Just got back from 5 days in YNP with my daughter. Made some wonderful memories again including Wednesday's hike to Mount Washburn where we were greeted by a large herd of Bighorn Sheep. 
Thursday and Friday morning were fishing days though...
My daughter on the Gallatin. Huge disappointment as the stream looked great, plenty of insect life, but very few trout that wanted to play. Scenery was "OK" though
Gallatin had us a little bummed, so we re-grouped in West Yellowstone and set off for the Lamar Valley in the afternoon. The Lamar River itself was looking pretty "skinny" so we pushed on hoping for better flows.
We settled on Soda Butte Creek for the evening as we couldn't pass up the chance to possibly fish amongst the Bison herds. Not knowing what to expect fish-wise, we dropped in and started the pursuit.
Sure enough... Soda Butte is a wonderful little Cutthroat Fishery with willing biters ranging from 10-14 inches.
My daughter soon caught her first ever Yellowstone Cutthroat!
...and it seemed like the perfect time to find out how water-proof my new waterproof camera is.
Then some unexpected - but welcome - company showed up!
This was just about the best fly-fishing experience my daughter and I ever had together. Once the shadows got long, the Yellow Sally's started popping and it was on!
Moments like this will be forever burned into my memory.
The next morning it was time to hit my favorite - the Gibbon River
First fish of the morning... 18" brown! Now that's the way to kick off a day.
Rainbows were hard to come by on this trip... just a matter of location though I'm sure. This one - while lacking in size - was quite lovely and the picture just doesn't do it any justice.
Beauty is everywhere in YNP... from big to small and everything in between.
Already counting the days until next summer... not sure how many of these my 19-year old daughter and I have left... but we squeezed every bit of fun that we could out of this visit!
Thursday and Friday morning were fishing days though...
My daughter on the Gallatin. Huge disappointment as the stream looked great, plenty of insect life, but very few trout that wanted to play. Scenery was "OK" though
Gallatin had us a little bummed, so we re-grouped in West Yellowstone and set off for the Lamar Valley in the afternoon. The Lamar River itself was looking pretty "skinny" so we pushed on hoping for better flows.
We settled on Soda Butte Creek for the evening as we couldn't pass up the chance to possibly fish amongst the Bison herds. Not knowing what to expect fish-wise, we dropped in and started the pursuit.
Sure enough... Soda Butte is a wonderful little Cutthroat Fishery with willing biters ranging from 10-14 inches.
My daughter soon caught her first ever Yellowstone Cutthroat!
...and it seemed like the perfect time to find out how water-proof my new waterproof camera is.
Then some unexpected - but welcome - company showed up!
This was just about the best fly-fishing experience my daughter and I ever had together. Once the shadows got long, the Yellow Sally's started popping and it was on!
Moments like this will be forever burned into my memory.
The next morning it was time to hit my favorite - the Gibbon River
First fish of the morning... 18" brown! Now that's the way to kick off a day.
Rainbows were hard to come by on this trip... just a matter of location though I'm sure. This one - while lacking in size - was quite lovely and the picture just doesn't do it any justice.
Beauty is everywhere in YNP... from big to small and everything in between.
Already counting the days until next summer... not sure how many of these my 19-year old daughter and I have left... but we squeezed every bit of fun that we could out of this visit!
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