Situated in the northeast corner of Yellowstone Park, the Lamar River has been popular with visiting anglers for years. The stunning Lamar Valley, backed by craggy mountains and teaming with wildlife, sees more than its fair share of angling pressure. But that grand valley with all its productive fishing is just one small section of this famous fishery. The Lamar River starts in Hoodoo Basin nearly thirty miles upstream of the valley, and winds through some of the most wild and scenic country in the lower 48 states. Bugling bull elk, howling wolves, and lone bison are common sights on the upper Lamar.
More common than the wildlife, however, are the trout. The Lamar’s deep pools, runs, and undercuts are packed with native Yellowstone Cutthroat. The Lamar’s upper reaches see relatively few fishermen, and that will become very evident when the first of many cutts rises slowly from the bottom of a deep pool to inhale your fly. We visit the upper Lamar in late August or early September as summer slowly fades to fall. This timing not only catches the end of productive terrestrial fishing, but also puts us in place to see the very first fall hatches of big drake mayflies. Fishing this section requires a fair amount of walking as flows are naturally low by late summer, and fish concentrate in only the deepest pieces of water. But the miles you put on are rewarded by the gratification of straightforward fishing where trout seem to come from ever little spot that you think they should.
This seven day adventure takes us to three different streamside campsites that have been picked for their proximity to good fishing. Our route covers roughly 40 miles of trail broken into four easy chunks leaving plenty of time out of the saddle and on the water. All levels of riders and fly fishers will feel comfortable with both the terrain and the angling.
This is the ideal trip for anglers looking for a real deal wilderness fly fishing experience in Yellowstone.
Dates and Rates
September, 2012
$2975 per person