Hello again from the Yellowstone Expedition! We've had an action-packed week in the park filled with incredible fishing and great scenery. Our journey back into Yellowstone started once we left HQ in Ennis. We headed directly to Bridge Bay on Yellowstone Lake, where the group quickly set up camp, ate an early dinner, and prepared for the next day of fishing. The next morning, we woke up bright and early to fish the Upper Yellowstone. The fishing on the Upper Yellowstone was phenomenal. It was one of those days where the stars aligned, and the big fish came out to play. While these fish were by no means easy to catch, the kids used the experiences gained from the last backcountry trip to dial in their skills on these world-class cutthroat trout. Multiple fish over 20 inches were caught throughout the day, and once evening rolled around, the group piled back into the bus and headed back to camp.
That evening half of the group prepared their backcountry supplies for the upcoming Snake River backcountry. The following day we split the group in half, with one of the groups going into the backcountry at Snake River and the other half staying in the front country and fishing Slough Creek. Both groups ended up doing exceptionally well during our time apart. The Snake River was a fantastic experience. Not only was the fishing outstanding, but the area we stayed in also had some natural hot springs, which everyone enjoyed. Our Slough Creek group also had quite the time as they were one of the first groups allowed to fish the area this Summer! This made for excellent fishing as the trout saw flies for the first time in months. After two days, the group met back up at the Snake River trailhead where we switched out our group gear and had the front country group hike into the Snake for their two-day backcountry.
This morning the group met back up at the Snake River. It was nice seeing everyone back together after the past four days. Everyone was still beaming over the fishing in the backcountry. As we packed up the bus and geared up for our drive back to HQ, the group shared stories of our last few days of fishing. Our drive to Ennis was beautiful, as we drove by some of Yellowstone's most scenic areas. Once we arrived at HQ, the group had a quick lunch and got ready for a necessary laundry run. Once everyone had some clean clothes, we played a game of ultimate frisbee and ended the night with a float down the Madison and a big pasta dinner.
Although most of the fishing is behind us, and we are nearing the end of the trip, the kids still have a float trip and banquet dinner on the agenda. Everyone is excited for a full day on the Madison, and it should be a great day on the water. Once we wrap up the float and have a nice banquet dinner, the group will prepare for their departures the following day. That will conclude our Yellowstone Expedition. It has been a fantastic couple of weeks in the park, and it was awesome to see the group grow closer together and become better fishermen.
