akin to stalking saltwater gamefish on the flats. This brown trout above was intercepted in less than 2' of water on a #16 olive scud, the real trick is getting the fly in the strike zone without spooking the fish. All together most days on lakes yield fewer numbers of trout than rivers, however the average size catch can easily be 18"-22"!

Lake Trout will remain shallow well into July this year, great sight casting game!

South Fork @ 17,000cfs, fishing is fair but will greatly increase as flows drop.

Snake River @ 2300cfs(dam-PC), sallies and pmd's, murky flows but improving.

Fishing Report for June 17, 2011

2011-06-17T08:50:00.000-07:00

This spring will certainly go down in the record books as the wettest and one of the coolest since record keeping began in 1894. I find myself concerned on different levels- one being the fate of this season and the other concern is for a larger global change of massive proportions that may be accelerating, see 350.org. At the same time I welcome new challenges and high water can certainly offer up a good dose of daily challenges while fishing in the Tetons.

This week the Firehole River in YNP became my focus and I do believe some great angling awaits there in the coming weeks. Generally by now that river is producing some excellent hatches but with the colder discharge from the surrounding mountains this has slowed the fishing there but not for long. Our nymph fishing was fair as the water remains a little high and the general weather is cool. The snowpack on Craig Pass is not massive so I expect that to be dropping and fishing very good in a week or two.

Lewis Lake has yet to ice off as of June 16, the latest I have ever seen, but it is in the breakup period now so we could expect the lake to be ice free by the weekend. Yellowstone Lake is open and fishing well for trophy trout. The South Fork is stable at 15000cfs at the Palisades dam. The reports there are getting better yet the clarity is off, as the lake fills this will get better with each passing day but again the flows will likely increase later in July.

The Snake River below Jackson Lake Dam has dropped(2800cfs)- this is to offset the massive inflows from the tributaries during peak runoff, as the lake fills the flows will likely increase again by mid-July. Until then the fishing is fairly good for a few miles before Pacific Creek. As that water warms hatches will increase and very good fishing could be soon around the corner.

The Green River drainage is fully blown out for likely another month or more, the snowpack there has over 500% its normal water and until the weather warms it will just sit there in the mountains. I will likely find myself fishing some of the muddiest conditions this season during our peak period of late July, my hope is to be quite surprised of our success... I have before seen some remarkable fishing in less than desirable conditions... if the bugs are there the trout will get on the banks and find them!

On a positive note we will have pockets of great fishing throughout the season and by mid-August(perhaps earlier) more consistent fishing and lower flows everywhere.

High Water Trout

2011-06-05T21:41:00.000-07:00

With an astounding snowpack in the high country we welcomed the warmest days of the season this weekend and with some luck myself and some very good clients/friends found a few nice fish over a two day outing in the Jackson Hole area. This big brownie(24") came from the upper Snake on a bugger not far from the take out, talk about saving the best for last! Steve Mancini of San Diego, CA trusted my instincts to just keep chucking the streamer and his pay off was priceless, this guy is set until his next visit in September, hoping for dry fly mania.

River flows will be ramping upward sharply this week as overnight temps stay relatively warm. The region has 200-300% water equivalent in the current snowpack, well above what the system can handle... we are holding our breathe here for sure.

Priceless Stillwaters... The Legacy Ranch

2011-05-07T11:06:00.001-07:00

Every spring, as our rivers rise and begin to surge with melting snow from the vast mountain ranges' frozen reservoir my focus immediately turns to the prospects of our local stillwater fisheries. Stillwaters are defined as any lake, pond, large reservoir or oxbow that offers refuge for trout & and other fish from flowing water. Among fly fishers these bodies of water are often overlooked but do offer every stimuli of the sport as rivers do, often requiring an even more keen and developed skill set for consistent success.

I have cherished stillwaters since childhood, remembering some of my best days as a young fly angler on the countless farm ponds of North Georgia. Naturally my intrigue is stirred when probing our public waters and rarely do I leave without a great sense of fulfillment, yet when an old friend, Tate Jarry calls from Livewater Properties(I have long been involved with Livewater for fishing reports, articles & photography) to tell me about a fishing property in Idaho my stillwater intrigue salivated with excitement.

The Legacy Ranch is positioned perfectly for the trout and waterfowl(upland as well) sanctuary it has become, lying adjacent to a massive wetland zone & flyway near American Falls Reservoir. Along with good friend & angling guru, Jeff Currier we began our adventure, meeting Tate at the ranch a morning in early May. The area was adorned with birds of all groups- raptors, waterfowl, upland, shorebirds & songbirds and this element added a significant relaxing appeal to the landscape. The nearly 700 acre property was like stepping into a pristine wildlife preserve with the 3 spring -fed lakes as the centerpiece that beckoned to all the creatures. We instantly surveyed our options and got right to the fishing. The day was overcast with yet another relentless front with gusty winds in the 30 mph range, challenging but favorable for stirring up food and getting the trout on the move. We quickly got into chunky 18-20" rainbow trout that were as wild as any I had experienced. As my burnt orange seal buggers got into the strike zone with a type III sinking line the tugs were sharp and addicting. After a couple passes through this comma shaped lake of about 10 acres we had landed our share of beautifully colored rainbows, hybrids and one gorgeous cutthroat all ranging from 18-30"... yes, I said 30"- the best was 11 lbs!

As the front passed the clouds cleared and we jumped around to the second lake. Here we found more activity in the wind swept shallows on olive mohairs and black buggers, typical stillwater flies and presentations. Hours later, as we beamed with pure fly fishing satiation we called the day a wrap and headed in for dinner and some beers as we recapped an amazing experience.

The next morning brought calmer conditions and brilliant sun, a significantly tougher scenario. We were on the water by 10am and found the activity to be spread out and slow. Immediately Jeff began to run through flies, rigs, depths and strip speeds. I just stayed with the small leeches and assumed they would turn on when they were ready. Jeff has long been involved in competition fly fishing so his instincts were saying otherwise but because we had no previous history with the habits of these fish it was hard to say what was happening, neither was working all that well. After refueling on a light lunch we headed to the second lake of about 15 acres. Here, Jeff had rigged 2 small nymphs on a floating line to work in shallower zones believing we were too deep in the previous lake.

As we launched the boat I saw in my peripheral a subtle rise formation that needed a closer look and there on the flat surface was a callibaetis adult. We quickly turned the boat, gently dropped the anchor and watched several big rainbows dasiy chain a warm flat gulping emergent mayflies. Jeff made 6 casts with his tandem rig and caught 5- 20" rainbows back to back... in his words we "cracked the code", or we simply were in the right place at the right time. Good anglers adapt and change water or flies, great anglers do both! We went on to have several hours of hot action with shallow nymphs slowly retrieved. In the end we boated perhaps 30+ trout in the 18"-24" class. Completely spoiled we trailered the boat, cleaned up and headed home.

I'm not sure if I will ever make it back to the Legacy Ranch or if I will ever experience anything quite like it elsewhere, this place has a magical feel that in my opinion is priceless.

Ice Age 2011!

2011-05-01T09:59:00.000-07:00

Daffodils emerging from a light snow, April 27... this has been a common morning occurrence this spring.

I regret to post that our snowpack has reached record breaking depths and could easily grow deeper over the next week. Our weather pattern is stuck in a consistent cool trough with ample moisture and as of this morning the snow water equivalent in our current base, measured at various stations around the drainage, is a massive 163% of normal. The silver lining at this point is that Wyoming's drought is over for now and area water agencies have learned hard lessons in the past from similar seasons and are dumping water from local reservoirs to help make room for the inevitable... flooding! Best case scenario is that the flow of precipitation stops soon and temperatures slowly climb maybe 5 degrees/week but night time lows remain cool. This will minimize the severity of the flood when it occurs, and it will. Worst case scenario is another month of cool, moisture laden weather over the region, preventing runoff to start gradually. Furthermore, turning from the cool 30's & 40's in the mountains to a sharp contrasting 60's & 70's in a week or two could be troubling.

Ok, enough doomsday talk. There will be some fantastic summer & fall fishing this year and the stillwater show is going to be the ticket later in May & into June. I love fly fishing lakes so stay tuned for good lake updates from JH & Western Wyoming. I guided a fun day with Philip Harris and his friends from Memphis last week on the Snake River. The flows are high and cold and it could be considered some of the most challenging conditions possible for the Snake. However, with the right mindset and a few beers the day can only end well. We found some very nice trout on streamers but it took a lot of work and focus.

Snowy Spring Break!

