re: The Fly Fishing Thread: Questions, pics, discussion all here

I'm starting some early planning for a fly fishing trip out west for me and my dad next year, did a quick search on the board and saw this massive thread. I've obviously got a lot to learn/research but have a lot of time to do it.

I saw the linked thread for trip recommendations but it was only 2 pages and from 4 years ago, so wanted to see if anyone had any suggestions on where I should be looking to book a trip?

Will be both of our first time fly fishing and really going out west in general. We're both thinking of just being in the river fishing with mountains all around, I guess the "picture" of what people think of when they think fly fishing.

I've seen Montana, Idaho, Colorado, etc as states that all have great fly fishing, so just trying to find a little guidance as to where I should start my research as far as state, river, city, etc. We'll plan on using a guide as well.

This is the trip I have in my head



Also separate from the "out west" trip, does anyone have any recommendations for doing some practice trips somewhat close/drivable to Houston?

Also are there any good fly fishing Youtube channels out there in the same vein as The Hunting Public, Born & Raised, etc. More of a "couple guys doing it themselves" type channel?

That's kind of what I had in mind, didn't even think about doing a trip in one of the NP. I would assume a lot of options in Glacier and Yellowstone?

From some super early research a trip out of Jackson Hole seems really interesting.

If it ain't just a fishing trip Jackson and Yellowstone are great but if it is all about fishing the green river in Utah and the quality waters of the San Juan in New Mexico are the best 2 rivers in the world in my opinion and the opinion of many others. Both offer abundant boats with folks who know how to row 'em (the only way to properly fish a big western river unless you are a mountain goat who likes swimming in 40 degree water) Supposedly 20,000 fish per mile in the San Juan which average 17 inches in length for the first 4 miles below Navajo Dam. The green has 22000 supposedly. And the Green has some BIG trout.....the San Juan does also but I think the average is bigger in the Green river

Other options kind of near YS are Henry's Fork and the South Fork of the Snake....both great in the summer with hoppers and droppers....and cheap compared to the Green in Utah a full day trip on the HF or SFS will run about $400 for 2 people....where the same trip is about $600 on the green....and about $350 on the San Juan but getting there is not the easiest thing in the world.

I have fished Yellowstone, Grand Teton and Glacier and the fishing can be GREAT but the damned man won't leave you be and you'll likely see about the same number of people staring at you as if you were some sort of natural wonder as you'd have if your were false casting inside the Mall of America....too damned many people for me

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Also are there any good fly fishing Youtube channels out there in the same vein as The Hunting Public, Born & Raised, etc. More of a "couple guys doing it themselves" type channel?

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i like to watch anything put out by wildfly productions. just a couple of baws from western north carolina. also check out backyard angling. a couple of pennsylvania baws.

for instruction, the new fly fisher has lots of excellent information and tutorials.

as far as where to go...looks like the angler in your photo is fishing in the tetons. i don't think you can go wrong with grand teton np or yellowstone np. yeah, there are LOTS of people but if you hike a few miles away from the touristy spots you can get some solitude. lots of trout species and different water too, from big rivers, small creeks, and lakes. if you've never been out west it would be pretty memorable.

another poster mentioned the green river in utah, and how crowded it is. yep! he also mentioned the san juan (which is closed right now, thanks corona virus) which would also give you access to durango CO and the san juan mountains which have great fishing.

i go to idaho every summer to fish and ride mountain bikes, and it seems like there are more and more people every year. please stay out of idaho :- D

I probably ought not to do this on a message board but I am bored and feeling friendly. I won't name the specific river because its easy to find but there is a river in Washington State that is about as good as any I have ever fished and....there is an outfitter on this river who rents drift boats! And pontoons / rafts....but anyone who was interested in learning to row a drift boat (I have promised my wife if she would learn how to do so I would take her fishing with me every time I go...she hasn't fallen for it yet) this is the perfect river to do so....you'd be hard pressed to find yourself in trouble on this river and rowing a drift boat is not overly physically demanding but it does take some nuiance that can only be learned in time of panic...the panics on this river are very manageable panic...nothing like one can find on most rivers out here where it is entirely possible for even the most experienced rower to decide golf is much more pleasant a pastime.

The fishing on this river is also very good....may be the best hopper fishing I have experienced anywhere...BIG browns, bows, cutthroat and cutbows. 18-22 inch fish are the norm...and, as an added bonus, the lower end of the river has arguably the best small mouth bass fly fishing west of the Mississippi River...and other than folks on innertubes there are very few serious fisherman on the lower end of the river.

Finally, as an added bonus....the area is very attractive to wives....lots of vineyards, spas, micro-breweries, music venues etc etc etc and it is an easy drive from Seattle or Portland where flights are generally cheap and rental cars are also.

This river does get some pressure and the scenery is not that of Yellowstone or Grand Teton BUT if you wanted to DIY and get some rowing experience the area is hard to beat.

There used to be an outfitter on the San Juan who rented drift boats but I don't think they do anymore. The San Juan can have some areas that are pretty technical....this river in Washington usually doesn't....of course one fallen tree can change that overnight....

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The San Juan in NM looks interesting and drivable, so I'll look in to that.

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it is going to be more high desert than piney mountains, if that makes any sense.

farmington NM is the biggest "city" to access the river from. or you could fly into durango and head down.

don't know anything about the white river in arkansas.

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I've also been seeing a lot of White River in Arkansas recommendations, any thoughts or experience on that area?

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We used to wade fish the White River near bull shoals every year. It's a fun trip, but in my opinion the rainbows are pretty small and the experience can be made easy mode if you throw an egg pattern. So many people fish it with power bait that the fish are kind of spoiled. Still a ton of fun, and worth making the trip.

Minimum flow mandates on the White River now have it where it really isn't wadable any more.

If you want to fish you need a boat

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it is going to be more high desert than piney mountains, if that makes any sense. farmington NM is the biggest "city" to access the river from. or you could fly into durango and head down. don't know anything about the white river in arkansas.

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Also some VERY good goose hunting in the area and some outfitters who do a good job.....dove and quail can be good also...not SE New Mexico good but better than most of the US....

I've also contemplated just doing a 2 week trip to Yellowstone and Grand Teton NP. Seeing both parks and fishing a day or 2 in each of those for my first trip.