The woods are full of wildflowers including six different species of Trillium

Another way we know it’s spring in the Smokies is from the roller coaster of weather. We recently saw an 80 degree day followed by snow the next! It’s currently so warm that wet wading is a possibility. However, check the forecast before making that call. Less than a week ago we had a frosty morning, but the forecast is calling for much warmer nights. However, a dip back towards “average” will have you wanting waders.

We’re fishing a dry dropper combo right now

We’re seeing plenty of bugs, but our hatches haven’t been as good this year as in past years. We’ve been catching plenty of fish, but Little River has been a bit “streaky”. There are times when it’s very slow in spite of perfect conditions, followed by a surge in activity for about 20 minutes, then another bit of slow action. It has been a bit of a puzzle, but I think the especially hard temperature swings this spring have kept the rainbows in spawning mode a little longer than usual. Fishing on brook trout waters has been more consistent than streams with predominant rainbow trout populations.

Morning fishing has not been bad, but the bulk of the action is coming in the afternoons. Nymphing is the way to go up until about noon or 1:00. We’ve been using more Beadhead Pheasant Tail Nymphs and Pat’s Nymphs in #14 than anything, but Princes, Tellicos, Hare’s Ears and other standards will get the job done.

There are plenty of spunky fish out there. Rainbows are the most common fish caught in the larger streams.

Once the fish start eating well they seem to be just as likely to eat a dry fly as a nymph. We’ve been keeping our dry flies large, fishing #12’s. Haystacks, Quill Gordons, and Parachute Adams have been our choices, but #14 Elk Caddis and Stimulators will certainly work as well. There are lots of Brown Stoneflies laying eggs in the afternoons and evenings. Hendrickson mayflies will be hatching late in the evening if you stay out until the sun dips below the ridgelines.

Don’t feel like you have to choose between nymphs or dry flies. You can easily fish a dropper. Just be sure that they are a good fit. Save your heaviest nymphs for earlier in the day. It’s important that your nymph sinks, but not so heavy it drags down your dry fly. Similarly, be sure your dry fly is extra buoyant if you tie on a dropper. You don’t to have any false positives from a nymph that sinks the dry fly.

Get out and make the most of spring while it’s still here!

The post Spring Has Arrived in the Smoky Mountains appeared first on R and R Fly Fishing.

Here is a small sampling of photos from our trip in February.

Here we are floating the Rio Grande past El Encuentro Lodge, the second place we stayed during our time in Patagonia, Argentina

LaDawn has been traveling with us for about 20 years and is known for always catching some of the best fish on our trips.

The scenery was spectacular regardless of whether we were out on the rollings steppes or on a mountain lake surrounded by towering peaks. We would not characterize the fishing as easy, but the percentage of large trout brought to the net was impressive. In fact, we all probably lost a good number of the fish we hooked because of their size and strength.

This was the only fish Ian landed on this day, but that’s exactly what the guide prepared us for. Few fish are typically caught in this lake, but there don’t seem to be any small ones. There were easier options to choose from for the day, but we couldn’t resist the challenge. Even if we didn’t land a fish in this lake, the drive to this remote location was worth the trip just for the spectacular views.

Charity also caught her allotted large brown trout for the day as well

Philippe with a beautiful rainbow

Our group and guides at Lago Rosario Lodge one evening after fishing

We’ve always wanted to put a trip together like this one, but there are so many moving parts. The area is vast and much of the fishing is on private estancias, Patagonian ranches that raise sheep and cattle. This was not something we could have put together without our contacts in Argentina. They have exclusive access to much of the water we fished, including 25 miles of spring creek and the upper Rio Corcovado from Brook Trout Base Camp.

A small spring creek with large rainbows and browns that flowed 25 miles across a sprawling estancia with thousands of sheep.

We sight fished dry flies to numerous rainbow and brown trout that day.

Netting a nice trout that took a dry fly on a small spring creek

A flock of wild parrots greeted us as we approached the spring creek.

Rheas are large, flightless wild birds on the open grasslands of Patagonia. They are similar to emus or ostriches.

Charity with a spring creek brown trout on a dry fly

We floated the massive Rio Grande, also known as the Futaleufu when it crosses into Chile. It’s full of rainbow and brown trout and surrounded by high mountain peaks.