2011-04-11T21:36:00.000-07:00

One of my spring traditions is to escape for some SW Montana fly fishing each year after our ski resort closes, most seasons around the 1st week in April. This year I teamed up with fellow guide and ski bums, Weldon Jones and Max LaPrade. The year as far as snow has been relentless! For avid skiers it was a banner season, face shots all the time is like catching 20" trout all the time, you get a little spoiled quickly. Anyhow, once the resort closes I could care less to see another flake of the white stuff and frankly this year I'm a bit concerned about flooding we've had so much snow... 580" and counting, so you can see it was important to escape to the Banana Belt, a description for the lower elevation areas in SW Montana & Eastern Idaho.

Our trip was on no matter what, so we dug out the driftboat in Victor and by noon we found ourselves drooling over the riffles and seams along the Madison, quickly forgetting our ski lives that have ruled for nearly 5 months(I actually sent the family to Mexico so this was a special "Hall Pass" trip). We realized, once on the water, that it was chilly and we clad ourselves with our backup layers- Down Parkas! Hoping for 50's we got 30's with a stiff wind... the fishing took a little time to figure out but we remained patient and fortunately we had provisions, no spring break trip is complete without beer.

Day 2 & 3: We ventured over to Twin Bridges for a look, hoping to score a day on the Jefferson but it was blown out. We opted for a float on the lower Big Hole River that was still on the high side but fishable... we didn't care, it was new water and we had beer, life is good. We caught a few nice trout that day on streamers but it was not easy, down right tough, even the worm wasn't working. In the afternoon the North wind became too much and the air temp was falling, we began to row off for a couple hours not really sure of our take out... we got our butts kicked and frozen! The next day your all amped for a new day but what does the weather man say? "Winter Storm Warning", @&%#! The folks at our lodge thought we were crazy for going out... we said "ahh, its fine we have down jackets and beer". I admit I was a little concerned because at the boat launch it was 26 degrees and blowing 30+, we got on the water and just ignored the conditions... I thought of my wife&kids on the beach to stay warm. By 2pm we hadn't had much luck, just a few but then the wind just died and the air became calm and warmed to perhaps 34 degrees which felt like the 50 we wanted. Most importantly the trout turned on and we had a banner evening bringing these stunning rainbow & brown trout to hand, you just never know what the day may bring.

Our last day was on the Big Hole again and the weather finally broke for a few hours. Funny enough but not surprising the best day was the day of the storm, at least in a catching sense. We basked in the 45 degree sun floating down the Big Hole telling stories, laughing and sharing some beer, Happy Spring!

Getting Buried in WY!

2011-03-28T21:43:00.000-07:00

Winding down the last week at the JHMR and there is no end in sight... it dumps for a couple hours or more everyday! Skiers are being pushed to their limits pursuing the unlimited spring pow, meantime some are determined to try their luck on the river with promising results.

Midges are bringing nice trout and whitefish to the soft edges of seams for some nourishment to get a jump on the spring deluge that could bring significant flooding to the area in May and June... too much of a good thing this snow can be! After the resort shuts down I am packing up for some Montana on the Fly... the Big Hole, Madison & Jefferson- stay tuned for pics and another spring update.

Back in the Flow

2011-03-07T07:30:00.000-08:00

Just as our snow pack began to fall back to a normal average at the end of February the moisture out of the Pacific kicked in and the Tetons are now seeing an accelerated increase in water content, a great delight to area skiers yet depending on how the spring eventually plays out a perhaps daunting runoff scenario with significant flooding could occur.

To the visitor the area can appear to be in the depths of winter but in fact there are significant signs of spring all around. By March the sun's angle is high enough to create significant melting on southern aspects- even during colder temperature periods that become increasingly rare as the month progresses. The valley's snow is slowly retreating and snowfall in March rarely sticks to black top surfaces at lower elevations, an indication that day time heating is increasing. Smaller ponds in the valley are clearing of ice and waterfowl and migratory birds are on the increase weekly.

On the mountains(above 8000') winter has its grip for another 30+ days and skiers are relishing in bountiful powder snow! On the sunny days locals transform to giddy, fun loving ski freaks, dressed in retro-ski wear or even bathing suits as temps climb into the upper thirties(after a long cold winter, 35-45 degrees feels like 7o... its nice). But for now we are in the flow and skiing upon a deep and stable snow pack.... happy turns!

Cabin Fever Trout

2011-02-13T20:02:00.000-08:00

It is the time of year when pouring over season's past images and videos spark a certain excitement and deep down inside you feel a sense of anticipation that builds momentum over the next couple of months- no matter your pleasure we all have cabin fever! Don't get me wrong, I love the Wyoming winters for their ferociousness and serenity, not to mention the sick skiing that still lies ahead but when it all begins to give into the natural progression of the seasons you savor every second and begin to dream of green grass, trees and flowing water. Real cabin fever actually can drive a man crazy, pinned up inside during months of harsh winter weather, but this winter has been particularly nice overall delivering ample snow for our skiing delight and water reserves, as well as not crushing us with arctic temps below zero for long periods at a time. As of now our snowpack is in the 112% range for the next few days and could easily be at 100% by next week if the dry trend continues.

The buzz of fly fishing is entering more conversations lately and I am seeing a general up tick in activity on blogs and facebook. For me the skiing is still top priority for a few more weeks but I am beginning to dust off gear and prepare for the late-winter vaccine that will launch me into yet another Jackson Hole fly fishing season... a fever and illness all in itself.

January Thaw= January Fly Fishing

2011-01-16T12:14:00.000-08:00

The roller coaster weather continues as we have gone from sub-zero temps to near 40 degrees and valley rain. This can be hard on the avid skier's mindset as we prefer the dry powder snow but the ardent winter angler can cash in big during mid-winter warming trends.

If water temps pop up a few degrees its possible to see sparse midge activity in the early afternoon and if you can find winter lies that are still you may see a cold nose or two break the surface.

Teton Park is a visual paradise in the winter but is largely off limits to travel for winter wildlife habitat. The best venues for consistent winter angler in and around Jackson Hole can be found on the Henry's Fork and South Fork of the mighty Snake River. You generally can have the river to yourself and catch a ton of whitefish and maybe a few hefty trout!

Snake River near Moose, Wyoming- Grand Teton National Park

Bittersweet BRRR!

2011-01-10T08:49:00.001-08:00

A late Happy New Year wish going out to all! With the holidays behind me I am catching up on photo and video edits, 2010 stats and 2011 promos and ideas, our beloved fishing season will return soon so its time to start preparing. In the meantime we are skiing and it has been a banner season thus far. Near record snows have our local snow pack at 116% of normal with some drainages reporting over 150% of normal... if these trends continue look for a massive runoff this spring- a good flushing for sure. The winter has been a roller coaster of storms followed by frigid air for a few days... this morning it was -8 degrees in Jackson and -24 degrees in Pinedale, yikes!

Stay tuned on Facebook and follow the guides blogs as we are launching a spring fly fishing school that will hone your skills for the 2011 season.

Best to all, get out and enjoy the powder snow... it is my favorite winter pastime!

Weldon Jones ripping the trees of JHMR

Hikers heading up Pepi's bench for the fresh lines on a rare bluebird day this winter

Sweet Snovember!

2010-11-24T16:24:00.000-08:00

Starting what looks to be a fantastic season (they are all good if you ask me) here at JHMR & Pepi Stiegler Sports. Vigorous storms this later part of fall have blanketed the area with nearly 130" of snow and the resort hasn't even opened yet! Backcountry enthusiasts are elated with fresh Thanksgiving "cold smoke" and premier conditions at each resort for the locals to enjoy before the crowds do in December. Stay tuned for photo galleries and ski talk... sorry, not much fishing going on for me when the skiing is this good.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Dave Smith

Weldon Jones

Farewell to the 2010 fishing season-

2010-11-09T07:35:00.000-08:00

Our amazing autumn weather has slowly given in to the grips of winter as overnight temps finally plunge to more seasonal averages and local snow making prepares low elevation runs for the upcoming ski area openings, a sure sign of winter. For the ardent angler however, there is still some fine late fall fishing to be had on the South Fork and Henry's Fork of the Snake River. Streamers and midges are the main courses for these late season outings that can often produce some hefty trout.

Ed Dutilly locks into some action on the HF over the weekend as Louie looks on with great anticipation.

2010 has been another fine season with many realizations that catching our beautiful trout of the region is only a small piece to the greater puzzle of angling. With so much suffering and pain in our modern world it is a great privilege to haunt these rivers on a day to day basis and share with folks from all walks of life the grandeur and depth of our natural resources here in Western Wyoming & Eastern Idaho.

I will be cranking up the winter season next week at Pepi Stiegler Sports, come visit for any custom bootfitting needs or any other alpine ski questions. Thank you for a great season on the water, best to all- Scott Smith

I'm ready for some POW!

