During January and February the fishing action centers on connecting with big hungry trout by jigging some type of bait or lure through the ice on one of the many fine lakes we have in the Pinedale area. The less hardy fishers who prefer to wait until there is some open water on our local streams stay indoors and talk about the two big “W’s” weather and water.

I am frequently asked by prospective clients to give them an idea of what the fishing water conditions will be like during their visit. My standard response is that “normally” (a weather guesser’s hedge word) the best water for fly fishing occurs from the second week in July through the second week in September. This is when we have the best water, weather and hatch conditions. We usually have a couple of weeks in late April and early May, before the run-off, when the weather and water conditions give us excellent fishing opportunities on some of our streams. There are also top-notch fishing conditions to be found on our local lakes in May and June as the ice recedes.

Taking a look at this year, weather experts say we are still under the influence of La Nina, a weather pattern created by cooler ocean temperatures in the eastern Pacific which usually brings more moisture and cooler temperatures to our part of the country. So why was much of the Rocky Mountain area bereft of snow until late January? There is another phenomenon that enters our weather equation known as arctic oscillation, where strong surface air pressure traps the moist air that would bring snow to our region up near the Arctic, leaving the Rocky Mountains with low moisture levels. During the La Nina cycle it is just a matter of time before the arctic oscillation pressure weakens, allowing moist air to escape southward which will then bring snow for our mountains in Sublette County.

It is easy to participate in weather science particularly with the advent of the internet, but individuals who are planning a trip to our area like to communicate with someone who has extensive experience with the local weather and water conditions. In this regard I feel comfortable in projecting that we will have decent fishing water here in Sublette County again this season. I base this projection, in part, on the fact that being born and raised in Wyoming I know we will have snow fall in the mountains, albeit sometimes more, sometimes less; sometimes early in the winter, sometimes late. I have been chasing trout in our local streams for well over a half century and have found there has always been enough water to maintain a good trout population. We are very fortunate to live next to the Wind River Mountains where elevation and a unique permanent glacier system contribute to a good supply of fishing water.

One thing is certain, the weather and water conditions will periodically change throughout the next several months.

We have had a lot of surface moisture the past few days and the snow pack in the mountains looks a lot like December. The weather alternates between warm and cool temperatures, which have kept the flows consistent on the major streams. Walk/wade fishing opportunities are excellent on all our streams since the lower fall water flows have isolated the good holes and runs where the trout usually congregate. The water temperatures remain moderate and the fish have stayed active in their feeding habits. The Brown trout have become more active as they prepare to commence their spawning activities and the Rainbows are feeding voraciously.

We are getting some action on the New Fork and Green Rivers by offering the trout large mouthfuls of various colored woolly buggers and other large streamer patterns. These patterns also seem to work well in some of our local lakes. The trout will respond well to smaller nymph and egg patterns if they are dead drifted deep in front of their noses. If the temperature warms up to the mid forties in the afternoon and the wind and cloud cover is right we experience a BWO and Caddis hatch. This brings feeding trout to the surface, giving the surface anglers a great thrill.

Fly fishing remains generally good, but the angler must be prepared to practice a little winter survival on occasion when a front moves into the area. This will occur more frequently as winter approaches.

Our prime fly fishing season started a lot later this year due to a very cold spring which led to a later run-off. We were unable to fish many of our streams until the third week in July.  Early August found us still waiting for some of the smaller streams coming out of the Wyoming Mountain Range to moderate. This late start gave us good water flows throughout September and well into October so we had a few extra weeks of excellent fishing at the end of the season.  The fish we caught late in the season were fat and feisty since they had gorged themselves on worms, grubs and mites that were dislodged from the stream banks during several weeks of abnormally high water.  This coupled with the lighter than normal fishing pressure early in the season bodes well for our fishing prospect next season. 

Our float trips were very productive this season, but the good walk/wade opportunities did not develop until later in the season.  It is difficult to predict the water situation for next year, but I would say the best time to visit us for all round prime fly fishing opportunities will be from the second week in July to the second week in September.  Those interested in fishing during this period should make reservations early.

There were large numbers of clients who came to participate in the Wyoming Cutt-Slam which has become a very popular fly fishing challenge.  Remember we can provide you with an opportunity to fish for three of the four sub-species of cutthroat required to complete your Slam.

We have conducted high quality fly fishing expeditions for years on the many outstanding streams in the Pinedale area.  These waterways are not only a great home for wild trout, but provide a wonderful venue for birds, raptors, waterfowl and other wildlife.  Many of our clients who fish our private waters enjoy viewing the feathered and hoofed wildlife as well as the fishing.  This prompted us to develop a bird watching expedition for this next season.

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We hope to be a valuable resource for all of the adventurous men and women wishing to complete the Cutt-Slam or just planning a fun trek through Wyoming. Wyoming boasts beautiful waters for fly fishing, high peaks to climb, horses to ride, hot springs and an abundance of wildlife. We would love to hear your stories. We plan to post anything we find relevant hear as well. If you have an adventure or plans to share please post them here. Happy trails!