Melanie came along with her husband Philippe, but didn’t fish much. Senior guide Kevin Eddy apparently gave her a great lesson on a trip to Los Alerces National Park – Pretty impressive for her first trout on the fly!

Our accommodations and food were nothing short of amazing. Each morning we had breakfast made to order. Every day on the water featured a multi course shore lunch with wine. After fishing we were greeted at the lodge with appetizers and cocktails before a multi course dinner with wine pairings. Just phenomenal service and food.

Evening appetizers on the shore of Lago Rosario where we spent our first three days in Patagonia

Wine was always an option with lunch

First course of lunch is served streamside with fresh baked bread.

One day our guides grilled ribeyes for lunch on the side of the stream

Asado is a traditional Argentine BBQ. What a treat!

El Encuentro is the main lodge of the three we stayed at. It sits on a bluff over the Rio Grande and faces an incredible peak known as the Throne of the Clouds.

The deck at El Encuentro

The group enjoys cocktails on the deck at El Encuentro after a fun day of fishing 

All of the vegetables served at the lodges come from El Encuentro’s garden which also has an incredible array of flowers.

The majority of locations we fished were remote by most standards. Brook Trout Base Camp, our third lodge situated on the banks of the Rio Corcovado, was a little more than two hours from Trevilin, the nearest small town. From that point we sometimes drove another hour or more to even further waters that are rarely fished.

Sometimes it was hard to remember that Brook Trout Base Camp was indeed a camp because of its posh accommodations. It runs entirely on solar, and wind power with a generator back up along with well water.

It gets its name because it is in a remote are known locally as “Brookie Land”. Most of the waters in the immediate area are either exclusively or predominantly brook trout. These waters produce incredible brook trout that average 18 – 21″ in length. It was incredible and I even asked one of the guides if the fish are born 16″ long since that was about the smallest we saw in all but one high mountain stream!

Andy enjoys the morning sun on the porch of his casita on the banks of Rio Corcovado at Brook Trout Base Camp

We soon learned why it’s known as Brook Trout Base Camp. Tucked into the base of the Andes is a string of lakes populated predominantly with brook trout. Stites Whatley with an impressive, yet common fish.

These photos have NOT been enhanced for color! These fish are actually that colorful

As people who guide for a living we found it fascinating to watch our guides and their assistants work. They assembled the rafts and tore them down everyday on the spot. Before I came to Patagonia I wondered why they primarily use rafts and not drift boats, and now I know! Any trailer as well as the boat on it would be destroyed in this environment. The vast majority of roads are dirt or gravel. It’s a continual stretch of washboards, potholes and big rocks. Paved highways are few and far between.

Some of us took a tremendous journey one day. Our guides were well aware that some of us were ready for the biggest adventure they had. We left Base Camp and drove over rugged terrain to where the already rough road disappeared and we we just drove overland. We arrived at a lake and the guides assembled the rafts.

Assembling rafts at the end of the line. There was barely a hint of a trail that we drove to reach this place.

We motored across the lake where we stepped into an old growth forest. At this point our guides led us up a faint trail, up and over a ridge where even the path disappeared. A second lake appeared before us on the other side. Our guides said they might come to this place twice a season which explains the lack of a trail.

A remote mountain lake in the Andes

Fishing for brook trout in the outlet of the remote lake

These lakes have a very short summer and it’s a harsh environment with very little wildlife. Locals told us that it’s probably only been in the past century that human beings have regularly visited these high lakes. A small stream connected the two lakes and we fished it back down to where we landed in the rafts.

The fishing was very similar to what we have here in the Smokies. The brook trout were a bit bigger than what we have at home, but relatively small for Argentina. Regardless, it’s a place I would love to see again and we were right at home with the tactics.

Meals were in the “big tent” at Brook Trout Base Camp. Again, we wouldn’t call it camping!

There are also some lakes in the vicinity of Brook Trout Base Camp with large rainbows

Nancy with her guide Kevin and an absolutely perfect rainbow trout.

But brook trout are the main attraction! John Coley was perhaps the most enthusiastic in our group, continually awed by the scenery, local culture as well as the fish and we love him for it!

Philippe with one of many nice brook trout that day.

Melanie fished on a couple of occasions, but spent the bulk of her time touring the local countryside and small towns. She took horseback rides, city tours and a train excursion on a couple of days.

