[muskymags]

I told the wife that we should sneak away for a week for one last awesome trip before the baby comes. I mentioned Fla, Cali., even Puerto Rico, but she said she wanted to go west and go fishing in the mountain streams of the Great Rocky Mountains. Neither of us have ever been over there. Salt lake City and the Grand Canyon is as close as we've gotten. The wife mentioned Montana and It's very hard to find reliable information for areas to go and stay. Everyone you call has the best fishing, cheapest rates, and five star service (according to them). We're not looking for somthing extravagant. I nice little cabin in the woods with a bathroom is all we'd need. Camping with mountain weather, baby, and bears and Cougars around don't sound appealing right now, so a cabin, lodge, or hotel will be the ticket. I also don't want to spend $1000 a day to stay. Where should we go?? I think the Big Horn is about the most famous river over there. Is that the spot to go? We want to be in mountainous areas and not the praries. Rainbows, Browns, and Brookies would be fine, but Cutthroat, Goldens, and Bull Trout would be way way better. I'd also love a shot at a Mt. Whitefish, Grayling, or any various awesome Sucker specie over there. Any ideas guys????? Point me in the right direction, I have to get it planned soon! Thanks

[day5]

Ill be watching this thread close! I'm headed there next summer.

[TroutBum]

Go to West Yellowstone. There are at least a dozen Blue Ribbon trout streams within 30 miles. If you go after Labor Day you will have most of them to yourself. The City Center Motel is nice but not fancy, I've stayed there many times. I usually fly into Salt Lake then drive up, the added cost of flying into Bozeman is huge.

Thirty miles southwest is the Henry's Fork, my personal favorite trout stream. Make sure you fish there at least once.

[rstout]

TroutBum is spot on with West Yellowstone. I am headed there on the 10th of September for a week. The Madison, Gallatin, Slough Creek, the Yellowstone, The Henry's Fork, Hebgen Lake, Quake Lake, Henry's Lake, etc... The elk are going to start bugling soon. You can fish and your spouse, if she doesn't fish can take pictures, read a book, relax, etc... Great Place.

Blue Ribbon flies has a fishing report on their site with updates. http://www.blueribbonflies.com/

You can't beat it.

Good luck.

[buggybob]

Great answers for a trip to the Rockies. If you don't want the prairie then the Big Horn is not your choice, it's smack dab in the middle of it.

[flygirl]

I got back from Montana 3 wks ago & can't wait to return......I stayed at the Travelodge in Gardiner for $80 /nite. 5 min. from the park , across the road is the Yellowstone River ...It was clean ,nice room, & offered a continental breakfast which was all I needed since I put together a cheap cooler loaded with sandwichs /water for a full day of fishing. I spent 8 days out there fishing the Lamar Valley inside Yellowstone Park.. sun up to sun down.....Lamar river , Soda Butte Creek , wanted to fish Slough but the increase Bear activity made me chicken out of the 3 mile hike in....hiked up to Trout Lake.... My opinion of West Yellowstone is that its extremely touristy if thats what you like.....If you do stay there keep in mind that you will be limited to fish the Madison, Firehole, Nez Perce since they are doing road construction & the road is only open from 8am -10pm. The traffic wait is approx. 1 hr regardless of the amount of cars because they only have one lane open & close it to move the construction rigs around.........While there I did wait in traffic to fish the Gibbon meadows which at the time was unproductive but has since improved , then drove over to West Yellowstone & stopped in at Blue Ribbon flies....great shop but like I said...I prefer the quite small town of Gardiner over the larger town of West Yellowstone. Word of caution is if you do go into the Park be careful if driving out at night....people tend to mistake it for a speedway & wildlife is very active at night.....I was doing 25 mph with some ya hoo on my tail when I almost went off the road avoiding an Elk that was bigger than my car. I fished the Big Horn a few years ago & it just seems you have better luck fishing Nymphs. Let us know what you decide....& don't forget the pics !

[Leaky Waders]

My son and I fished W. Yellowstone in early October of last year.

The area we fished was where the Firehole meets the Gibbon to make up the Madison river.
Here is a video I made from that trip.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh-WuGhcSyQ

Leaky

[Pelhament]

Stay in West Yellowstone, Island park area. Get a park fishing pass and hit all the rivers you can. The Yellowstone, Slough Creek, the Firehole the Gibbon, etc, etc.. When I was there a couple years ago we caught Bows, BIG cutts, browns, brookies, whitefish and grayling, it was a great trip!

I will hopefully be going back next summer/fall.

[troutguy]

This thread is depressing... I was scheduled to fish Montana out of Butte September 16 - 25, we were fishing the Beaverhead, the Big Hole, Rock Creek and a one day float trip. I was fishing with Tim Mead a friend and fishing writer. He is in Montana for the entire month.

I can't go. Getting my kidney operated on tomorrow for cancer. I have a fly fishing surgeon. He understood that I was more upset by missing the trip than having cancer. Hopefully Tim goes next year.

For those going Tim offered me any week. The Butte area seemed the best compromise. it had Bull Trout, cuttbows, graying and large fish. Plus several TU's top 100.

Wish me luck tomorrow.

[TroutBum]

This thread is depressing... I was scheduled to fish Montana out of Butte September 16 - 25, we were fishing the Beaverhead, the Big Hole, Rock Creek and a one day float trip. I was fishing with Tim Mead a friend and fishing writer. He is in Montana for the entire month.

I can't go. Getting my kidney operated on tomorrow for cancer. I have a fly fishing surgeon. He understood that I was more upset by missing the trip than having cancer. Hopefully Tim goes next year.

For those going Tim offered me any week. The Butte area seemed the best compromise. it had Bull Trout, cuttbows, graying and large fish. Plus several TU's top 100.

Wish me luck tomorrow.

Good luck tomorrow with your surgery. Montana will always be there, get well first then go fishing. I think you may appreciate it more after you recover.