An Autumn Storm Moves In

2010-10-26T15:05:00.000-07:00

An Autumn storm has moved across the region shattering our glorious extension of fall. In just 24 hours we went from a dry & mild afternoon to blowing, driving rain turning to snow- not just a fall wet dump, this storm came in cold in the pm of the 24th and so far has dropped nearly 3 feet of the good stuff at 9000' and about 8"-10" in town. Talk about shifting gears... one day your mountain biking or in my case fishing in sandals and the next your shoveling and checking out faceshot photos on FB! You gotta love Wyoming weather!

These are a few random pics from my late season excursions... they show the little things you see through a day that make it special, its not always about a fish in the hand.

Fine Fall Weather Mania!

2010-10-18T15:32:00.000-07:00

Still entertaining the best weather of the year(in my opinion) with nice crisp mornings and super nice afternoons which has actually slowed the fishing some... it is still good but can be spotty while flows are on the decent. Traffic is wonderful- near zero, what a great time of year..

This is another gorgeous Lewis Lake brownie captured by John Campbell. John and I had a great season together and this trip topped off the year for us just right.

The weather is so nice lately that the urge to catch up on missed summer mountain biking is disrupting my fishing... tough decisions here in the Hole!

Nonetheless, since guide work has dropped off the planet- what do guides do with their down time before the ski season? That's right, we go fishing! Enjoyed a couple days with the guys on Lewis Lake and then the South Fork for an overnight that could have been mistaken for an evening in August. Best to everyone, stay tuned for more fall fishing, whenever it arrives!

Trey, Ed, Weldon & Noah, kicked back on the South Fork.

Rocktober!

2010-10-04T20:33:00.000-07:00

October is a special time that I personally feel can offer the finest angling of the season when a few conditions come together like a perfect storm. The days are shortening therefore feeding periods can be brief yet aggressive, colder & lower water can tighten schools of trout into massive pods making competition fierce, spawning occurs among a few species and lastly, some fabulous hatches offer the angler and the trout a bug of significance, yet often tiny. For me it signifies the end of another guide season and allows myself and other guide friends to share some time on the water together.

Last week provided some of the best weather of the 'hole' season... cool mornings and stunning warm afternoons. Today, I finally broke down and put on waders as the pleasant weather pattern has now ended and rain is in the forecast... soon it will be time to start thinking about skiing!

This is the black bear that has been hanging around below Moose on the Snake River for over a week. Can he finish that entire elk this fall? The bear appears to have put on some serious weight since I first noticed him, he will sleep well this winter.

Some of my competition.

Summer Recharged!

2010-09-26T21:16:00.000-07:00

Wow! What a week... just when I thought it was time to start ripping out winter gear our old friend summer decided to come back and rain golden sunshine all over the region. Since the One Fly we have steadily held afternoon temps in the mid-70's, some days reaching 80! Truly odd for late September in Western Wyoming but no one is complaining.

This is a great time in the Tetons... we have brilliant fall colors, cool mornings, absolutely perfect afternoons(minus the terrible wind that has seemed to plague us all season), low crowds and hot dry fly action just about everywhere. Rivers of the region are active with mahoganies, tricos, BWO's and terrestrials like the plump hopper below. Most days are slow to start but quickly heat up with parachute mayflies and by the afternoon larger hopper patterns are still moving nice trout along grassy banks.

A recent day off landed me in the fortunate position to go fishing with Mark Fuller and our friend Darren Calhoun from Thermopolis, Wyoming. We all shared the rowing this day searching this secluded section of river with streamers and large hoppers with agonizing intensity... will the trophy of a lifetime show itself today? In the end we shared some amazing trout water together and several great trout including this gorgeous male brown of 23" that fell for a grasshopper.

Mark Fuller with a slab Snake River cutthroat

Season Homestretch

2010-09-15T21:33:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite places and times... the Snake River in Grand Teton National Park during the fall, fly fishing grandeur at its best!

Once again the One Fly Event ushers in scenes from the upcoming season that we all admire in beauty yet scowl at its termination of summer... hence the name termination dust. The better side of this story is that great angling awaits for those who venture out.

This front brought some fairly hefty snows to the mountains and cold morning temps dipping into the twenties... this shock in water temp cools the morning bite that was dominating just 10 days ago, now we are seeing a fall pattern of mid-late day feeding, especially on various mayflies during the cloudy periods.

Hecuba at the vise

Winds of Change

2010-09-06T20:19:00.000-07:00

The Snake Drake... hecuba timpanoga

Over the past two weeks the weather and trout have been stirring, a signal that we are are in the beginnings of autumn. With each cool front and accompanying overcast and rain brings fantastic fly fishing to the Snake River region. During these late summer storm cycles the bugs get moving and the trout pay close attention to riffles and shallow side channel seams... at this time we are seeing a steady flow of paraleps(mahogany duns), hecubas(slate wing "drake") and baetis(BWO)... in addition to the mayflies our abundant western brown stone flies are ever present yet elusive, hence the effectiveness of the old Chernobyl ant and its modern imitations.

Stone Hopper... Lorenzo, Idaho

Scott Smith with long time client and friend John Marion

After the fronts move through and the vicious winds settle we get back to pleasant weather that warms under the brilliant sunlight and with this the now fat hoppers steal the show along grassy banks. Needless to say its on in the Hole! The Snake River of our valley is in the prime of the year now, just in time for the annual One Fly Event. After the tournament look for even better fishing as the crowds taper off, yet as true fall approaches the best of the day becomes compressed into fewer hours each week due to colder nights and shorter days.

Best of Luck this weekend... be Safe!

August rainbows & hoppers!

2010-08-23T21:29:00.000-07:00

August brings the grind of the year, a bittersweet mixture of pure exhaustion and elation. As of lately the the rivers are producing fine angling but it doesn't always come easy. Many of the smaller rivers that were hot in July are now very low and tough to float and most guides are steering clear... but with single anglers you can find off the beaten track hopper action that heats up near 1pm as the afternoon wind cranks up... if the hoppers are not on the ants will be, simple as that! On the big rivers like the Snake and the South Fork action is still excellent but can be described as spotty and sometimes down right technical... just what I love, spotty enough to have a beer and technical to keep it interesting.

Adrian with a nice Green River 'bow that was sight cast to with a tan hopper... pretty fun! Thanks to the Lenzen family for a few fun days.

Images like the one above are the ones I love the most... an absolutely beautiful creature in the palm of your hand, full of spunk and brilliant with color... they are why we fly fishers go to great lengths and spend insane money to just peer over their beauty briefly.

Scenes of Summer

2010-07-31T06:31:00.000-07:00

Skip & Murphy share a moment on the Green River.

Over the past week I have ventured all over Eastern Idaho & Western Wyoming and I must say the moose population looks healthy from my perspective... over a dozen views similar to this nice bull on the Green River near Pinedale, WY. The animals you encounter on the river are a special bonus to the day, its nice to see them in their natural setting... thriving.

Grand Teton Park is coming into its prime fishing season now and the days on the river in this special place are amazing. I always have to remind people to put their rods down and look around for a moment. These mountains haunt your mind with their magnificence, many compare them to the alps of Europe. In fact they are among the youngest mountains in N. America still growing a couple centimeters per year. There is no better place to catch native trout and experience breathtaking scenery than here... now booking mid- September!

A large non-native from the Snake River, Lake Trout find their way into the river system generally through Jackson Lake Dam. In the upper reaches they thrive on Utah chubs and whitefish living in the slow deep runs in relative harmony with our prized Snake River Finespotted cutthroats.

Summer Trout Bliss

2010-07-22T22:26:00.000-07:00

It is truly hard to describe how amazing some of our local fisheries can shine when they are in their prime. If you are a core fly fisherman you know that special windows throughout the season present themselves and when they do you hope you are there... it is tough to just hear about it, it pulls at you. Well, as of lately is one of those periods you need to experience every so often as an angler... it keeps you searching for that next window.

Last week was a Green River Tour, this week I have launched 4 of 5 days on the South Fork for good reason... its a dam fun river to fish and guide! I hit the lower and canyon alternately and found amazing dryfly action off the main channel from the boat and on foot... just enough work to keep it interesting but very gratifying, often sight casting to large, happy trout. Hatches are holding steady with golden stones, sallies, pmd's & caddis.

Bob King & Dave and I weathered the storms on Wednesday to find a late afternoon insect explosion. In 2-3 hrs. we released 30+ trout up to 20" all on small dries.

Wide Open Now!

