Upcoming Trip Questions Bozeman/Yellowstone

xjchad · June 22, 2018, 04:29:03 PM

Hi all,
We just booked our 2018 family vacation and we'll be heading to Bozeman MT.
We're staying at an airbnb on the East Gallatin River for 7 days. A couple of the days will be spent touring Yellowstone and hopefully seeing the Lewis & Clark Caverns.
The rest of the days will just be for R&R and fishing.
Are any of you familiar with this area and can give any tips?
I've read a bit online and it looks like a great brown trout fishery.
Also looking for any advice for touring Yellowstone and other kid friendly things to do in the area.
Thanks in advance!

This is the property we'll be at.

happyhooker · June 23, 2018, 12:56:53 AM

Been too many years since I was in Yellowstone to give any specific recommendations about enjoying your trip. I still think Yellowstone is the most fantastic place on Earth. You'll find the 7 days will zip by & will be wanting more. I suppose you'll enter the park at Gardiner/Mammoth, and you could do a lot worse for fishing than the Gardiner River there.

Frank

Gfish · June 23, 2018, 02:00:10 AM

Cool! Worked 2 seasons on the Gallatin Nat. Forest, oudda West Yellowstone MT. The Gallatin Is a nice freestone river with pretty gentle access in that area. Don't know what the local weather's been like in the Northern Rockies this year, but June's usually the high water season in that area. If fly fishin, that means "chuck n duck"- big weighted nymphs( stoneflies), etc., my favorite was late evening streamers(leech flies).
Though highly regulated, I wouldn't overlook the Park, very hard to beat the Madison River. Lot's of beautiful meadow access. Don't be frightened of the buffalo when they stare you down, just DON'T get too close, like that "selfie" idiot I saw. That was some scary stuff.
Best Brown trout fishing for me was on the West side(continental divide) in the Snake River close to the South enterence of the Park, however this was in the Fall.
If the water is high and colored when you're there, try the Firehole River.
Favorite lake: just outside the Park is the naturaly formed Quake Lake on the Madison. Great fishin where the water starts to form a river again at the end on the lake.
Another good way to level out the learning/ experience curve, would be to do a float trip witha guide.

Dude, there's so many diffrent trout fishing/hiking/tourist experiences to have there, thinkin/ rememberin bout it's killin me! Please take me with you! I'mina go to Monterey, CA, this Monday, and sample the deep Rockfish fishery with my son, but it's night n day diffrent fishin, compared the finesse fly fishin on a quiet mountain river. I miss it...

xjchad · June 23, 2018, 03:08:24 AM

Awesome, thank you!
I probably should have mentioned that we're going in mid September.

Gfish · June 23, 2018, 03:19:41 AM

IMO, the absolute best time to be there. Bugling Elk, gearin-up for spawning browns, brooks and lake trout, aspen trees goin from gold to red-orange, less people, and only a slight chance a gettin snowed on(as opposed to a good chance in Oct. & Nov.). Consider Lewis lake on the South side for above mentioned fish.

xjchad · June 25, 2018, 05:18:48 PM

Thanks G!
Can't wait! I probably won't get much, if any, fishing done in Yellowstone itself. We'll only be in the park 1, maybe 2 of the days and we'll just be seeing the sights and wildlife (hopefully a lot of wildlife).
I'm planning to fish the East Gallatin as much as I can though and spend a lot of time helping the kids fish also. It runs through the property of the airbnb we're staying at. Only 50 yards from the back door. It's all private property around there so very little fishing pressure. Should be a lot of nice browns

swill88 · June 25, 2018, 08:25:11 PM

Just don't take a selfie with a bear. Please!

xjchad · June 25, 2018, 08:28:53 PM

Quote from: swill88 on June 25, 2018, 08:25:11 PM

Just don't take a selfie with a bear. Please!

LOL! In my younger days, I was dumb enough to try it. Thankfully I made it back to the truck in time!

conchydong · June 25, 2018, 08:36:59 PM

Been about 25+ years ago when I went and it was in the winter. One of the best ski vacations(Big Sky) I have had. Did spend a day in Yellowstone on a rented snow mobile and it was a blast. Pretty sure we went in through West Yellowstone. I always said that I would like to go back during a different season. It is a beautiful area and hopefully hasn't changed. I am sure you will enjoy it.
Have a great time.

Scott