The Andean condor is a symbol of Patagonia and one of the largest birds in the world with a wingspan of approxately 10′. It was common to see at least one or two most days if you kept an eye to the sky.

Crested cara cara are common raptors that are constant companions throughout Patagonia

We’ll be heading back to see our friends in Patagonia in February of 2027. Click here to learn about joining us to fly fish at the end of the world!

The post Patagonia Trip Wrap Up, February 2026 appeared first on R and R Fly Fishing.

Warm weather has arrived in the Smoky Mountains and there isn’t any cold weather in the extended forecast. We’ve experienced the usual roller coaster of conditions that are so common in late winter and early spring; a few days of unseasonable warmth followed by a return to winter. Then some rain and high water with cold weather, then falling water with warm weather. Every year we always seem to fall for the head fake and drop everything to run to the streams for pretty days, but very few interested trout to meet us along the way.

A beautiful spring day in the backcountry of the Smoky Mountains

The past week has moved from poor fishing to at least decent, but it seems like things should bust wide open any time. Water levels are optimal and water temperatures have certainly risen into the ideal range. We’re seeing anywhere from low to mid 50’s and most importantly, they aren’t taking big drops overnight. This should get the hatches going which in turn will get the trout moving.

There have been a few bugs about, but apparently not enough. We’re seeing some Early Brown Stoneflies along with a few Quill Gordon and Blue Quill mayflies. All of these have been pretty random so far, but both the date on the calendar and the water conditions would indicate we should move into more organized hatches at any time.

Not quite there yet, but should happen any time

The biggest concern moving forward is stormy weather which a fixture of spring weather here in the Southeast. Rain is great for the trout streams and budding vegetation, but beware of high winds and thunderstorms if they appear in the forecast. There’s a big difference between wind in the Smokies and anywhere else. In most places the wind will mess with your cast, but here in the Smokies it can blow a tree down on you! Keep that in mind if the forecast calls for strong storms and stay safe out there!

The post Spring Fly Fishing Has Arrived In the Smoky Mountains appeared first on R and R Fly Fishing.

Right now we’re seeing water temperatures down in the 30’s, so this is a dramatic shift. Water levels are better, but still a little on the low side for mid-winter. This should improve with more moisture in the forecast.

While nothing is concrete, you can usually expect more roller coaster temperatures before spring arrives. We often go back and forth between cold and mild. The mild weather is typically accompanied by rain and the coldest weather is on the backside of those rainy fronts or completely dry.

Be sure to fish deep and look for some sunshine to stir some activity. Little Winter Stoneflies, Little Dun Caddis, and few Blue Wing Olives are your best hope to get the fish moving this time of year.

Don’t expect any great dry fly fishing until late February at the absolute earliest. Quill Gordon and Blue Quill mayflies are the first real hatches of the year. In a typical year they start showing up in early March, but if there is unseasonably warm weather in mid to late February they can get an early start. Warmer water temperatures are certainly a stimulus to get them going, but it always seems like they are best in March even if they do start early. Perhaps the length of the day is just as important as the water temperature, but neither the bugs nor the trout will tell us.

An Early Brown Stonefly Nymph

Early Brown Stoneflies are another insect that start hatching early and their mature nymphs will begin moving around soon. Several flies will imitate them well including Pheasant Tail Nymphs, Prince Nymphs and Tellico Nymphs among others.

This is always the toughest time of year for fly fishing in the Smokies, but it’s always followed by one of the best times. That’s less than two months away!

The post Winter Weather Returns to the Smokies After Unseasonable Warmth appeared first on R and R Fly Fishing.

The warm, sunny days of autumn are behind us and we’re looking at the gray, cold days of winter here in the Smoky Mountains. That doesn’t mean our fly fishing opportunities are gone, but they certainly are limited. It’s no longer October when every stream on the map was fishing well. Anglers will need to exercise a little bit of judgement to find success on the water.

The first consideration for winter fishing is always water temperature. You should look for at least 42 degrees and hopefully 45 or warmer. These conditions are most prevalent when it’s either raining or just after a rain. Clear conditions are more enjoyable, but long clear periods are typically accompanied by colder temperatures. Watch for frost free nights as a leading indicator of warmer water.

