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Early Season Options
The Mighty Snake
Bugs and Trout
Early Season Options
If the lakes are thawed out, you should think about renting a float tube and hitting Yellowstone Lake or one of the lakes at the base of the Tetons like Jenny, Bradley or Taggart. (Cast out big wooly bugger, pull out some line, kick. Repeat.)
Second, if you can gain access to some of the region's spring creeks, they will most likely be clear and fishable. However, many of them do not open until August and many others are assessable via private land. (the best spring creek may be a river, the Henry's Fork of the Snake over in Idaho, a short drive away).
Third, the tail water section of the Snake just below Jackson Lake Dam usually runs clear for four miles or so until the muddy waters of Pacific Creek and Buffalo River join in.
Your best bet, if you arrive in mid June, is to drive into Idaho and hit the Henry's Fork. The famous green drake mayfly hatch starts over there about mid-June and if you've never experienced it, the journey is worth the effort. Some Henry's Fork advice: Think dry fly. Think light leaders and delicate presentation. Think patience.
The Mighty Snake
As for the Snake, you can start fishing it with nymphs and streamers as soon as you get a few feet of visibility. You should start seeing some surface action by late July. While going at it on your own is rewarding, hiring a guide is strongly suggested. This is not a sales pitch, it's simply the reality of properly fishing a river that is very difficult to wade. Guides have boats and know how to use them to get you where you need to be.
Bugs and Trout
When it comes to fly selection, mayflies, caddis flies and any sort of nymph is really just practice for when the big bugs come to town. Around mid-August, just before summer gives way to fall, the airspace above the Snake fills with hoppers and a few giant stone flies. It is then, when the river is most clear and the trout are most hungry, that you really want your fly on the water. There is very little sipping action, cutties can hit hard and heavy so you'll want to bump both tippet size and attentiveness up a notch.
While an occasional brown will be taken and small brookies can be found near major tributaries like the Gros Ventre, fishing the Snake means you'll be chasing cutthroat; the only native trout in an increasingly nonnative ecosystem.
What does this mean to the practical angler? It means fishing big flies whenever possible, including streamers if you've got enough rod to pull it off without embedding a #2 hook in your shoulder blade.
As always, talk to folks in the local fly shops for the best, most up-to-date information and don't forget to have fun. That's why you're out there.
| Business Listings |
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| Goosewing Ranch
Jackson, WY |
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| Price: $$-$$$ |
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Come stay with us! Our rates include lodging, all meals, daily maid service, swimming, flyfishing, riding instruction, daily rides into the wilderness, evening cookout wagon rides and all activities at the ranch. Excursions to Jackson, a rodeo, rafting or float trips, guided fishing trips, or Yellowstone National Park are all possibilities!... More » |
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| Jackson Hole Anglers
Jackson, WY |
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With the majestic Teton Range as a backdrop, we float and fish some of
the finest trout waters anywhere. We accommodate beginners and experts alike in our beautiful fishing dories. Come fish with the best and CATCH LOTS OF FISH!!! |
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| Mill Iron Ranch
Jackson, WY |
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Fish with the Whitewater Cowboys. 1/2 and full day, scenic and whitewater fishing on the beautiful Snake River. Our experienced guides can get you into our native cutthroat trout waters, as well as arrange for the most thrilling line through our whitewater. Also see HORSEBACK RIDING. |
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| Snake River Angler
Moose, WY |
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A guided fly fishing trip on the Snake River in Grand Teton National Park is a Jackson Hole, Wyoming highlight.
A drift boat trip on the hunt for wild Snake River Cutthroat is a Jackson Hole experience not to be missed. Jackson Hole is famous for its dry fly fishing. Our guides... More » |
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| Spotted Horse Ranch
Jackson, WY |
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| Price: $$$-$$$$$ |
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The runoff from nearly 400 inches of snow each winter provides Jackson Hole with some of the best streams and rivers for spawning and growing trout. Our resident instructor/guide is here to take you on a guided trip to any of THE SPOTTED HORSE’S permitted waters. Depending on the water, trips... More » |
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| Business Listings |
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| Snake River Angler
Moose, WY |
| Visit Web Site » View Business Profile » |
|
A guided fly fishing trip on the Snake River in Grand Teton National Park is a Jackson Hole, Wyoming highlight.
A drift boat trip on the hunt for wild Snake River Cutthroat is a Jackson Hole experience not to be missed. Jackson Hole is famous for its dry fly fishing. Our guides... More » |
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