Wyoming

Any golfers on the forum here from Wyoming who might also happen to be fly fishermen from around the spring creek areas ?

Not from Wyoming but I can't wait to go back to Jackson Hole. This doesn't help you but I felt obligated to share

"Spring creek area" is pretty cryptic. Lots of spring creeks in Wyoming. Not sure I could help anyway, but the description makes any help difficult.

You mean like Spring Creek Ranch area?

Sorry no. My cabin is in the Wyoming that doesn't act like California. :)

I fish and golf though.

I heard there's only two escalators in the entire state! Not helpful, I know, but the thread just says Wyoming, so...

"Spring creek area" is pretty cryptic. Lots of spring creeks in Wyoming. Not sure I could help anyway, but the description makes any help difficult.

My definition of a spring creek as in the southern latitudes is steady stable and clear which stays clean in adverse weather. The trout tend to be fussy finicky, spooky shy, and any nymph/fly over #16 usually frightens the hell out of them. I use a #16 waterboatman unweighted nymph or a small dads favorite dry (mayfly pattern) on a longish leader. I heard/read that Wyoming is a place for this kind of water and was curious if any on this forum fished for trout there. I've attached a youtube video of a spring creek that I have fished when I lived in New Zealand for a few years. The brown trout there are not that large but beautifully marked with red rosettes and golden bodies. Further upstream on this spring creek nearer the source is much better as it becomes narrower with more cover. A #4 weight flyrod is plenty big enough on this kind of water.

Not from Wyoming but I can't wait to go back to Jackson Hole. This doesn't help you but I felt obligated to share

I did some research on Jackson Hole and it looks like my kind of fishing. Will put it on the bucket list.

My one and only searcher fly is the Adams.

Are you going? Where are you going in WY? You note Jackson, well most of the spring creek fishing is pay to play because it is private. The biomass is much different than NZ, so the fish tend to be smaller, more numerous and more selective. They are also predominantly Cutthroat which are notoriously stupid, but aggressive, if the food looks at all like they what they are eating, they eat it. I would not classify it as difficult fishing, but again, that is only if you get on a spring creek. Flat Creek runs through the Elk Refuge just north of town, and that is public, and legend has it there is a 30" fish on every bend. You couldn't prove that by me. Again, this is all Jackson Hole.

The primary fishery is the Snake River and is a raging freestone river with big bugs, no technical abilities necessary. The Gros Ventre is another free stone river, that if I remember correctly is not a great fishery after the fish migrate back into the main river (the Snake), but I am not sure I remember this correctly.

If you are not going to Jackson, and you are talking the N Platte, then you are fishing a tailwater and not a spring creek, and those fish open their mouths and food just flows in. They are super particular and won't move for a bug, because they don't have to.

And, of course, time of year has an impact on what they will eat. The waterborne life is more diverse than NZ and matching the hatch will be helpful in your angling efforts, but because they are cutties, not essential. And again, if you get on a spring creek the bugs will be different than the freestone rivers because of the water temps.

Are you going? Where are you going in WY? You note Jackson, well most of the spring creek fishing is pay to play because it is private. The biomass is much different than NZ, so the fish tend to be smaller, more numerous and more selective. They are also predominantly Cutthroat which are notoriously stupid, but aggressive, if the food looks at all like they what they are eating, they eat it. I would not classify it as difficult fishing, but again, that is only if you get on a spring creek. Flat Creek runs through the Elk Refuge just north of town, and that is public, and legend has it there is a 30" fish on every bend. You couldn't prove that by me. Again, this is all Jackson Hole.

 

The primary fishery is the Snake River and is a raging freestone river with big bugs, no technical abilities necessary. The Gros Ventre is another free stone river, that if I remember correctly is not a great fishery after the fish migrate back into the main river (the Snake), but I am not sure I remember this correctly.

 

If you are not going to Jackson, and you are talking the N Platte, then you are fishing a tailwater and not a spring creek, and those fish open their mouths and food just flows in. They are super particular and won't move for a bug, because they don't have to.

 

And, of course, time of year has an impact on what they will eat. The waterborne life is more diverse than NZ and matching the hatch will be helpful in your angling efforts, but because they are cutties, not essential. And again, if you get on a spring creek the bugs will be different than the freestone rivers because of the water temps.

Thanks for all the info !

I don't know when I'll get to places like the Snake river but I love reading about it. Where I fish they are not so fussy on a match, seasonal insects like grasshoppers and cicadas, beetles work well and for rainbows a small yellow humpy or royal wulff is all that is needed. I prefer browns. Fishing for spawning salmon is a different game, landing a 30 pound Chinook (Quinnat) or lake Barramundi with a #10 weight rod is a game of skill, but that's another story. I used N.American pattern lures for those big fish and I tie my own. I enjoyed my time in NZ, and I still make the odd pilgrimage over there for the winter run of steelheads (Tongariro and other Taupo rivers). I love golf, but my true passion is flyfishing.

tight lines

Are you going? Where are you going in WY? You note Jackson, well most of the spring creek fishing is pay to play because it is private. The biomass is much different than NZ, so the fish tend to be smaller, more numerous and more selective. They are also predominantly Cutthroat which are notoriously stupid, but aggressive, if the food looks at all like they what they are eating, they eat it. I would not classify it as difficult fishing, but again, that is only if you get on a spring creek. Flat Creek runs through the Elk Refuge just north of town, and that is public, and legend has it there is a 30" fish on every bend. You couldn't prove that by me. Again, this is all Jackson Hole.

