Summer fishing trip

[Orthoman]

I would like to hear some suggestions for a 2 week summer travel/fishing trip.

I would like to leave in mid July form Northern California and start fishing in eastern Oregon on the Owayhee River (which is about 12 hours from my house) and then take off north or north east from there -- eventually heading west and ending in the Seattle area.

I would like to make it to some of the Idaho, Wyoming and Montana rivers and streams. We would be camping for the most part. Would even entertain a couple of guided float trips along the way.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[jimsnarocks]

I would go back to Yellowstone NP in a heartbeat. Make reservations now for a designated campground and spend a few days fishing and sightseeing. Also the FEATURES catagory on FAOL main page menu can direct you to wonderful places, guide services and so forth. I'm planning a trip this summer to check out John Scott's waters in SE Idaho. Good luck on your decisions. So many fish, so little time. Jim

[flybop]

If you have not fished the Big Horn I would recommend making a trip there this summer. There is some camping available in the Fort Smith area and if you want camper hook-ups and or running water the Cottonwood Camp ground is practically on the river.

You can wade fish the Horn, but having access to a boat is a major advantage. The lake is full and if we keep getting a decent snow pack there will again be plenty of water in the Horn. At the current flow, ~2400 cfs, the Horn is easily waded. If the flow is much higher then being in a boat to get from wade spot to wade spot will be a major advantage.

[JohnScott]

Here's a link to my SE Idaho reports.

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/s...ad.php?t=22443

And one to my Central Mountains reports.

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/s...ad.php?t=20554

Let me know when you're headed for Idaho and I can be a bit more specific on how to access places that interest you.

Also, be aware that as of right now, these areas are below normal for precipitation. Things will most likely be okay through the end of July IF we get decent precip between now and the end of the winter.

John

[Trout-Dawg]

Jellystone for sure!!

[Webfoot]

Stop and fish the Blitzen River in SE Oregon around Frenchglen before you hit the Owyhee. The Steen's country is spectacular.

Dean

[DShock]

Orthoman,
If you have never been to Yellowstone Park, you need to go! 2 weeks vacation is perfect for taking the time to see the Park and fish the streams & lakes. Getting an early start with your planning is important. The town of West Yellowstone has camping: http://www.yellowstonecamping.com/?g...FRlcagodDDV_Vg
YNP has camping: http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisi...ellowstone.htm
Old Faithful Inn has lodging: http://www.yellowstoneparknet.com/ol...ithful_inn.php
Lake Yellowstone Hotel has lodging: http://www.travelyellowstone.com/lak...cabins-94.html
Maps: http://www.yellowstone.net/maps.htm
West Yellowstone has a number of Fly Shops that you can check out on the Web. (Blue Ribbon Fly Shop is great!)
It is important to make any reservations as soon as possible.
Doug

[DShock]

Lower Yellowstone Falls, Images: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/80/25...2d6c474d9f.jpg
http://www.oceanlight.com/lr/tran/13331.jpg

The Gibbon River, Images: http://www.glaciertoyellowstone.com/...nRiverp210.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/g4/09/618409/2/62938308.933UVWHf.jpg

The Firehole River, Images: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/53/21...4b4181.jpg?v=0
http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/5664196.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/26/51...1634d665_b.jpg

The Madison River, Images:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cdRBRgORCe...on%2BRiver.jpg
http://www.montanatrout.com/images/P...2%20footer.jpg
http://www.fishtalesoutfitting.com/P...s/DSCN0102.JPG
Madison River Brown: http://www.fishingartworks.com/image...g_artworks.jpg

Yellowstone River (Yellowstone Cutthroat), Image:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...r8-05cropc.jpg

Doug

[Orthoman]

I have been to Yellowstone several times but have not fly fished there. Been through the park a couple of times during the winter on snow mobile tips which was fantastic. Also been there a couple of times during the summer -- and actually did fish in the lake but that was back in my spin casting and bait days.

Yellowstone would definitely be in the running for a couple of days.

Thanks for the ideas -- keep them coming. I am plotting them out on the map

[Longs for Cutts]

I suggest picking a smaller area and exploring it more thoroughly. A couple days won't even get you dialed in on one stream in a given area, much less the other options. I'm still finding new places in the Yellowstone region and I've been living and guiding here for most of a decade. I suspect I could still be saying that in fifty years. Plus, choosing one region as a base will slash your driving vs fishing time overall.

Taking Yellowstone as a base, where you stay should depend on time of year and what you want to do. West Yellowstone is definitely better in the spring. There's more nearby fishing to Gardiner (where I am) in the summer and things are even in the fall, but there's always more famous water near West (non-famous does not equal non-good). Gardiner is less touristy and a little cheaper. Unless you want to focus on, say, Slough Creek, to the exclusion of other places, I'd stay outside the Park rather than in. It's cheaper, there are a lot more lodging and dining options, fly shops are better than the sporting goods sections inside the park, and there's plenty of water not far foutside the entrances that often gets less pressure than what's inside.

My shop's website has a Trip Planner with hatch charts, river guides, etc. It's here: www.parksflyshop.com/planner.htm

I certainly wouldn't mind taking you out, but the planner will help regardless if Yellowstone is in the cards for you.