Fall on Wyoming's Overlooked Streams

9/9/2009 DEEP IN WYOMING

On the map it looked like the straightest line, an almost direct shot south on a two-lane highway out of Montana and into Wyoming where I hoped to find an overlooked small stream that’s always held my interest. In reality, our course serpentined through numerous valleys and finally took us over an immense mountain pass where, by conversation, we figured we could see nearly two-hundred miles across Wyoming’s broad central basin. By the time we reached the water it was afternoon and the mood of two pals who accompanied me on the trip was rather dour.

Wyoming, 9/9/2009

When I finally parked the truck and said, “This is it,” the two doubters looked around, pointed fingers at an expanse of gnarly willows that swerved through a broad mountain valley and said, “Uh, Thomas, wasn’t there supposed to be a stream to fish?” Ten minutes later, with rods finally strung, we broke through willows keeping our eyes peeled for bears and moose. Somewhere along our route we encountered a little slough, meaning a jump-across, three feet wide and six-inch deep piece of water. And what we found was shocking—scads of solid brook trout ranging from four to 14 inches. Sane people would have stopped and fished, but we pushed on to the stream’s main flow where we found big cutthroats chowing down on a solid hatch of gray drake mayflies.

The stream flowed mostly through meadows and offered tremendous cut banks. Every run delivered eight to 18-inch cutthroats spread from one side of the stream to the other. One of my friends backtracked and spent his time with those brookies. The other guy, who turned out to be a con man, accompanied me on the main flow. We spent that afternoon switching off on every second or third fish. “Catch that fish,” one or the other of us would say. “No, you catch that one,” the other would answer. And then we’d rock/paper/scissor to end the madness. Once a fly was dropped on the water we’d proceed to laugh our heads off as mostly naïve cutts rose from the depths and tracked our flies for several yards before snapping them down. That experience isn’t unique in Wyoming. In fact, in my opinion, Wyoming holds the best collection of small streams in the West and they are spread from one side of the state to the other. Fall, fortunately, is one of the best times to fish them because anglers encounter strong hatches of Baetis and gray drake mayflies, plus Tricos, October caddis and terrestrials. If you’re in the area this fall—and you should make it a point to be in the area this fall—check out one of the Cowboy State’s small streams, such as the Gray’s River, Flat Creek, LaBarge Creek, South Piney Creek, Salt River, Popo Agie River, Stillwater River, Paint Rock Creek and Sand Creek, among many other even lesser-known waters. The following photos are an invitation to get out this fall and enjoy what Wyoming has to offer—a significant collection of overlooked waters offering solid trout and a serious dose of solitude. Get after it and good luck. GT Bliss at the end of a massive drive Uh, I thought we were there. Nothing like a bushwhack with rods in hand ... and a slog through the mud bog Worth it? This pool was loaded. Twenty fish at least. Payoff. One of many, all sight-fished, all eager for dries.