 

The primary fishery is the Snake River and is a raging freestone river with big bugs, no technical abilities necessary. The Gros Ventre is another free stone river, that if I remember correctly is not a great fishery after the fish migrate back into the main river (the Snake), but I am not sure I remember this correctly.

 

If you are not going to Jackson, and you are talking the N Platte, then you are fishing a tailwater and not a spring creek, and those fish open their mouths and food just flows in. They are super particular and won't move for a bug, because they don't have to.

 

And, of course, time of year has an impact on what they will eat. The waterborne life is more diverse than NZ and matching the hatch will be helpful in your angling efforts, but because they are cutties, not essential. And again, if you get on a spring creek the bugs will be different than the freestone rivers because of the water temps.

Thanks for all the info !

I don't know when I'll get to places like the Snake river but I love reading about it. Where I fish they are not so fussy on a match, seasonal insects like grasshoppers and cicadas, beetles work well and for rainbows a small yellow humpy or royal wulff is all that is needed. I prefer browns. Fishing for spawning salmon is a different game, landing a 30 pound Chinook (Quinnat) or lake Barramundi with a #10 weight rod is a game of skill, but that's another story. I used N.American pattern lures for those big fish and I tie my own. I enjoyed my time in NZ, and I still make the odd pilgrimage over there for the winter run of steelheads (Tongariro and other Taupo rivers). I love golf, but my true passion is flyfishing.

tight lines

I don't know where you are, but the Henry's Fork is crazy technical and the fish are big. Fire Rd 67 into the Harriman Ranch is world famous and isn't too far from Jackson. Wadeable as well. Probably fly into W Yellowstone.

If you're thinking western fly fishing, and you don't want to get a guide/boat which can be prohibitive, I would fish Yellowstone. Slough Creek out of Cooke City is wadeable, and fat American won't walk, so park and walk to the first or second meadow. Cutties but technical anyway. Great fun. Soda Butte gets pounded now but is also outside of Cooke city.

Never fished the Lamar so no intel there.

North of west Yellowstone is the Gallatin meadow, and it is a great place to catch fish. Don't have to be good there to catch fish. And the Madison below quake lake is a giant riffle, but if you'll throw big and get em deep, also pretty easy fishing... wading is disastrous.

I don't fish anymore, unless I am traveling, but I guided in Jackson years ago, and now I will fish of someone wants to, but never on my own anymore.

Hi Pete, thanks again, all your info logged here. I'm in Australia (just south of the current tropical cyclone). No trout in this state because the water is too warm, however, further south in NSW at altitude there are some good trout streams, including spring creeks and ponds with wild or hatchery-bred fish. My next trip will be down to Tasmania where there is some really good flyfishing.

If you ever need info on NZ trout fishing, let me know as I know the spots and the gear needed(esp in the south island) very well.

pic: big rainbow (released) from spring creek in NSW tablelands late Nov 2016 - I don't fish summertime here because prime fishing creeks are also prime areas for tiger snakes and other nasties.

Loads of good valid info here about the west side of WY.

Good. :)

Not from Wyoming but I can't wait to go back to Jackson Hole. This doesn't help you but I felt obligated to share

I did some research on Jackson Hole and it looks like my kind of fishing. Will put it on the bucket list.

My one and only searcher fly is the Adams.

You have to fish on the Snake River if you get the chance. The scenery and fishing is unreal

PeteThreePut knows exactly what he's talking about.

I've fished many parts of Montana and Wyoming (having grown up and lived in the area my whole life). The Gallatin Gateway south out of Bozeman (home of Simms Fishing as you may know) is a wonderful area for fly fishing, and just taking in the whole fly fishing experience.

With the addition to everything PeteThreePut said, I've had a lot of luck in the Big Horn Mountains west of Sheridan, WY also. Shell Creek has a lot of action, albeit smaller range fish (10"-14").

Or if you venture up into Montana - the Stillwater, Bighorn, and Yellowstone rivers all have great fishing on certain stretches.

PeteThreePut knows exactly what he's talking about.

 

I've fished many parts of Montana and Wyoming (having grown up and lived in the area my whole life). The Gallatin Gateway south out of Bozeman (home of Simms Fishing as you may know) is a wonderful area for fly fishing, and just taking in the whole fly fishing experience.

 

With the addition to everything PeteThreePut said, I've had a lot of luck in the Big Horn Mountains west of Sheridan, WY also. Shell Creek has a lot of action, albeit smaller range fish (10"-14").

 

Or if you venture up into Montana - the Stillwater, Bighorn, and Yellowstone rivers all have great fishing on certain stretches.

If he wants to fish MT, there are few miles I haven't fished.

I appreciate the affirmations from my guiding days in WY many moons ago.

On the other hand, specifics since I don't fish too much any more are tough for me.

As well as being a keen fisherman, my 11 yr old grandson is the local dragster champion!.

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> I appreciate the affirmations from my guiding days in WY many moons ago.

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> On the other hand, specifics since I don't fish too much any more are tough for me.

Good info. Ever fish the Green River around Marbleton and south?

OP, you may want to edit your posts. I am getting crazy big fonts in your sig lines.

I am sorry I have never fished the Green. I have read an awful lot about it, but never made the trip.