Hello Parents!
The past week has been both spectacular and strenuous—filled with the highs and lows that come with fishing and backcountry travel, all wrapped into one heck of an adventure. You can’t appreciate the highs without first experiencing the lows, and that’s exactly what makes “adventure” such a unique, exciting, and often unpredictable experience. It’s what we live for here at Lillard Fly Fishing Expeditions—and for many of us, in life overall.
We’ve just arrived at Yellowstone Hot Springs Resort outside the park. Don’t let the name fool you—it’s no luxury resort, but rather a campground with cabins, an RV park, and classic campsites. The crew is currently showering and doing laundry while we pick up pizza for dinner. Everyone’s tired, but spirits are high and the group is still buzzing from the fishing over the past few days.
After cleaning up and recharging with showers, laundry, and burgers following our Grebe Lake and Ice Lake backcountry trip, we settled into Crystal Cross Campground along the Yellowstone River. The next morning, we woke to a blazing hot Montana day. These northern states are notorious for unpredictable, borderline bipolar weather in the summer. After mowing down a pancake breakfast in the limited shade, we drove into the park to fish a secluded, difficult-to-reach section of the Yellowstone River.
In a world-class fishery like Montana or Wyoming, it takes effort to find untouched water—and this spot was exactly that. Our 15-passenger Ford Transit bumped its way up a rugged dirt road to an unmarked trailhead—a LFFE secret. Rods rigged, we descended a steep series of switchbacks to the canyon floor, where moving water awaited. The effort paid off—plenty of brown trout and whitefish were hooked throughout the day.
But then came the hard part: hiking out. It was a grind, and the group quickly dubbed the climb “The Devil’s Road.” Still, it built character and confidence in what they could physically push through. It’s fascinating to see what motivates people when they love something—in this case, fly fishing. I guarantee not one of these guys would’ve done that hike just for a swim or a view.
We climbed out in the late afternoon, rewarded ourselves with gas station snacks, then returned to camp for a bratwurst dinner, s’mores, and a much-needed night of sleep.
The next day, we relocated to Bridge Bay Campground. The hour-plus drive was filled with laughter, fish talk, and repeated renditions of our trip’s anthem: “Old Man” by Neil Young. Once settled, we hit the Yellowstone River—a stretch that flows directly from Yellowstone Lake. It’s home to the famed Yellowstone Cutthroat, some of the biggest in the park thanks to the lake’s rich feeding grounds. Of course, the popularity of this fishery means heavy pressure from other anglers, which makes every fish that much more rewarding.
For our crew, it was a little of both. Two campers landed 20-inch cutthroat, while the rest got a reminder that it’s called fishing—not catching—for a reason. That night, dinner was chicken quesadillas, and instead of the usual s’mores, the group opted for an evening session at Yellowstone Lake. It was a good call—we landed the three largest fish of the trip that night. As a bonus, we watched a full moon rise over the lake before heading back to camp.
The next morning, we hit the road early. Quick cereal breakfast (coffee for the guides, of course), packed lunches, and drove to the southern edge of the park to fish the Snake River—one of Yellowstone’s best-kept secrets. It didn’t disappoint. Everyone caught multiple Snake River Cutthroat, rounding out the trip’s “slam” with some fish pushing 16+ inches. By late afternoon, we wrapped up and drove 90 minutes back to camp to prep for our final backcountry leg: Slough Creek.
At camp, we packed up Pod 1’s food, group gear, personal items, and, of course, fishing setups. Because of Yellowstone’s backcountry group-size limits, we again split the crew, with each pod hiking in for one night of stellar fishing. We hit the tents early for a pre-dawn wake-up.
That night, we were woken by the sound of howling wolves nearby—a truly Yellowstone experience. We packed up tents and sleeping gear, ate a quick cereal breakfast at sunrise, and drove to the Slough Creek Trailhead to drop off Pod 1. The other group continued down the road to fish Soda Butte Creek and other local waters.
The hike into Slough Creek isn’t easy. The first half-mile is a steep grind, but the payoff is worth it. We arrived to sweeping meadows, herds of bison, a winding creek, and mountains lined with towering pines and stark rock faces. Camp was set, lunch was eaten, and then we fished until dusk. Slough Creek produced quality cutthroat for everyone. Some had to grind for it, but with proper guidance and a little motivation, everyone got on fish.
We made it back to camp just before sundown, cooked dinner, and—of course—made s’mores. The wolves started howling again that night, and this time, the crew responded with their own calls. To our surprise, the wolves answered back. We kept it going until bedtime, completely amped by the exchange.
The next morning brought more fishing under a bright sun. The crew tested their skills on the water in front of camp, fishing more independently while the guides packed up for the next group. Meanwhile, Pod 2 was back at Bridge Bay, crushing pancakes and sausage while hyped for their Slough Creek hike.
Once Pod 1 was packed up, we hiked them out and swapped them for Pod 2, who hit the trail with all the enthusiasm you’d expect. The hike in was a challenge, filled with water breaks, some self-motivation, and plenty of grit. But the finish line—Slough Creek—was worth every step. For those unfamiliar, Slough Creek is a bucket-list destination for fly anglers, and we’re fortunate to experience it with such a great group.
Pod 2 wasted no time—camp was already set, so they immediately hit the water. The rest of the day was a classic backcountry blend: fish landed, photos taken (both of trout and scenery), bison sightings, mac and cheese dinner by the fire, and, naturally, s’mores.
Luckily, the adventure isn’t over yet. Tomorrow, we’ll spend our final full day fishing the Yellowstone River with professional float guides. Two campers per boat, experienced oarsmen rowing, and chances at hefty Cutthroat, Rainbow, and Brown Trout. After the float, we’ll head to Chico Hot Springs to unwind, then on to Livingston for our closing banquet dinner—a tradition here at LFFE. Big fish, big stories, and one last memory to cap an unforgettable trip.
Thanks again for following along!
Tight Lines,
J, Jackson, and Cody
