We’ve been lucky out here in Wyoming, the weather continues to be nice and the fishing even nicer. While October is a great time to fly fishing around here, it usually brings with it variable weather and the need to don all sorts of down, wool and Gor-tex clothing. So far this hasn’t been necessary. Most days around here have been on the warm and sunny side, keeping anglers and guides happy.

I continue to get out, both guiding folks and getting in a little time on the water myself. Last week I spent two days with Steve and Ben from Georgia. While both had fly fished a bit before, fishing western waters was new to the father son duo. In order to get a taste of both float and wade fishing, we spent one day on the Snake and the second day wade fishing the upper Snake in Yellowstone National Park. Needless to say, Steve, Ben and I had fun and I was able to introduce them to some of our native Cutthroat trout, Whitefish and a few Browns in the upper Snake. A great time was had and hopefully the guys will come back next fall for more fun and fishing!

Here’s Ben hooked up with a nice Cutthroat on the Upper Snake. This stretch of the Snake has less fish than the more easily accessible water closer to Jackson, but the solitude and chance to catch “the big one” is enough to make anglers explore this water with me.

Steve put his Royal Trude in the right spot and was rewarded with this beautiful cutthroat. This trout is about as nice as they come and catching it on a dry fly in the wilds of Wyoming made his trip.

Rain’s falling and a bit of snow’s predicted, elk are bugling and the leaves have changed and are now dropping. Must be fall in the Tetons. We’ve had a great September ’round here. Dry fly fishing on all waters has been stellar, with fish rising to everything from big hoppers and drakes to small BWOs and Tricos. A weather front moved into the valley the other day and seemed to slow fishing, although a few hardy anglers have embraced the cold, wet weather and are pitching BWOs to picky fish.

Here at the Bennett household things have changed dramatically. Last week Jamie and I drove over to Idaho Falls and picked up a new black lab puppy. Ruby James is eight weeks old and full of energy. She’s been a lot of fun (and work) and seems to have had no problems joining our pack. We’ve informed her that she has some big shoes to fill. Sage, our previous lab, was the greatest dog (and fishing companion) in the world and Ruby will have to work hard to follow in her footsteps. Something tells me she’s up for it….

Ruby James familiarizing herself with the Adipose driftboat…

What’s up with all the rain and cool temperatures (not to mention whispers of snow in the high country)? It seems that monsoonal moisture has found us here in the Northern Rockies and is wrecking havoc on the last few weeks of our proper summer. Typically here in Jackson and the surrounding area, summer is filled with sunshine and the occasional brief thunderstorm/rain shower. Sure, we might get a wet day here or there, but most of our moisture comes from snow in the late fall, winter and spring. Summer = sunshine and pleasant evenings. Lately the rain has been coming down in sheets, testing out the toughest of Gor-tex wearing fishermen. Just when the Snake was fishing awesome, and I mean awesome- big flies, in the sun, while wearing sandals- this weather pattern comes along and slows things down. Fishing’s still good, but the past week challenged anglers a bit more than usual. There were no easy ones, no second chances. Each fish had to be earned. It looks like the forecast will be improving in the next few days; good news for anglers and guides hoping to get in a few more shorts and sandal days on the water.

I’ve been staying busy (and sort of dry) lately guiding folks on my usual haunts. For the most part, days have been good. Especially for guests like Joe who fished with me for a few days over in Dubois. Another memorable day was spent with Dave and his wife Jean from ME. I introduced Dave to the Green river, helping his catch several nice trout, including the brown in the photo below. The next few weeks look busy and hopefully folks will have fun as I try and help them get a few fish!

Not bad for a sporting gentleman in his 80s….

As we close out July, the fishing around here is red hot. I’ve been busy taking folks fishing on a variety of waters around here in Wyoming. Both the Green and Snake rivers are providing folks with good fishing; smaller waters are also great too. We’ve caught some really nice brown trout down on the Green, mainly fishing subsurface. The Snake’s really turned on too. Dry fly fishing on it with big foam/attractor patterns is the best I’ve seen in a while.

In addition to the float fishing, I also got to get out of town for a few days, taking long-time return client and friend, Andrew, from Houston, TX over to the cabin in Dubois for a few days of fly fishing. We fished some of my favorite waters; getting waaaay off the beaten path, where native Yellowstone Cutthroat trout rose aggressively to various dry flies. The fish weren’t huge, but there were some nice ones and they kept us busy all day long. It was a great few days and nice to over to Dubois.

Andrew showing off a beautiful Yellowstone Cutthroat trout…. 

Off the beaten path…

The upcoming weeks should continue to provide guests with some great fishing. I’m looking forward to more fun days watching clients pound the banks of the Snake with large foam patterns, as well as some more overnight trips to Dubois.

After taking some great folks fishing up in Yellowstone last
week, including a fun return client from Texas,  AND providing
my brother and his lovely wife a luxurious comfortable futon for a few
days, I found myself with two free days and a desire to check
on a favorite native cutthroat stream of mine. Jamie joined
me and boy did we have a great day. Long slow pools were full
of eager Snake River Finespotted cutthroat trout. We traded
casts, throwing big, bushy Stimulators and Sofa Pillows to
likely runs and rising trout. All in all a great way to spend a
Monday; capped off with streamside cans of cold Coors.
Today’s another beauty here in Jackson Hole. I’m gearing up
for some guided trips this week into the Shoshone National
Forest with guests. Should be a blast fishing dry flies to wild,
aggressive fish. In the meantime, I got a brisket smoking I
should get back too. Happy 4th to everyone!

Mark celebrates his birthday in style with a Firehole
brown trout. Abundant caddis made for fun fishing and the
Grizzly sighting only added to a fine day on the water!

Jamie releases a jewel of a cutthroat trout.

Jamie hooking up on a nice pool. It seemed every
fish in the stream wanted her fly!