Five years in a row and we have seen a few changes to this fishery in this short time. Still catching some of the biggest brown trout in the west so that has not changed. What has is other areas around the west. The Green was not producing so some of their guides were here working. The local Wind River outfitter had a huge abnormal sized booking. The pressure was barely similar to other great trout fisheries of the west but way above what we have seen or even herd of for here.
Even with that factored in my guys that went subsurface with droppers had great fishing very much like the past five years. I stayed true to my style and fished various hoppers. My best day was 21 trout with a 19-inch minimum. My slowest day was 7 trout nothing under 21 inches all on dry single bug. Lisa of course caught the largest fish of us both and I think possibly the group.
Water conditions comparing to 2023 was 500 cfs lower and the drifting gras was not friendly even on dries. But this is what we except for these monster Browns and once you have the flick its easy to remove and recast. This is the second year in a row that a lady of the party caught the largest fish.
Joel also a steelhead client that lives in WY was able to jump in and fish his cane rod, even floated right past his house. Nice cutthroat.
Just another sight fished 20-inch Brown.
The most incredible this happens here. I see the fish so often before the eat and of course during. These large trout all eat differently. As a dry fly guy, we notice that, and we all have our favorite style of eat.
Two of my favorites are the fade back long look and the downstream sip, maybe a nudge in there too for a test.
I saw something this trip never seen before. A smaller 18 -19-inch brown trout spooked off the boat circled in the zone of a Truely large toad of a trout. That trout rushed the invader smashed him on his flank. This gave me the opportunity to set up the cast. He followed my hopper, inverted and sucked it down. the whole thing took 15 seconds. The battle was minutes the pic was flopped the brown was two foot plus.
That in a nutshell is why I will never stop making this trip!
The beauty of the area is Impressive someday I’ll be able to afford the Canyon. But until then I’m happy with the Valley..
