Hello from the Paradise Valley!
After a couple more days of fishing on the Missouri, we headed south to the Paradise Valley. Our campsite sits right on the Yellowstone River, surrounded by mountains and stunning valley views. The Missouri finished strong for us, and we caught some truly amazing fish. After a cool, rainy day, the sun came back out, and the fish were happy. Temps in the low 70s made for an unbelievably pleasant day on the water. On that day, one of the guys landed a true once-in-a-lifetime fish—just below the dam, in a big eddy, he hooked and landed a brown trout well over two feet long. Pat, Lillard’s most tenured guide, said, “It’s the biggest brown I’ve ever seen from the state of Montana.” A two-footer is no small achievement in an angler’s life, and we were so glad to be a part of it. The rest of the crew had stellar days as well, all landing big, hard-fighting Missouri River rainbows. We like to say, “These Mo River bows ain’t no joke.” We’d hook fish and end up chasing them up and down the river for what felt like hours. If you’re after hard-tugging fish, Craig is the place to be. A couple of whitefish rounded out our day for a Missouri River slam, and we arrived at the boat ramp grinning ear to ear.
We got off the water in Craig around 3 PM, packed up camp, and hit the road. The crew loaded up and headed for the Yellowstone River, listening to music and playing classic road trip games. One of my favorite things about these trips is building a playlist together—everyone added their favorite songs, and by the time we were done, we had a mix too long to finish in one drive. Laughter filled the van, and the miles flew by. Around 6 PM, we stopped for pizza, a warm and welcome treat after a long day, then rolled into Loch Leven Campground, our base for the next few nights. This campsite sits centrally in the Paradise Valley, which stretches from Livingston to Gardiner and serves as the gateway to Yellowstone National Park. The beauty of the valley, with its sweeping mountain vistas and massive skies, is awe-inspiring.
So far, we’ve fished the Yellowstone for a day, and as you read this, we’re back on the water. The fishing has been great! Everyone loved the change of pace and caught plenty of fish. After dinner, we visited Chico Hot Springs, an iconic Montana spot that feels like a step back in time. Established at the turn of the 20th century, the hot springs pull from naturally heated groundwater. Showers and a soak in the warm water gave us a much-needed second wind. The crew is feeling fresh and ready to fish hard for the last leg of this adventure.
The Yellowstone is a perfect example of what a wild freestone river can and should be. Flowing 692 miles without a dam, it’s one of the longest free-flowing rivers in the world. Yellowstone Lake, which feeds the river, holds 12 million acre-feet of cold water, creating rich insect life and healthy trout populations. Depending on how the fishing trends, we’ll stay one or two more days. With big boulders, grassy banks, deep plunges, and endless structure, this river offers opportunities for every angler. The best part? You can fish it however you like, and the fish are everywhere.
After our time on the Yellowstone, we’ll head to the world-famous Madison River in Ennis, Montana—a true fly-fishing mecca with more fly shops than grocery stores. The Madison flows west out of Yellowstone and runs nearly 200 miles to its confluence with the Jefferson and Gallatin in Three Forks. The river is famous not only for its fishing but also for its management. In 1974, Montana stopped stocking the Madison, and in the decades since, its wild trout populations have flourished. It’s a testament to how wild places can thrive when given the chance. Hopper fishing and some nymphing should give us great shots at Madison River trophies.
We can’t believe how quickly this trip has flown by. We wish we could hit rewind and do it all over again. The memories made, the incredible fish caught, and the friendships built will stick with all of us for a long time. We’re so proud of how these young men have grown as anglers, friends, and people. They’ve been an exceptional group, and we hope to see them return to Lillard for more adventures in the future.
All the best,
Owen, Pat, and Sam