2010-07-09T21:09:00.001-07:00

It is on in the Hole! The only bad thing about the fishing for me right now is that I'm not the one doing the fishing... I have a serious urge to strip streamers & twitch big dries... mend long, perfect mends & set the @%*&%#? hook! Oh well, at least I have a great job showing folks the depth of this sport and region.

Serious brown town on the Green river with several amazing hatches going off this next week or two... green & grey drakes, caddis & many stoneflies... a literal bug soup.

Flows are lowering and stabling out for the summer on every drainage, even the Snake in Jackson is hitting well. The South Fork is in its usual mid-July form... EPIC! Bugs are everywhere and the fish are looking up well by noon most days. Enjoy the fun angling but please think of the trout, take care of them always!

When will it POP?

2010-07-02T22:42:00.000-07:00

Caddis Larvae(Brachycentrus)... this is the early summer emerger in our area that can create massive clouds of flight, seeing them on Flat Creek now.

Fairly high flows from Jackson Lake dam(3600cfs) recently is keeping the hot action at bay. Good numbers of little sally stoneflies(isoperlidae) are in the air but not many trout showing on top yet. Nymphing is still the best way to intercept those deep hole feeders. I feel that the water temps are a bit on the cool side(49degrees) for aggressive feeding and this is a direct result of the heavy flow from the dam.

Soon however, fantastic action will be popping all around... its like a tea kettle beginning to slowly whistle. The Green(2100cfs) and South Fork(15,800cfs) are still high and again, cool keeping heavy insect activity low. I hear that the nymphing is pretty good on the South Fork but my favorite venue lately has been the lakes... amazing sight casting scenarios when the wind lays down.

Be sure to check out our new shop, opening later this week across from Sweetwater Restaurant on King Street.... Jack Dennis Fly Fishing!

Hello Sunshine!

2010-06-25T15:55:00.001-07:00

First salmonfly of 2010- Father's Day

Finally, a break from the late spring gray transitioning to brilliant solstice blue skies... welcome summer! Fishing as of lately is excellent on area lakes while rivers continue and up and down cycle of snow melt and water releases from reservoirs. The Green and South Fork are the best float fishing venues as of now. Flows are still on the high end but clarity and bug activity are increasing daily. Mostly a wet fly scenario now we are seeing best action with streamers and deep nymph rigs combining stonefly nymphs and "aquatic annelids". Reports from the Firehole have been great but word is the water temp is rising quickly during the day and the action is slow in the afternoon.

My daughter, Sydney and I out on a morning float Father's day... she loves the bugs and the trout!

Spring Mac Attack

2010-06-15T13:19:00.001-07:00

Casting to Jenny Lake "bonefish" on "Miami Beach" sand flats!

Finally seeing some pleasant weather in the area this week and the fishing on local lakes is heating up. As the big rivers flow with turbid flood waters the lakes along the Teton Range and in Yellowstone Park provide, at times incredible fly fishing. My guide trips lately have been on Lewis Lake in YNP with action all day on small leech streamers and sinking lines. Often we can sight cast to the mackinaw or lake trout in shallow water providing an exciting element that is very gratifying. Soon dry fly action will follow on these lakes as hatches pick up with the warming sun and our fond cutthroats and browns will certainly be cruising for these morsels.

Mackinaw or Lake Trout

Typical Palisades Brown Trout

The good news is that the rivers are beginning to drop some and that we have likely seen the peak runoff last week(flood stage @ Moose... 20,000cfs!). The Green River is fishable and I hope to have a positive report later this week. The Firehole River in YNP is still fishing very well in the midday hours on flavs and pmd's, also seeing some caddis and stoneflies. If you can hangout up there long after the crowds leave some great action occurs before dark on flav spinners. Let's get ready, fish on!

Late Spring Fever

2010-06-03T20:45:00.000-07:00

Got Trout?

The ospreys of Jackson Hole are now hunting private ponds and spring creeks as the Snake River finally blewout with turbidity this past week. Ice is off all Teton area lakes with Lewis and Shoshone likely to ice off this week. Great time to head out and pursue mackinaw in the shallows... this is the one fish of the region I will not hesitate to take a few home for some "char tacos", maybe a recipe will soon follow!

The gem of the Snake- Finespotted Cutthroat Trout

Reports from the field are overall good with the Firehole River in its prime for the next 3-4 weeks, especially if the cool weather persists, just about everything is on the menu there. On our journeys to Yellowstone we often get great roadside shots of grizzly & black bears, a wonderful drive no matter what you see. Lastly, the South Fork of the Snake is fishing rather well with nymphs and streamers... the flows are great and the water clarity amazing for June- bring on the big bugs!

Rollercoaster Spring

2010-05-24T19:53:00.000-07:00

Since returning from the warmth of the deep south we have had every type weather imaginable here in Jackson Hole. One day it is a nice spring afternoon and you think we are out in the clear and 12 hours later it is spitting snow and blowing like it would in March. The good news is that this weather pattern has brought our snow pack back from the brink and we are looking at ample water for the region, unless the summer turns hot and dry... certainly no indications of that happening.

The fishing as of lately has been isolated but as the photo above indicates you do have a good chance for trophy fish now. This is a transitional period where normally our rivers are high and quite dirty but due to the cool weather our peak runoff is holding back... perhaps the latest start to the runoff in many years.

The trend will be for the Snake and Green to blow out soon but the South Fork is dropping and clearing and the nymph fishing is turning on. One of my favorite times is ice off on area lakes which provides great angling until the rivers return to a reasonable flow for driftboat fishing... get out there, the season is short enough!

Southern Comfort!

2010-05-12T13:06:00.000-07:00

Kalik... the beer of the Bahamas

Just returned from a fantastic spring getaway with the family to the good 'ole South and beyond. Spent a few days in the Atlanta area before heading down to Orlando, FL with the kids and grandparents to visit Disney World, talk about a cash cow that place is rolling in it. After a few days with the kids and family, Dana and I were able to sneak away for some quite time in the Bahamas, one of my new favorite places. We stayed on Exuma Island for 4 days, mostly basking in the sun and drinking beer(and eating fresh grouper & snapper)! I was fortunate to escape for a little fly fishing along our beach near Georgetown, where I enjoyed juvenile snappers, jacks & cudas in abundance. Took a half day to check out the local flats as I was hearing of trophy bonefish in the area... our guide Olie put me on some nice bones in a matter of minutes, bagging my personal best of about 7-8lbs(bummer no photo). This place has captured my attention and if it pleases my wife and the fishing and beer are excellent we gotta return!

Wading the Trophy Bonefish flats of Exuma, Bahamas.

While in Atlanta I always get a couple days in with my dad on some bass water. This trip the rivers blew out from heavy rain so we headed to a private lake with my cousin Joe looking for post spawn hogs. We fished the 6 acre lake hard only finding small bass and bedding bluegills. At lunch we noticed this fat hen hanging around the bluegills for an easy meal... she was aggressive for sure. She took a bluegill from us twice and we finally landed her on a crawfish. 7-8 pound Largemouth Bass...Great fun!

High Plains Trout

2010-04-19T12:59:00.000-07:00

Stan Czarniak showing off a nice early season brown.

Finally, settling into the spring season and ventured off to a special place... I was hoping for PIGtopia but instead we were greeted with typical hard streamer chucking, beer drinking conditions, ok by me! We did coax a few very nice fish each day and had spectacular April weather for Western Wyoming, nearing 65 degrees. So nice, that my angling partners found time to nap on the river each day for nearly a half hour... that is relaxing at its best!

Mark Fuller with his best of two days... these fish were preferring smaller streamers, like buggers & leeches over the big nasty bites. River conditions are ever changing now, as we departed this section the clarity went from 2' to 6"... that is tough. However, in Jackson Hole the Snake is fishing very well on midges and small minnow streamers. I guided last Thursday below Wilson and we fished dry flies the entire stretch to South Park, boating a dozen or so all over 14"!

Midges of Spring

2010-04-14T13:03:00.000-07:00

Louie enjoys his first cutthroat trout of the year!

Thus far the spring in Jackson has been a nice mixture of either cool and unsettled or warm and pleasant. These conditions keep the rivers running clear and help conserve or precious snowpack. Fishing on the Snake River has been very good with consistent midge hatches and trout rising in pods early in the afternoon. Dark streamers are effective while searching the quiet zones of a run where the hefty cutthroats like to hang. The best thing about April on the Snake... no crowds! Heading off to warmer climates soon to chase largemouth bass followed by some Bahama Bonefish! Happy Spring to all!

Midges cluster up to mate in the afternoon sun.

Farewell to the 09-10 Ski Season!

2010-04-05T18:25:00.000-07:00

Mark Fuller enjoying some late season POW turns on the Headwall.

