Posted on July 11 2021
Dennis - Sorry, missed your question about trips out west. Haven't taken one the past three years, Covid-19, too many boats on the rivers, a fish population crash and old age being the primary reasons. For over twenty years it was a no brainer, go to the Missouri at Craig Mt. Dozens of Delaware fishermen still go there. At one time we counted over 30 Delaware River fishermen eating dinner at Issacs's. Have heard there are more boats than ever and with low water the dry fly fishing is very tough this year.
For several years I enjoyed boat free fishing for big browns on the Owyhee in eastern Oregon but the river was filled with very old browns and there has been a steep decline in the population. Have talked yearly with the fish biologist there and the river may well be on the way back. May go next year.
Took a trip with another Troutfitter to the San Juan in October (missed a week of bow hunting) and had very good fishing for big fish on midges and small olives. Needed to go very small before we got into fish but I think we were the only two people fishing dries (part of the river is boat free).
Without looking at a map I'm not sure which streams are in which states but there are lots of blue ribbon streams with good fish populations in all the northwestern states. On most of the rivers bug season is short, the boats plentiful and the fishing degree of difficulty is not much different than the Delaware.
If you go, you need to do your homework, find out when prime time is on the rivers you are interested in or you'll end up bobber fishing, and secure both lodging and a car ahead of time.
The leader changing depends on how much I screw it up. Start by adding 6x to the leaders 5x. When the 5x is getting used up I add some of my own, it's when I need to add four, five and six that things go awry and I need to change leaders.
I love the Missouri but stay as far away from Craig as ;possible. The main problem I see with going there is as you said you have to book ahead and then the conditions can be real awful. I have found very high water in early July and heavy snow in the middle of July but still love the river.
Dennis,Angler 119 as always has good advice . I’ve been out west 25+ times starting in 1985,from mid-July thru Mid-October.However I haven’t made the trip in the past 8 years(grandchildren,etc). I like the area around West Yellowstone because quite a few of the great streams in Montana (Madison) Wyoming(YNP) and Idaho ( Henry’s Fork ) are an hour to an hour or so drive away. The hatches change with the seasons. with streamers and bwo’s predominate in the Fall. With that being said as A119 pointed out the rivers have gotten quite crowded over the past 10 years .Fished the Missouri in 1989 and 1990 and there was hardly any one on the river . Now I understand you have to wait in line to launch a drift boat. Also ,just like back East the hatches are better during some periods than others . Definitely do your homework and book ahead no matter where you decide to go.Good luck
Thanks very much for the advice!!!!