Hello families!
What an incredible week we've had here in Yellowstone! It's hard to believe our adventure has already come to an end. Over the past several days, this group experienced some of the best that Yellowstone has to offer — from incredible fly fishing and backpacking through the Lamar Valley to unforgettable wildlife encounters and campfires beneath star-filled skies. The boys embraced every challenge, supported one another, and made memories that will last a lifetime.
Our adventure truly began after leaving Crazy Creek Campground and entering Yellowstone National Park. We started with some casting instruction before fishing Pebble Creek, where the group landed eager Yellowstone cutthroat trout tucked beneath undercut banks and even inside small caves. After enjoying lunch with herds of bison grazing nearby, we made the short hike to Trout Lake, where the boys practiced sight fishing for cruising cutthroat with the stunning Lamar Valley as our backdrop. We wrapped up the day on Soda Butte Creek during an incredible evening hatch. Between the outstanding fishing and sightings of foxes, pronghorn, bison, deer, ospreys, and bald eagles, it was a day none of us will soon forget. The progress everyone made with their casting and fish-fighting skills in just one day was remarkable.
The following morning we packed our backpacks and headed into the Lamar Valley backcountry. For many of the boys, it was their very first backpacking trip, but you never would have guessed it. They handled the four-mile hike like seasoned backpackers, crossing wildflower-filled meadows under welcome cloud cover while spotting bison and even a badger along the trail. After setting up camp beside Cache Creek, we were immediately rewarded with phenomenal fishing. Hopper patterns brought aggressive Yellowstone cutthroat to the surface all afternoon, and the excitement around the river was contagious. That evening we enjoyed buffalo mac around camp before hanging our food for the night and returning to the river for one of the best evening hatches of the trip. As the sun dipped behind the mountains and painted the valley in beautiful alpenglow, fish seemed to rise in every pool. At times there were over thirty trout holding in a single run, and it wasn't uncommon to see three or four campers hooked up at the same time. We fell asleep that night under brilliant stars, tired from a full day of adventure and fishing.
An early morning oatmeal breakfast fueled us for one last backcountry fishing session before hiking out. Once again, the fishing was spectacular, proving the old saying that the farther you're willing to hike, the better the fishing often becomes. After catching more than twenty fish that morning, we cleaned camp carefully, leaving it even better than we found it, and hit the trail with some upbeat music carrying us back to the trailhead. We couldn't have timed it any better — just as we reached the van, afternoon thunderstorms rolled in. On our way to our next campsite, we stopped to admire Yellowstone Falls, explored the Mud Volcano area, and watched the park's geothermal features steaming in the rain. That evening we set up camp at Bridge Bay among towering pines, spotted several massive bull elk wandering near camp, enjoyed burgers and hot dogs cooked over the fire, roasted s'mores, and fell asleep listening to rain gently tapping on our tents.
The adventures continued with a visit to the Yellowstone Lake Visitor Center, where we learned more about the lake's unique ecosystem before heading to Gull Point for a relaxing morning of lakeside fishing. We enjoyed lunch on the beach, braved the icy waters for a swim, and soaked up the sunshine before making our way to one of Yellowstone's most iconic landmarks — Old Faithful. We were lucky enough to also witness Beehive Geyser erupt, launching boiling water nearly 180 feet into the air during one of its rare eruptions. We finished the day hiking to the overlook above Grand Prismatic Spring before crossing back into Montana and setting up camp along the Madison River. A game of ultimate frisbee, a sunset swim, chicken alfredo cooked next to the campfire, s'mores, and sharing our favorite memories around the fire made for another unforgettable evening beneath the stars.
For our final full day, the group met up with the river guides for a float trip down the legendary Madison River for brown trout and mountain whitefish. Clear skies, light winds, and ideal water conditions made for outstanding fishing and the perfect way to cap off an incredible week. Afterwards we returned to basecamp for much-needed showers and laundry before celebrating with a friendly ping pong and pool tournament. We wrapped up the trip with a steak-and-potatoes banquet dinner, ice cream for dessert, and one final evening reflecting on our favorite moments from the week together.
These young men have been an absolute pleasure for Kellen and me to guide. They were respectful, curious, thoughtful, hardworking, and always eager to learn. Whether hiking into the backcountry, helping around camp, cheering each other on after landing fish, or simply sharing laughs around the fire, they represented themselves and their families incredibly well. Saying goodbye at the airport was bittersweet as they boarded their flight back to Pennsylvania, but we know they'll carry these memories — and hopefully a lifelong passion for wild places and fly fishing — with them for years to come.
Thank you for trusting Lillard Fly Fishing Expeditions with your sons this past week. It has been a privilege to share Yellowstone with such a wonderful group of young men, and we sincerely hope to see each of them back on another adventure next summer.
Until then,
Tight lines and happy times,
With gratitude,
Jack & Kellen