One thing is for sure, you never know what may happen in the Tetons. Just as our winter season was literally melting away and spring was making a grand entrance, the jet stream finally shifted into a favorable position and has provided an amazing come back to the 2010 ski season. Snow and wind moved into the region with only a week left at Jackson Hole Mtn. Resort and buffed out weeks of rutted moguls and variable snow with up to 4' of fresh. The snow has brought with it a renewed sense for water in the upcoming runoff... the region was at the cusp of severe drought but now may be just a bit off of normal, the next few weeks hold the key.

March was offering some great action to those who ventured out during the early spring tease. Even though the region is getting snow and the weather has cooled off a bit do not count out the pre-runoff angling, it can be amazing during this time just about anywhere. I prefer the lower reaches of the larger rivers this time of year as the larger trout come lurking from their winter lairs. Get out there and brush up on some streamer casting and perhaps some small dries!

Early Spring on the Snake River

2010-03-19T09:47:00.000-07:00

Combine one of the lightest snowfalls on record with an early spring and you get the ingredients for some great early season angling in the Jackson Hole area. Skiers are doubtful the season will make much of a turn around at this point and are grabbing their bikes and fly rods as the season shifts rather quickly. Valley snow is quickly receding into the higher benches which is opening up river access and has even got some drift boats running through town in search of the early season bite.

Many are reporting good action which is not surprising due to the warm temps that is pushing water temps into the magical 42 degrees mark in the afternoon... midges and BWO's and soon skwalla stones will bring nice trout to the shallows to feed. Big streamers can lock into larger famished trout in the deep holes and slow troughs. Take care of all our trout, they may have a very long season ahead!

Spring Update-

2010-03-07T20:43:00.000-08:00

Trumpeters on Flat Creek in the National Wildlife Refuge

Our hopes for a wet and powder filled March are quickly fading as warm & dry trends continue. Spring is in the air as birds sing with song... I know spring is early when the red-winged blackbirds show up the first week of March, last year it was the first week of April. The ice is nearly off on my pond and cyclist are hitting the pathways... I want to be skiing a little longer!

The snowpack is still hovering around 60% of normal which is about as bad as I have ever seen at this time, however we fortunately had two consecutive banner winters that recharged our reservoirs and water table, so unless it turns hot and dry for the next 8 months we should manage to squeak out another good season for fishing. April and May hold the answer... if we can preserve what we have now into May it will be a fairly average runoff but if it keeps melting at this rate early June could be hot on the Snake, Green and South Fork... by August the trout have seen it all and it can get tough! One thing is for sure, every year is different.

Hearing of good fishing reports from the region as the temps warm. The trout are midging on the Snake and bigger insects could soon follow if weather persists.

Winter Daydreaming!

2010-02-16T15:23:00.000-08:00

Late Winter in Jackson Hole can make the mind wander and drift... as of lately, I have visions of lonely sections of rivers, void of anyone but bountiful with insects and eager trout sipping on the surface.

Size is not always the answer to glory but rather the elation and feel behind a well presented dryfly and the take of a summer trout, soaked in warmth and the pureness of a mountain stream.- SS

Ok... I am back from my outer body experience and ready to get skiing! A good dump last week laid down nearly 2' of nice pow but also brought out the skiers in high numbers. Business is very good lately at the shop but its tough to get out before the noonday sun hits the snow and destroys those precious flakes. Here is Weldon Jones ripping through some rapidly changing fluff.

Keeping it real in JH

2010-02-09T09:51:00.000-08:00

Weldon Jones hittn' the Pepi's kickr' after a fun outing.

A great view of Pepi's Ridge from the Quad... hikers looking for the freshest of snow.

Our winter has taken a nice turn over the past few weeks piling up several feet of light "cowboy" powder snow. We are, however, still below average for the season and knocking on the home stretch as March quickly approaches. March through May can be the wettest period of the year so there is still ample opportunity to stock pile some snowpack.

As for me, I have been working hard at the shop making skiers feet happy and making a few turns of my own almost daily. Winter fishing has been harder for me since the little ones came along but I do plan to escape soon as my body aches from banging turns at the BIG one. Hope to report on a glorious day from the Henry's Fork.

Here we Go! Party in the Hole!

2010-01-26T13:04:00.000-08:00

Stan Everetts on Jackson Hole Mountain resort's lower faces.

Happy skiers loaded up on the Sublette Quad.

Almost 5' in the past week! We are skiing now!

I have to admit the start to this season has been brutal on gear and minds, but boy how it can quickly turn around in the Northern Rockies. The onslaught of moisture last week in California brought a generous storm cycle to the Tetons and Western Wyoming, eventually dumping nearly 5' over 6 days... before, every skier in the area was slightly depressed as we watched our season slip by without any good moisture. Now, attitudes are gleaming and hoots and shouts echo throughout the glades and open bowls.

As a local guide and angler, I feel, at least for now, somewhat relieved that we are getting good snow that is building a great snowpack. See you out on the slopes soon!

Dry Winter Continues...

2010-01-18T10:09:00.000-08:00

Hoar Frost along Flat Creek, south of Jackson, WY

A massive High pressure has dominated our region now since January 8th, accompanied by frigid valley temps and warmer upper elevation temps, typically known as an inversion. Today there is hope of breaking down this ridge and some snow is in the forecast for the next week or so, let's keep our fingers crossed! If the skiing remains as it is, I hope to venture off and wet a fly soon... one of the upsides to a drier winter. Last time I checked our snowpack is at or below 60%... yikes!

Where is the Snow!

2009-12-29T14:59:00.000-08:00

Season thus far is a no show!... our snowpack is barely over 60% of normal at this point but no need to worry yet, there are several snowy months ahead to hopefully regain some moisture, let's keep our fingers crossed. Skiing is fair at best in the Jackson Hole area, our snow base is the second lowest in history next to 1976. Weather forecast show a general turn around starting later this week, our eyes are on the skies for snowflakes! Best holiday wishes to everyone and looking forward to a new year... stay tuned for more winter updates and photos, thank you again for a great season. -Scott

Thanksgiving Stripers

2009-12-07T09:55:00.000-08:00

My Thanksgiving travels landed me down south in Atlanta, GA where I teamed up with an old friend, Brian Shinall and guide Henry Cowen on the city's water source reservoir and premier striped bass fishery, Lake Lanier. Our observations told us conditions were prime but the stripers had another idea for the day... lockjaw! However, tough catching we explored and did see some fish here and there, it just wasn't happening. Growing up near Lake Lanier I was very familiar with the fickleness of this inland striper fishery and to be persuing these fish with flies only, well is asking for a skunking. It brought to my attention, not for the first time but reminded me why we fly fish... it is to persue gamefish in an artistic manner, combining predator/prey knowledge and biology of the fishery into a well thought out plan; in this days case the fish won. Lastly, and perhaps most important is the fact that catching is not required to be successful; yet, just learning from what the journey and experience has to offer.

Early morning run on Lake Lanier

After a wonderful turkey day with family in the North Georgia mountains, my wife and kids and I headed to South Carolina for the final leg of our trip to see more family. I couldn't let the stripers go and my father-in-law and I joined up with guide, Tim Marchbanks on Lake Hartwell, another well know striper fishery bordering GA & SC. This day I reverted to the use of live bait under the high recommendations of our guide(always listen to your guide) but kept a fly rod near in the case that fish showed near the surface or shallow on the depth graph. I lucked out with several nice stripers in the 4-7lb class on the live herring but only one small grab on the fly. The fish were just not interested in eating much, not even the bait and due to the depth they were holding(30-40') it was very hard to get a fly in the strike zone. I did however, see the exciting potential for hot fly action, we just didn't find it this trip. That is why they call it fishing!

Winter Transition Underway

2009-11-17T08:28:00.000-08:00

Mark Fuller and Tom Montgomery work an evening pod on the South Fork, 11/09/09.

It appears that the 2009 fishing season here in Western Wyoming is a wrap. As of lately temps are in the single digits in the morning and crawling slowly towards the freezing mark late in the day... pretty cold for comfortable fly fishing. However, there is some decent midge and streamer action to be found for those brave souls who venture out. I am heading south for Thanksgiving and have two days booked with some "inland Striper" guides in Georgia and South Carolina, they are saying it is turning on and the good linesides(8-15lbs) are near the surface... that should be some good tugs on the old fly rod! Stay tuned for the results.

Look for ski and winter fishing updates soon, I will be building custom liners, footbeds & boots again at Pepi Stiegler Sports in Teton Village, stop in if visiting this winter. Tight Loops!-SS

Our guides days last week turned out nicely... the weather was perfect and the fishing was relaxing- here is Jeff Currier & Tom Montgomery reflecting the summer's ventures and ambitions for the future.