Nymphing is the best method to stick with until spring arrives

Winter Methods

This is the time of year for nymph fishing. You might get rewarded with a rising trout, but that’s more of an exception than the rule in the Smokies. Still, it can happen, so you might consider a dry and dropper rig if water temperature is in the high 40’s. The average nymph rig should be at least 20″ deep if not deeper. There are no hard and set rules, but the deeper the water, the deeper your nymph should be. That also goes hand in hand with water temperature. Fish will often suspend in the current or at least feed up in the water column with warmer temperatures, but remain glued to the bottom when the water is in the low 40’s or cooler.

Use a strike indicator for the best success, but don’t hesitate to try old school tight line nymphing techniques or modern Euro Nymphing. These are optimized for fishing deep. Your fly will go as deep as you allow it so there’s no need for adjusting the depth of an indicator. This requires excellent line control though. Anything more than a few inches of slack between the fly and rod tip will have no sensitivity to detect a strike. Even though this is the most difficult way to fish, it’s highly effective and the skills you hone by doing it will have a positive effect on aspects of your fishing.

Perhaps our favorite element of fly fishing in the winter is that it’s essentially an afternoon pursuit. There’s nothing keeping you from getting out early, but the fish are almost always more active mid-day to late afternoon. Pour another cup of coffee, tie a few more flies, return some calls or emails and don’t feel like you missed anything. Better yet, it’s a good excuse to maybe drive a little further to go fishing. That extra drive time will happen when the fishing was slow anyway.

Other places to fish in the winter

Fishing in the national park is our favorite, but we’ll readily admit it is among the toughest places to catch fish in the winter. We don’t guide these other places, but they could be worth making the trip:

Tellico River – This is down in the Cherokee National Forest. Anyone who fishes the Smokies will feel right at home. The river is stocked in the winter and has delayed harvest, catch and release regulations until spring. Not only are the stockers easier to catch than the wild fish, but they’re bigger too.

North Carolina Delayed Harvest – There are dozens of these streams. The Nantahala and Tuckaseegee Rivers are probably the best known. Keep in mind these are perennial favorites with many Southeastern anglers are intensively stocked through the winter, but only in certain areas. Our main piece of advice is to take your success with a grain of salt. These are super fun places to fish, but don’t fish much like wild streams. Enjoy your time in these places but don’t let it go to your head.

Delayed harvest Tuckaseegee River brook trout

Gatlinburg – Many of our friends love fishing in Gatlinburg in the winter. The setting is pretty jarring to us as we’re more accustomed to backcountry locations. However, the river is well stocked and you’re never more than a few casts away from any number of restaurants where you can warm up at the end of the day.

Tailwaters – The Clinch, Hiwassee, South Holston and Watauga Rivers can all have superb winter fishing. The South Holston and Watauga near Johnson City and Bristol are both known for rising trout and hatches in the winter. Naturally, both are excellent options.

Winter day on the South Holston

The Hiwassee operates under delayed harvest / catch and release regulations on the upper end of the river. It may not be friendly for wading at all times, but the fish are definitely there. In the past TWRA has even stocked cutthroats in the river, so that’s a definite change of pace.

A solid winter rainbow trout on the Hiwassee

The Clinch is the real sleeper here with plenty of real deal, large trout. These are picky fish that have a preference for small flies. These of chunky, hot fish so bring a net and expect to hear your drag sing when you hook one. The wrinkle in the Clinch equation is hitting flows right. You’ll need zero generation and that’s not something you find for more than a few hours very often on this river.

Clinch rainbow trout caught an a midge pupa on a mild winter day

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The scene about 10 days ago on the Middle Prong of Little River at Tremont

A beautiful fall afternoon of dropping dry flies in pocket water

The bulk of fall color in the Smokies has passed, but there are still some good days on the water left in the year. We had a stunning autumn season with colors popping up high in early October and quickly filtering into the lower elevations as the weeks and days passed. We’ve had great water levels, occasionally a bit low, but never too high and usually pretty this fall.

The first snow of the season fell on the Smokies this week with about 7-8″ on the highest ridgelines. Furthermore, Mount Leconte recorded the coldest temperature in the lower 48 states yesterday morning with a low of 3 degrees and a wind chill of -20! Yikes! Fortunately things are turning around quickly and above average temperatures are forecast for this week into next.

