Howdy y'all! We are wrapping up an incredible Yellowstone Adventure filled with so many amazing stories, big fish, great food, and breathtaking scenery! Our final days have been spent fishing some truly legendary waters in and around Yellowstone. After hiking out of Slough Creek, we spent a couple of nights at Crazy Creek just outside of the Northeast Entrance, which allowed for easy access to fishing in the Lamar Valley nearby. After some later wakeups to recover from the taxing backcountry, we fished the Lamar River up to Soda Butte, where we managed to land some gorgeous native cutthroat and even laid eyes on wolves, bears, and the valley's massive resident bison herd.
After Crazy Creek, we said our goodbyes to the park and headed back toward Basecamp in Ennis, where we set up camp at Varney Bridge. While there, the kids enjoyed playing all manner of camp games… football, hacky sack, and the group favorite, silent football. We had so much fun enjoying some time bonding, and it was clear that lifelong friends had been made, evidenced by boisterous competition and endless laughter. Then, we met up with our guide float team to do a full day and a half of float fishing on the Madison River, passing right by base camp. In spite of ominous forecasts, the weather was mostly forgiving, and everyone seemed to enjoy relaxing on the boat to give their weary feet a break. Many fish were landed, including some native whitefish, and the group had a great time putting all of their practice and new knowledge to the test for a final display. In addition to rowing for the kids, the float crew even brought a true pizza oven to our campsite, which was a massive hit for everyone.
Currently, we are back at Basecamp, where popcorn is being popped, and many rounds of pool and ping pong have been taking place. The combination of the immaculate popcorn smell and lively game playing has truly brought Basecamp to life. With a banquet dinner of steaks cooked by Will Lillard himself awaiting, it has been the perfect end to a trip that was destined to spark friendships, encourage growth both as an angler and an environmental steward, and find some truly awe-inspiring fish.
There have been so many highlights to the trip that it would be impossible to list them all. But here is a recap of some of the group's favorites: We saw over 20 bears this trip, all from a safe distance, including massive grizzlies that brought traffic to a standstill. We caught elusive arctic grayling; in fact, Montana is the only state that still holds native populations in the lower 48. Every camper caught true trophy-sized trout in seemingly every way imaginable: streamers, nymphing, and dry flies. We enjoyed incredible food in both the front and backcountry – there were often cheers when we guides told the kids what we had in store for dinner. We spent nights in the best campsites the park has to offer, including Slough Creek, where the stars seem completely undisturbed by light, and you can hear wolves howl at night. We found a rare salmonfly hatch on the Gardiner River, which had seemingly every trout in the water staring at the surface in search of big bugs. Lastly, we found unity and became a team, all aligned with the same purpose of finding big fish and broadening our understanding of America's finest wild locations.
Parents and loved ones, there is still so much more to hear from your child personally, and rest assured, their stories will be filled with awe and joy as they recount one of the best trips of their lives. Thanks for sending us some fantastic boys -- we've really enjoyed getting to know them
Until next time,
The guides and the guys