Montana Getaway!

2009-10-30T09:57:00.000-07:00

I just returned from a long overdue fishing binge in Montana with good friends, Ben Brennan and Mike Patron. We managed to slip away from the wives unscathed and journeyed north to start the trip on the Missouri River near Craig, MT, this is a very well known tailwater emerging from the Holter Dam in Wolf Creek, MT. I have only fished this river in late October and in general it has always treated me to some of the finest "technical" dry fly fishing around. Technical just means small imitations of BWO's and midges(#18-22) combined with lighter tippets, demanding drifts and "hot", picky rainbows! The overall feel of this river is that of a giant spring creek(3500cfs) with long slow glides and bottoms mostly covered with aquatic vegetation-an insect machine! Our weather was a mixed October bag of warm, overcast wind on the first day then colder gusty winds on the second and lastly a cold calm snowy day... our final day was our best with steady snow and temps near freezing all day- Pod mania! Rainbows and browns scattered on flats and banks sipping and rolling all around... it was surreal, especially since we were one of two boats on the entire river. If you have never experienced a fishery like the "Mo", make sure it is high on you list and go during the off-season, traffic is very high there mid-summer.

Mo-Bows are wild and hot!

Casting streamers between pods works out nicely.

A Jefferson October Double!

Our final day after exploring the MO landed us just south on a river not too many ever get to fish or have that much to say about, the Jefferson River. This river is formed by some of the most acclaimed rivers in all of Montana, the Ruby, the Big Hole and the Beaverhead. Our knowledge of the river before launching was minimal... in fact, it was hard to get any report on this fairly large freestone stream not far from Bozeman. We had always heard low numbers but chance for true trophies existed. Well, we went for it and had good streamer fishing near mid-day in long slow runs. The water was very cold, high and off-color. When we started we actually thought it could end up being just a nice float with a few beers... but we were persistent with the streamers and figured out quickly that all the trout were not asleep yet. Slow retrieves with sink-tips caught the fish and some were nice, no hogs this go-round but I aim to return. Nice river with no crowds... my kinda place!

Guide Season 2009 Ending-

2009-10-08T14:27:00.000-07:00

The 2009 Guide season came to a screaching halt this week as October ushered in some significantly cooler weather with wind and snow covering the region for several days. Up until now we had nearly 8-10 boats daily heading out for folks to try their luck on our wily fall cutthroats and now with the weather change only 1-2 are brave enough to go for it... this is tough on guides' late season income but the flip side is that we finally get a chance to head out and play on some of the rivers we know so well. Guide friends Ben Brennan & Mark Fuller teamed up with Louie and I as we saw the weather break and headed to the lower South Fork on 10/7. Conditions were pleasant and much warmer than Jackson Hole, therefore our streamer fishing suffered somewhat( it was still good just no jumbo trout) but near noon a wonderful BWO hatch brought out the cutthroats & browns in big numbers but substantial size was not found(best fish nearing 18")... hey, I loved it; I drank beer and caught beautiful trout on dries all afternoon... I have to practice what I preach(read my entry from August 12th)!
This week many of the local river flows are dropping to winter levels so when the seasonal weather returns there should be some excellent fishing to be had in the afternoons. I have several fun trips planned throughout the fall so I will post updates as the stories come in.
Had a fun day with my father-in-law, Bob Allen from Spartanburg, SC last week on the upper Snake as we found fantastic morning dry fly action and then later pulled this real nice "river Mac" from the depths... this fish is the largest I've seen in the net on the Snake... it measured nearly 29" and was 8lbs according to the weigh net.

Transition Days & Indian Summer-

2009-09-25T20:15:00.000-07:00

Since my last update we have had the One Fly and said so long to summer. Over the past couple of weeks my fishing has been good and a few days exceptional... but as of lately getting tougher. Guides always have a few excuses hiding back in their minds, so here is my take on the conditions now- transition! Late summer is awesome here in JH and now it is officially autumn with lingering hints of summer(today it hit 80degrees), so why is the fishing up and down? Well, actually I am still seeing wonderful fishing but the fish are absolutely picked over and pressured. Seeing lots of refusals and bumps- the water temps are nice and cold, its bright, and the river is still flowing good @ 2700cfs near Moose. Once we get a weather change the water drops and pressure decreases I think some folks will be rewarded with Cutthroat gold! Thanks to all I fished with in the 2009 One Fly, I had my best finish ever...2nd place in Wyoming.

Into the Home Stretch- Autumn is Nearing

2009-09-05T11:44:00.000-07:00

South Fork at Sunrise

Cutty's are looking up!

Shane and John enjoying a trophy cutty!

I just finished one of my longer work loads of the season... about 15 days in a row (I prefer a day off every 4-5 days as to stay on top of work and family duties) and as I get over the hump of the season I begin to reflect on the rewards of this "job" of mine. The daily grind, as with any job can be daunting but the overall benefits of being a fly fishing guide are wonderful and I am often reminded by many clients, new and old of these obvious benefits. One of my favorite rewards these days is all the folks I get to meet and build relationships with and over time watch them grow as anglers; sharing the sport at this level is very gratifying. So, as the season moves into the final third I sometimes think of winter and how I will miss the ole' summer grind.

Conditions are prime for the up coming One Fly event, however pressure has been significant and the larger trout are no push overs so choose your fly wisely and make clean presentations. Snake River has good numbers of stoneflies around and also seeing drakes and mahoganeys on the cloudier days. Staying warm for now so hoppers are on! Thanks to all for an awesome August... special thanks to John and Shane Campbell for letting me show them some new water and taking in all the area has to offer. -SS

Big Cutty!

2009-08-12T20:34:00.000-07:00

So, just as I posted last week that water temps were a concern a nice cool front passed through over the weekend and cooled everything off for several days and nights. Now we are looking very good through August unless it soars into the 90's sometime soon... our long range forecast actually looks cool so that is great. Fishing this week has been near epic everyday with great numbers and plenty of trout in the 15-18" range... and a few over 20", that is great on the Snake. Honest guides that do not stretch our sizes agree we see only a handful of trout over 20" each season on this river... my thoughts are that there are not that many in that category and we fish way to many dryflies to catch those fish on a regular basis. But every once in a while you find one and it makes you think should I give up my 3wt. and dryflies and start chunkn' lead and bunny fur in every deep hole you find... my answer is no! Good dryfly fishing is the pinnacle of our sport and is aesthetically more enjoyable overall... big fish are always special but they are not everything!

Here is Skip Hildebrand with a nice 20" cutty taken on a #16 pink pmd dry... the best part is that we were able to sight fish to this guy. Then later the same day, while Skip and Eddie were taking a break, I tied on a minnow jig and toss it out for a few swings through a deep trough. Hooked and landed this hefty 23 1/2" cutty!... feel free to comment what you would have rather caught... they were both equally fun and posed different challenges- Great Day!

Hoppers are heating up and also seeing clissinia stoneflies in Teton park.

Hot Diggidy- Dog Days of Summer!

2009-08-06T12:41:00.000-07:00

This is that special and sometimes not so special time of the season... why? Well, by now most of the early summer hatches are over with only isolated hatches occurring and most of those are early and late in the day, perhaps before and after the fiberglass hatch. In addition, area rivers have dropped to great low fishing flows but the flip side to this is water temps can rise over 10 degrees in about 4-5 hours and good fishing can literally shut off, not to mention kill trout if caught otherwise. Lastly, pressure on all the rivers have some trout super selective... I see fish refusing flies all day that would have been snatched up just a couple weeks ago- I personally love a challenging fish yet when guiding it is nice to run across a few gullible 18"ers. Now for the good stuff- trout are looking up! With lower flows and a variety of nice fat terrestrials falling into the water our trout are on the feed and when it is on it can be awesome! Most of us hate windy conditions but those windy days in August can lay down a lot of bugs from the grassy banks... put it in there and twitch it! Take off your barbs and handle the trout as little as possible... 65-68 degree water to a trout is like 95-105 to us, try a good sprint in Phoenix next time.