We suggest anyone with the time should get out and enjoy the last good days of the season

A beautiful wild rainbow recently caught on a nymph in the national park

We’re certainly in that time frame where nymphs should be part of any fly fisher’s plan in the Smokies. However, you should consider dry flies based on the warm weather forecast and the overall attitude of our fish. Midges and Blue Wing Olives seem to hatch most afternoons along with regular cameo appearances by October caddis. We should also begin to see more small dun caddis moving forward. This never means you need exact imitations, but the good old Parachute Adams, Stimulator and Elk Hair Caddis will continue to produce. Just be sure to keep the sizes on the smaller side. Some fish will eat a #14, but #16 is better. We might even recommend a Hi-Vis Parachute in #18 some days, but that’s rarely the difference between crushing it or getting skunked.

This colorful brook trout took a small nymph, but many will still rise to a dry fly

Brook and brown trout have been spawning lately and relatively absent from the action. We expect the brown trout to continue hanging around redds but also more willing to eat. This is the best time of year to spot a great big brown trout. They are just as skittish as ever and sometimes less willing to eat with their attention focused on spawning. However, there can be a window after they spawn where they will remain out in the open and feed somewhat aggressively. It’s all about being in the right place at the right time.

This modest but colorful brown trout smashed a dry fly

One last note about fishing the Smokies right now…. It’s easier to spot wildlife now that most of the leaves have dropped. Animals will really be moving with the nice weather, but somewhat spotty. There has been a good crop of acorns this year and the bear, deer, hogs, squirrels – really most animals – are taking advantage. That means you might not see many animals in the fields around Cades Cove, but maybe three bears under a single white oak on acorns.

The days are certainly shorter, but we love this time of year in the woods and on the water! Get out while you can!

The post Fall Fly Fishing in the Smokies Continues as the Season Winds Down appeared first on R and R Fly Fishing.

Smoky Mountain trout stream are very colorful right now!

Fall is one of our favorite seasons because the scenery changes every day. The colors on the trees are nearing peak right now on our favorite waters and the weather has been great so far. Stream flows got pretty low on the Tennessee side of the Smokies but remained pretty good in North Carolina. Furthermore, we received some rain over the past few days and that made a marked improvement. We’d still like to see better flows in Tennessee, but they are far better than what we experienced the last two years at this time. Even better, we have rain in the forecast next week, so we have reason for optimism.

Fish have been looking up in the Smokies!

Our favorite thing about fly fishing in the Smokies is the way our wild trout rise to dry flies so well. We continue to fish with dropper rigs, a bushy #14-16 dry fly on top with a smaller #16-18 beadhead nymph about 18″ underneath. This has continued to produce well with the bulk of the fish taking the dry fly on most days. In fact, we’ve been getting rid of the nymph on sunny afternoons and just sticking with the dry fly. Nothing out of the ordinary, basic Parachute Adams, Stimulators, and Elk Hair Caddis all get the job done.

Brown trout are in the mix on the right streams, but they’re just as skittish as ever

Just because the trout are feeding aggressively doesn’t mean they’re pushovers, though. We can tell you with certainty that you need to get that first cast right and in the right place. Low water and bright autumn skies make for extra spooky trout. One thing we’ve seen in our guiding lately is nearly all the fish are coming on the first cast in the right spot. Chances are good the trout have vacated the premises if it takes a few casts to get the fly in the right place.

Smoky Mountain native brook trout

Many anglers are curious about both brown trout and brook trout in the fall. While they’re always colorful here in the Smokies, they take on deeper hues with their spawning colors. The main thing to be aware of is that they don’t tend to eat nearly so well in spawning season. This seems to be something that happens every autumn. The fish are eating great, then one day they won’t eat a thing. Most of the time we’ll also notice them paired up, chasing each other around, or sitting on beds of pea gravel.

Rainbows will continue to feed aggressively, so most streams with them should fish great. The one thing to consider is not walking on redds, the gravelly areas where trout have laid eggs. Predators are often blamed for poor fishing, but a single angler can destroy hundreds or even thousands of trout eggs by stepping on areas where they were laid. Watch are very clean areas in gravel that are about the size of a plate. Large brown trout can have redds  that may be a few feet long and wide.

