Hank Patterson? :shock:
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Hank Patterson? :shock:
Howard Back?
Byron - Okay. Maybe it was he who guided the expedition in which this fly fisher took part. I'd have to review the particular book and see if this is mentioned.
The expedition I'm refering to and this fly fishing took place after Yellowstone became a national park(1872). After I re-read the source information I'll provide some more specifics.
"Captain Boutelle was an avid angler" - from Wikipedia
Re. stocking fish: "This suggestion was acted upon and in 1889 the first non-native fish were stocked into Yellowstone waters."
Well, I just reviewed the book I was using as a reference for this question and my answer. The title of the book I'm citing is, A Trout & Salmon Fisherman For 75 Years(1946, by Edward R. Hewitt (1866-1957). On pages 15 through 20 he describes the trip out west he was taken on by his father. The trip took place in 1881 when he was only 15 years old. I should add that Mr. Hewitt was born with a 'silver spoon' in his mouth and his family was extremely well-connected. Yellowstone "at that time was a complete wilderness which had not yet ben opened to the public". Among the party was a Senator who was also the Secy of the Interior, an Army General, and a Captain. They traveled to the end of the Northern Pacific RR at Billings, Montana and hooked up with General Phil Sheridan. According to the author, General Sheridan assigned 30 cavalrymen to accompany some of the party about 300 miles to Yellowstone National Park. Mr. Hewitt describes his fly fishing in Yellowstone River, Boulder Creek and the Snake River. He describes the immense number and weight of Cut-throat trout that were caught and used to feed the entire party as well as Indians at an encampment. He also writes that he again visited Yellowstone in 1914, fishing the area waters as well as the Madison and then fished some spring water at the HF Bar Ranch in Wyoming.
Hewitt listed members of the party: His father, Sir John Pender (business owner), Senator/Secy of Interior, Mr. Bayard, Gen. Lloyd Bryce, Capt. Gorringe who brought over and set up the obelisk in Central Park, and of course the young Mr. Hewitt.
Very interesting book.
Even if he were only 15, that would still make 1891. Yellowstone opened as a national park in 1872, with a thousand vistors that year. You could get there a combination of rail and stagecoach by 1880. Rudyard Kipling wrote about a fly fishing trip there in the 1890's (I believe) as though it were a regular thing. I seriously doubt that Hewitt was the first to fly fish in the park (although he may have believe that he was.)
Bob,
What you wrote repeats what I described. Yellowstone was the first National Park and established in 1872. RR did not reach it and you needed to go horseback or similar. There were dangers of traveling in that area including terrain, weather and native American Indians. Certainly the rivers were fished by native Americans, travelers, hunters and trappers and maybe just visitors BUT not specifically fly fishing and not anything that was documented. Oh, the year was 1881 not 1891. As for Rudyard Kipling, he wrote in 1899 about the Clackamas River located in the northwest, near Portland Oregon I believe.
Interesting triva question, however it might have been better if it was phrased "Who was the first recorded person to fish with a fly rod in Yellowstone National Park?" Like many questions, Who was the first person to fish a dry fly?, Who was the first true nymph fisherman?, etc. We only can attach dates to things that were recorded and preserved. Was Hewitt the very first person to fish use a fly rod to fish in Yellowstone? In reality we will never know, for sure. However, it is fun to speculate.
Chronicler,
If you reread the very first post, I did specify, "According to the literature, or at least in the book I read, who was the first fly fisher to specifically use that method (previously stated as fly fishing) of fishing in Yellowstone Park?" IMHO when I wrote, "According to the literature", it is the same as you suggested, "Who was the first recorded person". Recorded = documented = chronicled = logged = in the literature = other synonyms.
Now perhaps I could have phrased it better but I think it was clear enough that a reader would understand the question.
By the way, it would be interesting to examine one of your other questions - "Who was the first person to fish a dry fly?" I believe that there is an answer and it is 'in the literature', or as you would phrase it, 'Who was the first recorded person to fish a dry fly?'
Allan
Allan
My point wasn't to start an arguement but to simply make a point. I concur that Hewitt is noted to be the "first" person to fish with a fly in YNP. However, did others do so before him? I don't know and I'm relatively certain that we will never know.