Finishing July every year is a relief... I love the fishing on the Green, NF & SF but the driving is brutal... from now till October my eyes are on the Snake River in JH, chasing those wily cutthroats. Thanks to everyone for a fabulous July- Scott

Browns of Western Wyoming-

2009-07-25T10:41:00.000-07:00

Over the past two weeks my guide work has been steady and my clients and I have most often found ourselves exploring Western Wyoming. Many years at this point I would have been on the South Fork of the Snake River at least half the time, however this year the SF was extremely high during some of its prime hatches and that forced many JH guides to make do closer to home. Well, the summer to this point has provided some fantastic angling and some tougher days as well... as we all say, "that's fishing"! Lately, the Upper Green drainage has been absolutely gorgeous and for 60% of the day awesome fishing... you cannot always expect it to be great all day, those days are fairly rare and special. Morning periods are best now as we are seeing days near 90 degrees, I have been noticing a significant slow down after 1pm and the water temps are nearing 67-68 degrees, much above that it is not recommended to fish... I always like a couple cold beers to float off the dead zones. On the Green and its tribs it has been brown trout madness... I love those browns but I sure do miss my SF bows. The Snake in JH is really looking good and like clock work it is dink mania with a few shots at nice trout. If we get a slight cool down, August will be great on the Snake and that will relieve pressure on the other rivers, therefore late summer is looking terrific at this point. Thanks to all for a great couple weeks!

Check out more client shots on the Jack Dennis site.

Bug Soup on the Green!

2009-07-12T21:15:00.000-07:00

Well, I honestly feel we have finally crossed over to the summer dry fly mania... this past week I guided a full week and to my delight and my clients we were able to fish dries almost 80% of the time with good to great success. Lately, for JH guides the Green has been our go to and is producing good trout on the soup of bugs that are hatching at the time...caddis, drakes and a mixture of stoneflies are the menu. Flows are still a little high but clearing very nicely every day. Most years I would have been on the South Fork through our high water period but this year the SF was highest of all and just recently dropped to a great fishing flow around 13,500cfs, so I hope to venture over there this week and will be sure to post a report and pics. Thanks to all for a great week on the water... Enjoy! Be sure to check out the NEW website at Jack Dennis!

Summer Season Underway!

2009-07-04T16:28:00.000-07:00

I just finished up a solid week of guiding clients, new and old, and with a full schedule ahead it is safe to say we are full steam ahead into the fishing season here in Jackson Hole. It was a rather challenging week with most area rivers flowing high and a bit off color, yet the good news is we managed to catch nice fish everyday and the conditions are on the up and up(dropping water) with each day. As runoff comes to an end, flows are clearing and area reservoirs should decrease their flows balancing our water to an enjoyable flow for great fishing. Despite the high water the insects are all right on time with excellent hatches just about everywhere and I'm seeing fair dryfly fishing that could turn red hot any day. The South Fork is still huge at 21,000cfs but dropping so maybe within a few days its go time... the bugs are coming and moving up in the lower canyon. The Green is running at 2600cfs but fishing fairly well, there are drakes and stoneflies all over- we just need the water to drop so the fish can intercept the bug soup.

Thanks to Steve and Frank and the gang for a great start to the week, tight lines!

Staying Dry!

2009-06-27T16:17:00.000-07:00

Welcoming a full week of pure summer bliss lately and to top it all off, I just finished two days of guiding without tying on a wet fly... yes, thats right all dry and we caught hefty trout. Day 1 on Lewis Lake, myself and client, Earl Johnson & son, Earl Johnson found a steady flow of brown drake spinners and duns along several flats of the main lake. The brown trout were all over the bugs yet they were still a bit picky in the clear water and bright sun, the cripples got us the best fish, one over 20". Day 2 with the Johnson's landed us again in Yellowstone this time on the Firehole River hunting even more dry action... it was on! Immediately we were into fish on small PMD imitations and jumped well over 20 nice trout before lunch... after lunch the action slowed and we headed back toward JH, we were all pleased with the trout's cooperation and thought the fishing was wonderful despite all the recent rain and high water. Tight Lines!

Red Hot Lakes! Tough River Flows!

2009-06-22T09:32:00.000-07:00

Looking over the last week and thinking of the days and even weeks ahead the lakes of the area are our savior. The Northern Rockies have had an incredibly cool and wet June, not only slowing the runoff of high country snowpack but saturating the surrounding agricultural lands to the point where there is little in the need for irrigation. Frustrating for now, but when the clouds clear and the water table drops we all will be basking in the sun and catching healthy trout. The Snake River drainage has ZERO capacity remaining to store water, therefore what flows in must flow out... we are seeing every dam on the river increase their flows to move water down river and eventually to the Pacific Ocean via the Columbia River. This doesn't mean you cannot catch fish on the rivers now but it is getting tougher with every cfs increase.

As of Monday, June 22 the South Fork is up to 22,000cfs at the dam! The dam at Jackson Lake is up to 4,500cfs and rising... this is why I'm an avid lake angler and right now there is some of the best conditions possible on all area lakes. Get out there!

Spring Smallmouth Slam!

2009-06-14T09:40:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday I teamed up with Mark Fuller to participate in the 2nd Annual Ririe on the Fly Tournament... our focus: Smallmouth Bass! Yes, there are a few places in the region to catch consistent warmwater species, Ririe Reservoir in Eastern Idaho is the nearest to JH at about 70 miles. The tournament is catching on but is mostly a couple dozen guides and fishing gurus having some fun before the season gets underway. It is an all fly tournament(rad!) bagging your 5 best bass- we came in 5th out of 17, not bad. Most of the fish in the reservoir are smaller due to shorter growing season and available food... a bass over 2lbs is a dandy! Best of all they love poppers! Anyhow, it was great fun and a good way to meet folks in the industry that just love fly fishing.

Other conditions are still the same... crazy rain for this region and blown out rivers. The best fishing is on the South Fork and Henry's Fork of the Snake... as well, the lakes are red hot right now with a lot of nice fish in shallow. Get out there... don't let the weather fool you, its good!

Heavy Moisture in JH!

2009-06-08T10:42:00.000-07:00

The past two weeks have ushered in some soaking rains and now high country snow. I am pleased to see all this water as it will in the end equal some great fishing as the season develops. Area rivers are super-blown, except the South Fork, Firehole and Henry's Fork... for consistent action those are our best options for perhaps another 3-5 weeks. My eyes are on the lakes right now... all ice is gone and surface water temps are slowly rising. Good trout will remain shallow for fly anglers for at least a month longer... even though the fish are relatively shallow(5'-10') a good sinking line is a must. Slow, steady strips get the best grabs and hook ups.

Hatches are good on the Firehole and HF... a nice mixture of stoneflies, mayflies and caddis! The SF is streamer and nymph central... flows there are dropping to 10'000cfs!

Back from the Deep South

2009-05-28T14:43:00.000-07:00

Every spring my wife and the kids make a break for our southern roots and have some family time and a little rest and relaxation at the beach, either the Florida Panhandle or Charleston SC, well this year it was Florida and the trip all turned out wonderfully despite the Low pressure system that followed us from Wyoming.

Our trip began in Atlanta, my roots are there, and while the girls shopped I fished some small creeks near downtown and enjoyed a day on the Chattahoochee with my dad. Its cool catching brillant redbreasted sunfish in the city, people look at you like your crazy and they don't know what lurks in those feeder streams to the Hooch. As always the Chattahoochee produced some big fish encounters that make for great memories with my dad. I had been catching a mixed bag of bluegills, crappie and small largemouths on a medium sized foxy clouser, when I spotted what at first I thought was a nice carp, once I nailed the right cast the pig flarred her gills and sucked in the little minnow, oh, my! It was the largest bass I had ever hooked, maybe 10lbs or more and she kicked my ass! She knew exactly what to do and my little 6wt. couldn't stop her from rolling in the log jam a short distance downstream, amazingly enough I didn't break her off, the hook pulled out and I finished the day with that fly catching 7 different species, sweet.

Next, my wife and I were off for a wedding in Jasper, Alabama and we were lucky enough to be guests at the Bear Branch Lodge, primarily a wingshooting venue but they do have awesome largemouth bass fishing as well. My buddies and I, there for the wedding, ripped lips for two days drinking beer and telling stories while the girls did their luncheon stuff and shot shotguns. We were all spoiled rotten and had an incredible trip, a big thanks goes out to the Kellys and Bear Branch Lodge, check it out!

From Alabama we headed south to the Florida Panhandle... the weather was stirring and was off and on for the next week, some areas saw over a foot of rain. I fished in the surf zones with pretty good success for ladyfish and bluefish, not bad for just hanging around with the kids.

