Greetings from Yellowstone! Following our stay in the backcountry at Grebe and Cascade Lakes, our group recouped with much needed warm showers and pizza in West Yellowstone. But our rest was brief - the following morning, half our group headed into the backcountry for another stint in the famous second meadow of Slough Creek, while the other half spent that day fishing in the front country along Soda Butte creek. The following day our half groups rotated so that everyone had a second backcountry experience.
Both Slough Creek and Sofa Butte are located in the Lamer Valley. All of the rivers in this drainage are home to native Yellowstone Cutthroat. The park fisheries biologists have done an excellent job of removing non-native Rainbow Trout from the system, which interbreed and dilute the genetics of the native cutthroats. This has created a unique fisheries in which native trout can grow to very impressive sizes.
We spent three days exploring these waters. Our fishing skills have improved significantly since the start of the trip, which enabled us to land many trophy cutthroat up to twenty inches. From the vibrant meadows of Slough Creek to the gentle gravel shelfs and cut banks of Soda Butte, we had a great time pursuing these incredibly beautiful fish.
As we depart from the Slough Creek trailhead, we are looking ahead toward our upcoming float trips on the Yellowstone River through its Paradise Valley stretch. When not floating, we will be wade fishing the Madison and other area rivers. Everyone is eager to try their hand at the large brown, rainbow, and cutthroat trout that call these rivers home!
Tight lines,
Shane, Jacob, and Hunt