The season is getting short so be sure to get out while the weather is nice and the trout are happy!

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October is the busiest month in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

This is an important update for anyone coming to the Smokies to fly fish in the near term. There is a shutdown of the federal government. National parks are a division of the federal government and their employees have been told not to come to work as their funding has expired.

We’ve weathered every one of these shutdowns since the Clinton administration. Each and every one of them has been handled differently. This is extremely hard on us as well as visitors who have had plans in place for weeks if not months that must be changed. In fact, this time we were notified in advance that we would receive guidance about our commercial operations in the park when park officials were notified what they would be. We awoke to a shutdown in place with zero guidance, and even now things seem to be unclear….

Right now we are authorized to carry on guiding in the park more or less as we do on a daily basis. We have been notified that the park will remain open to visitors, but in a very limited sense. Expect all visitor centers and bathrooms to be closed. The bulk of park employees, from custodial staff to law enforcement and rescue personnel will not be on the job.

This is where things get confusing…. Some picnic areas have been closed while others remain open, but seemingly without restrooms. We have been asked to please take any trash with us as there will not be any trash pickup from the receptacles in the park. This will undoubtedly get messy in the days ahead.

In the past we along with all other commercial use permit holders have had to cease operations in the park. This time we’ve been notified that we can continue to guide in the park with restrictions. We must notify everyone we guide that there will be no emergency services. While we have never needed emergency services, we see them in action weekly in the park, sometimes multiple times per day. Also, when any trees fall across the roads they will not be cleared. Things are in good shape now, but during the last shutdown in 2019 more and more of the park became inaccessible because of road blockages from fallen trees.

We know what a few of you may be thinking, but carrying a chainsaw in the trunk is of little use when there’s a giant oak across the road. Park personnel regularly use XXL chainsaws, bulldozers and dump trucks to clear many of the trees that fall across a road every so often in these thick forests.

Campgrounds seem to be open right now, but that doesn’t square with the guidance we’ve received. If you have reservations for a national park campground we would advise checking on that before heading this way. The most notable closure that visitors should be aware of is Cades Cove Loop Road. This is the busiest section of the park with the most accidents, wildlife interactions, and trash receptacles. Officials seem to have chosen to close this section of the park since there are innumerable problems that can pop up without anyone on duty to handle them.

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We get a lot of questions this time of year concerning how long the fishing holds up, are dry flies good, and how to dress. First of all, fly fishing in the Smokies remains very good well into November. Every year it seems like Thanksgiving week is when there seems to be a significant slow down. That doesn’t mean fishing is bad, but it tends to go from very good to okay based on colder weather. Fishing will usually remain quite good as long as the weather remains mild. Mornings may not fish great, but afternoons usually fish really well.

The Smokies have an incredibly fortunate quirkiness…. The fish seem to eat dry flies about as well if not better than nymphs for a good chunk of the season. Autumn absolutely falls into this category. The trout are up eating a variety of midges, caddis and small mayflies off the surface. This isn’t a great time for large #12 dry flies, but #14 – 18 work very well. We often use a small dropper nymph in the morning but might cut them off in the afternoon when the fish are rising well.

Dressing in layers is very important in the fall. Expect mornings to be cool, but you will probably get pretty warm by the afternoon when the sun gets up over the ridgeline. Also be sure to remember how much you move and exert when fishing the Smokies. You’ll work up a sweat climbing around those boulders!

Everyone has a slightly different timetable for wearing waders. We tend to wade wet until water temperatures are down into the 50’s and air temperatures are in the 60’s or less for most of the day. If water levels are low and we’re hiking in, we might continue to wade wet since we won’t be in the water very often. Regardless, do whatever you’re comfortable with! We stand in cold water for a living and wear sandals in the winter, so you probably have a different personal thermostat.

Have you seen we’re heading to Patagonia in February? It will be summer in the southern hemisphere and trout in the Andes will active! Check out our trip and email or call us with any questions.

The post Fall Fly Fishing in the Smokies Upon Us! appeared first on R and R Fly Fishing.