After a few days catching up with the family it was time to get serious and I flew down to meet a good client and friend, Skip Hildebrand in Ft. Meyers. Our outpost for the first three days was his condo on Pine Island litterally minutes from the Boca Grande Pass. Skip is fairly new to the area so we explored around finding nice gamefish almost everywhere, yet not what we were looking for- Snook and Tarpon. We vowed not to fish live bait, that hurts, and I focused a lot on flies but the jigs were deadly and I couldn't help myself at times. All the rain and wind cooled the water so the snook and tarpon had vanished... that is my usual luck, but we spanked ladyfish, small jacks, mackerels and tons of good sized speckled seatrout, I was happy. Our final day was with Joe McNichols out of Naples, he has been guiding the Everglades park area for over 25 years, so we felt confident he could show us some species that had eluded us thus far. Perhaps our best weather day with light wind and bright sun for good sight fishing, we looked for tarpon. Our first sighting looked very promising and then a rogue boat comes out of nowhere, as if sent from the fish gods, and blows right through my rolling tarpon... I was pissed but I got over it. That turned out to be my only shot of the day for the silver king. Once we realized the tarpon were not around in enough numbers to pursue we started chasing two of my favorite light tackle species, redfish and snook. By the days end we boated 6 nice snook and a few nice redfish... I had never been to the Everglades to fish like that, even though there was no tarpon for me that day, I plan to return and soak up more of that hot, humid charm. It was beautiful!

I'm back in Jackson now and we are fishing the South Fork and the Firehole... stay tuned for shorter reports- Scott

Welcoming the 2009 Runoff!

2009-05-05T12:14:00.000-07:00

A trio of Willets on the New Fork

Ed Dutilly and guest, Mike and Charlie doubled up!

I was fortunate to have several days of early season guiding last week that helped get me geared up for the upcoming season. Our fishing was at times superb and overall very enjoyable spring experiences for both the clients and myself. I found myself bouncing around several areas looking for the best possible fishing and all efforts payed off in the end. This time of year I love to see everything coming to life... birds on the Green were like a rainforest at times, with spectacular variety and song... oh, and the fishing was pretty sweet as well. My last outing was much tougher as far as catching fish and flows are rising quickly just about everywhere, therefore I'm calling it until I return from my journeys down south. The runoff this year could be of sizable proportions... yet, most of us are thankful for the water that should bring us fabulous fly fishing by late-June. Thanks to all who made it out to fish this spring and wishing Greg Biffle all the best this season in racing(NASCAR)... I was lucky enough to show him some Western Wyoming fishing for a couple days last week.

Back in the Clear... for now!

2009-04-27T10:18:00.000-07:00

The past two weeks we have seen it all weather wise... last week ushered in near summer like temps topping out at 70! This made for some enjoyable outside time, however the snowpack at all elevations began to melt and the rivers all came up rather quickly putting the brakes on any trout hunting (forced me to fish a new lake, which I always welcome new water). Over the weekend a cold front rolled in and the imminent runoff is on hold for now... this happens almost every year and for many offers a prime opportunity to chase hungry trout before the real runoff starts, historically around May 5 or so. The Snake river is fishing well with midges and baetis on top and streamers are getting more follows than hook ups due to the early season pressure we have seen. The South Fork is HUGE! In my opinion a waste of time at this high, cold flow(16,200cfs)... if it comes down to 13,000 or less and is stable the wet fly fishing can heat up.

Spring Break... Fruita Style!

2009-04-14T13:22:00.000-07:00

Now, with the village closed for the season it is time for shifting gears and this year I headed to Fruita, CO with some friends and our mtn. bikes. We had some spectacular riding in the Book Cliffs region and the famous Kokopelli trail area and not to mention relaxing camping at Highline State Park, what a way to close out a ski season and dust of the bikes and of course, the fly rods. We also wet a line on a Wyoming river Easter Sunday and had good, yet sporadic success.

I am now officially guiding for the 2009 season, so most posts from now on will be fishing related. Tight Lines for us all in '09- SS

Jackson Hole Mtn. Resort- Closing for 2009

2009-04-08T06:30:00.000-07:00

Well, this season has finally come to an end but not without a BANG! Fantastic snowfall over the last two weeks buried the upper and mid-mtn runs with over 100" of the season's best snow... always bittersweet when the mtn closes with such fine conditions, in all the resort received 502" this season and our snowpack looks great for the summer.

Another sign of the times is the arrival of the Rough-legged hawk, they come to reap the bounty of voles and mice as the valley snow recedes. I'm off to Fruita, CO for some mtn. biking this week and then it is fish on! Great Season!

Relentless Winter... The Pow is back!

2009-03-26T15:30:00.000-07:00

So, Spring made a great showing last week, however winter wasn't finished... we have seen nearly 2' of fresh pow in the past 36 hrs. and once again the skiing is awesome... above is a good friend and fellow guide, Dave Smith rippin some fresh tracks above "the Cirque", in-bounds at JHMR. Dave and I have had some remarkable days together on the slopes and the river... hope to report soon from the later.

Spring is in the area! Migratory birds are showing in increasing numbers, even though the skies are filled with snowflakes. This is a fairly rare visitor... the Grey Crowned Ruby Finch.

March Midge Mania!

2009-03-10T08:18:00.000-07:00

A short visit to the Snake River last Sunday revealed quite the midge emergence and low and behold there were nice cutty's up on top. A pleasant surprise but not really a surprise at all, this is the time it begins... a transition from a cold dormant state to an awakening among both the bugs and the trout.

Skiing is still fantastic with the recent snowfall and cooler temps; March is a time for winter reflection and spring anticipation. See you on the slopes or the rivers!

Epic Skiing! Yet, Spring is knocking.

2009-03-05T19:52:00.000-08:00

These wonderful visitors have been around most of the winter but as the ice begins to recede their activity and numbers are increasing... this is a shot from the pond in my backyard which in most years ices off by the 15th of March.

Pucker Face on Cody Peak, 2-28-09

Good friend and co-worker at Pepi Stiegler Sports, Stan Everetts enjoying some in-bounds fluff. Great skiing last week, especially above 8000', is now gone from a few days in the 40's... however, as I write this it is snowing fat, cold flakes and its windy... I bet tomorrow brings pleasant conditions once more.

Winter Update...Spring around the corner?

2009-02-17T08:24:00.000-08:00

Thus far this winter season has been near normal, with typical snowy periods and week long high pressures, at the moment a nice light, dry snow is falling and the valley is expecting 12-16" over the next 48 hrs, this should stear my thoughts away from fishing for another week or so. Our snowpack is holding around 90% and unless the spring turns high and dry we should see another healthy runoff that equals yet another fine angling season this summer.

I have yet to wet a hook this year....soon, however... but I do hear of some fellow die hards pulling good macs from the ice and a couple reports of fat 20" bows over on the HF.

The above image is Mike Patron on the Snake River in JH, below Moose, Wyoming.

Inauguration Day... Praise to the USA!

2009-01-20T09:51:00.000-08:00

A familiar look at the Tetons on this historic day reminds me how blessed we all are and fortunate to live in such an amazing period of US & World history despite the overwhelming negative news on a daily basis. The challenges ahead are enormous but this great land and people will prevail.

On a lighter note, a recent high pressure has settled in the entire west and for now, snow is not the weather news. Our snowpack is very good for now, holding at over 100% of normal, and it looks like, at the very least, we will have an average runoff, which should dawn another fantastic season. On the horizon, I am planning a day trip to the HF in Idaho for some peace and quite time on a great winter venue.

Keeping an eye on Temps!

2009-01-11T10:48:00.000-08:00

As we are seeing our first January thaw, I am beginning to contemplate some winter angling. So far the winter is producing good/excellent skiing yet the dangers in the backcountry remain high and risky on many aspects in the higher elevations. Therefore, I hope to have an opportunity to go visit some of my favorite winter lies over the next couple weeks and enjoy a peaceful day on the water. This is a good friend and fellow guide, Dave Smith with a gorgeous brown we bumped into in Febuary of 2007.

Welcome 2009!

2009-01-03T22:05:00.000-08:00

For me 2008 will go down as a banner year... a year filled with family, prosperity, health, bountiful snow and beautiful trout! I thank everyone who contributed to a fantastic guide season and hope, despite the economic situation, everyone may find time to get outdoors and enjoy a lake or river with a fly rod or a powder snow covered slope with your favorite freinds, those moments on the water and in the mountains can cleanse the soul of our world's many troubles. Wishing all a Happy 2009!

Avalanches at the Village!

2008-12-29T21:58:00.000-08:00

An October snowstorm laid down 2' of the season's first snow. Later, in early November, the temps rose and then it rained and then back to frigid conditions= ICE! Now, in late December it has been snowing nicely and at times quite heavy but the weak layer below and the heavy snowpack are not getting along and we have seen serious in-bounds slides for several days now. Don't even think about the backcountry, if you value your life. Today, the mtn closed all day to continue further control on the snowpack, tragically it took a life on Saturday and today we almost lost a restaurant at mid-mtn. Heads up on the inter-mountain snow this year

Snowy Xmas!

2008-12-27T22:08:00.000-08:00

The most snow in 24hr period for JH Mountain Resort.... 36" in 18hrs.... December 25, 2008!