West Yellowstone

I left my hotel in Bozeman for my two days at the Henry's Fork around 7 AM. I drove the route along the Gallatin river (highway 191) via Big Sky to visit West Yellowstone along my way to Island Park, Idaho. While driving I remembered something about road from Big Sky to West Yellowstone being closed down due to wild fires, but as I was approaching Big Sky I saw no signs of road closing. I arrived at West Yellowstone around 8:30 AM.



West Yellowstone is a famous town at the north western part of the Yellowstone National Park. This little town has the typical Montana atmosphere I haven't seen elsewhere. West Yellowstone is also the town with the world renown fly shop called Blue Ribbon Flies.

I still remember entering this small fly shop in 1992 with my friend Don. I bought this rod, Sage 690-2 LL, back home especially for my first trip to Montana. I just thought the 6 weight rod was too heavy for the type of fishing we wanted to do. Then I saw this shiny new Sage 490-4 LL sitting on the rod rack. I asked Craig Mathews, the owner of BRF, if I could cast this rod outside. The lightness of this rod amazed me...

I went back to the shop and asked Craig if he would consider trading my 690-2 LL for this four piece rod. Craig inspected my rod and said it was okay if I paid the price difference*. The cordiality of Craig was etched in my memories.

After 26 years I walked into the shop again. Blue Ribbon Flies looked just as I remember. The interior changed a bit obviously but the atmosphere still felt like back in 1992. Craig wasn't in the shop but the former co-owner John Juracek was tying while other employees were hanging around the counter.

While looking through the bins for deer hair (BRF is famous for their deer and elk hair) I also asked about the conditions at the Henry's Fork. Wading on the Henry's Fork is very easy going thanks to the gravel bottom, I asked if they could take a look at the rubber sole and the cleats I just got installed as I was slipping all the time yesterday. Big was my surprise that the cleats were already loose and way too few to be effective. Katherine, the only female staff, generously offered to install more cleats on my boots.







Around 11 AM I left Blue Ribbon Flies with wading shoes full of cleats, a bunch of deer and elk hair, and some other tying materials. The final ride to Island Park was about 30 minutes. Henry's Fork here we come!


*I looked up in my journal and that day was July 31th and I paid $40 for the price difference between a two and four piece rod

My 2018 USA trip:

1) Upper stretch of the Elk river (BC)

2) Visit to RL Winston rod factory

3) A day with George Anderson on the Armstrong Spring Creek (MT)

4) Backcountry fishing in Montana

5) West Yellowstone

6) Henry's Fork - part 1

7) Henry's Fork - part 2

8) Henry's Fork - part 3

9) Cutthroat fishing with Dusty & Colt

10) Fiberglass Clave 2018

11) Last day of the trip - Soda Butte & Lamar (YNP)

12) Drone video of my BC / Montana / Idaho trip