Ian and Charity getting some time to use the equipment on the Madison River

We’re back from our group trip to West Yellowstone, Montana and WOW was it a good one! Charity and I hosted a group of 18 fly fishers from across the country at the Golden Stone Inn and we fished with our favorite guides from Big Sky Anglers. Everyone in the group was such a pleasure and we all enjoyed our time together when we weren’t on the water. And so you know, these aren’t all the good photos, just the greatest hits from this year. There were so many nice fish caught and great photos taken. And apologies since we’re not even sure which of the group or guides took some of the photos, but the majority were not taken by either of us.

Our group with some of our guides and staff at the Golden Stone Inn, West Yellowstone Montana

West Yellowstone is an incredible place for trout fishing it is located smack in the middle of so many quality rivers, streams, and lakes. It sits at the junction of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho right at the western gateway to Yellowstone National Park.

Everyday we had anglers spread out perhaps as much as 100 miles apart as we all went in different directions with our guides each day. On the same day some of our anglers were with a guide in the northeast corner of Yellowstone National Park casting to native cutthroat trout while others were far to the west in Idaho on the lower Henry’s Fork stripping streamers for brown trout. Some in our group were further upstream on the Henry’s Fork catching rainbows while still others were drifting the swift waters of the Madison River and still others were wading the Gallatin River.

On our first day on the water Susan caught this magnificent native Yellowstone Cutthroat in the national park while Joe Matteo was hooked up to a nice trout on the upper Henry’s Fork while a moose watched him.

Ian and Jonathan Heames, our dear friend, and one of the owners of Big Sky Anglers and Golden Stone Inn

We’ve known Big Sky Anglers and Golden Stone Inn owner Jonathan Heames since 2011 and we’re all on the same wavelength. Sure, we all want to catch trout, but we’ve made the long trip to Yellowstone for a deeper connection. A connection to the natural world and other like minded anglers. You’ll know what I mean if you’ve ever fished with us here in the Smokies. Fishing should be fun, interesting, and educational while you catch fish. And there’s no pressure if you miss fish! Have fun in the moment and learn in the process.

Kevin and Wes are a fun father and son team who have travelled to the West with us on a previous trip. These guys can fish and make the most of this special time together in an awesome place.

Tom and Gary are brothers who live on opposite sides of the country, one in East Tennessee and the other in California. This trip united them for a great week together.

Seeing wildlife is one of the many thrills of fly fishing in and around Yellowstone.

Barry Smith hiked three miles into the Yellowstone backcountry to catch this native westslope cutthroat trout from a pristine lake.

This was both Amy’s best fish ever and first brown trout. And in all seriousness, she smiles like that even when she’s not holding a big trout!

Linda had an epic day with her guide fishing up to the base of Gibbon River Falls in Yellowstone Park

Steve Young at the headwaters of the Madison River, the confluence of the Gibbon and Firehole Rivers in Yellowstone National Park

Cory at the Golden Stone Inn is the best host we’ve ever seen and took great care of our group at all hours. Nancy is a talented artist and angler in our group.

Golden Stone Inn doesn’t typically provide dinners in the evening, but we arranged a caterer to come to the lodge every night. We had appetizers and cocktail hour at 6:30. That provided plenty of time for everyone to get back from the river without rushing. Dinners were at 7:30, then most evenings there was a casual gathering around the firepit in the courtyard.

Rich and Terry enjoying cocktail hour on their porch in the courtyard at Golden Stone Inn

There was a lively recap of the day’s fishing every evening over appetizers and drinks on the patio and in the courtyard.

Andy and Mark, our two longest tenured travelers with R&R western trips, kept everyone, and each other, in line

Laurie and her crew fed us well every evening

Shrimp cocktail with garlic bread and soft cheese and tomatoes

BBQ night featuring ribs and chicken

Steamed mussels

Smoked salmon flatbread during the appetizer and cocktail hour

And now back to our regularly scheduled fish pictures….

Damn! Another slab cutthroat for Susan!

Michael and Doug learned streamer tactics with their guide Miles on the lower Henry’s Fork.

Even though these are some of the most famous rivers in the world, our guides can usually manage to find out of the way places for us if that’s what we want. This is a remote section of the Henry’s Fork away from all roads.

Ian caught this solid rainbow during a lunch break on the Madison

Charity making waves on the Madison

Joe caught this exceptional brown trout in the most remote and difficult section of the Henry’s Fork, Cardiac Canyon

Guide Chris Daniel celebrates with Charity after he netted a rainbow for her that took them on a jog down the river

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