Fall 2020 Trout Spey Update
As we get later into the month of August here in the mountains, the days start getting shorter, the nights cooler, and the riverside vegetation begins to take on the colors of Autumn. Likewise, the first lake run fish begin stirring, the browns begin to take on...
Big Sky Anglers Weekly Fishing Report 8/13/2020
Hello there from West Yellowstone - the Trout Capital of the World! “If you don’t like the weather, wait ten minutes” is the old saying around these parts. Red flag warnings mixed in with big puffy clouds, some rain, sunshine and a hopper bite has been the norm for...
Big Sky Anglers Weekly Fishing Report 8/6/2020
. Hello there from West Yellowstone - the Trout Capital of the World!The Dog Days of Summer are here, that's for sure. The Greeks coined this phrase way back when and it refers to the timeframe of late July to early September when dogs and men could be driven mad just...
Big Sky Anglers Weekly Fishing Report 7/30/2020
Hello there from West Yellowstone - the Trout Capital of the World! It's late July; while we are still rowing the Madison and Henry's Fork our mind leads us to other locales like the Hebgen Lake and off the beaten path places in Yellowstone's Backcountry. The...
Big Sky Anglers Weekly Fishing Report 7/23/2020
Hello there from West Yellowstone - the Trout Capital of the World! Nostalgia set in last week as Justin, my Dad and I headed over to Hayden Valley in search native cutthroat downstream of Yellowstone Lake. Years ago, back in 92', my Dad brought me to West Yellowstone...
Big Sky Anglers Weekly Fishing Report 7/16/2020
Hello there from West Yellowstone - the Trout Capital of the World! The past month as been a whirlwind of guiding and traveling from the Henry's Fork, to the Madison, to the Missouri and back again to the Madison River. My guide schedule has slowed down a little bit...
The Heart of the Season
As we approach the middle of July each year, I tend to feel a little bit of anxiety as I begin to consider the bewildering diversity of fishing opportunities that surround us here in West Yellowstone. As a guide, now is when I begin to have almost TOO MANY good...
Big Sky Anglers Weekly Fishing Report 7/9/2020
Hello there from West Yellowstone - the Trout Capital of the World! I left today, Monday morning, for the Missouri River. I'll be up north guiding with Greg Falls for next several days. On my way through the Madison Valley my truck and drift boat somehow found their...
Hatch Profile – Arctopsyche grandis; My favorite Salmonfly pattern on the Madison River
Fishing the iconic Salmonfly (Pteronarcys californica) hatch on the Fifty-Mile Riffle is an epic experience to say the least. Snow-capped mountains and lush green hillsides frame a robust river flush with the bounty of early season snowmelt. Tremendous browns...
Big Sky Anglers Weekly Fishing Report 7/2/2020
Hello there from West Yellowstone - the Trout Capital of the World! July is here and if one thing is for certain, our days will be filled with dry flies and rising trout. We have now entered one of the most coveted timeframes in Greater Yellowstone Country. Each day...
Big Sky Anglers Weekly Fishing Report 6/25/2020
Hello there from West Yellowstone - the Trout Capital of the World! Mother Nature showed her true colors this week providing us a mix of weather including rain, high sun, clear skies and 80 plus degree temperatures; it felt pretty darn nice to spend our days on the...
BSA’s 4th Annual Community Appreciation Celebration – June 27, 2020
Well folks, we've held out as long as possible to update everyone about our summer community appreciation event. Formerly known as the Grand Opening Celebration. Turns out, those banners finally wore out. The simple fact is, now is not the time to invite all of our...
Big Sky Anglers Weekly Fishing Report 06/18/2020
Hello there from West Yellowstone - the Trout Capital of the World! Summertime showed up in true fashion this week with sunshine, wind, chilly mornings, a bit of snow in the high country, sunsets that start at 9:15 PM and most importantly - consistent dry fly angling...
Late June in the Rockies
The days are long now, and often warm. Runoff wanes. Water levels drop and water temperatures climb into the optimal range. Everything is green. Streams, rivers, lakes, and ponds all explode with life. Wild rose blooms on the banks and...
BSA Exclusive – Mimi Matsuda Pine Panel Trout Decals
One of our favorite thing about the fly fishing community is how many amazing artists there are out there who express their visions of fish, fishing, and nature through their work. Fish are brings us so much joy, that we can't imagine our fly shop our our homes...
Big Sky Anglers Weekly Fishing Report 6/11/2020
Hello there from West Yellowstone - the Trout Capital of the World! Snow fell last weekend and winter returned for a few days leaving a blanket of white gold in the high country to melt at some point down the road. At times it was dumping sideways with...
Tactics, Tackle, and Timing on the Railroad Ranch
Simply put, it is one of the most iconic pieces of trout water on Earth. The very mention of the storied Railroad Ranch section of the Henry’s Fork conjures images of expansive flats with large rainbow trout sipping away on the surface. Anglers who...
Big Sky Anglers Fishing Report 06/04/2020
June is a month that we all look forward to and it's finally here. It's a month of anticipation, of hatches, of long days on the river, of beers at the boat ramp and sunsets that make everyone stop and watch because they don't last long enough. It's the true beginning...
BSA’s Top Producing Green Drake Fly Pattern – JoJo’s Green Drake
This fly first started out as a #14 rusty spinner and I tied it for the Madison River. At Lyon Bridge, the mornings can be filled with spinning mayflies dancing in the air above the boat ramp. It is always a wonderful sight to see, that's for sure. For me, fishing...
Big Sky Anglers Fishing Report – May 28, 2020
The month of May has flown right on by, that's for sure, and it's certainly been like any other May we've known. Slowly but surely we are starting to find some added sense of normalcy. The fly shop is now OPEN daily from 9am to 5pm. As always, we are selling flies,...