At the end of the summer three buddies and I are taking a camping and fishing trip to the Yellowstone area. The problem is that we are all knew to fly-fishing. I'm an avid fisherman, but I have just never got around to taking up fly fishing. This could be a shot in the dark, but here goes... Do you guys know of anyone in the Austin area that gives lessons or something who could teach us the basics. Also, we will camping on the Snake River in the Grand Tetons. Can anyone reccomend us a reasonable guide in that area? Finally, we want to buy the esssentials pretty quick so we can practice in the rivers in the austin area. What all do we need besides rod, reel, line, and waders? Any info is greatly appreciated.

Try getting on Texas Fly Report (www.texasflyreport.com) and I'm sure you'll get lots of replies.

Its funny... alot of folks think of fly-fishing as something you do in the mountains for trout... but it can be so much more than that! Texas is a fly-fishing paradise!! Dont stop with trout... bass, hybrids, stripers, crappie, bream are all great fun fly-fishing.

OK lets start a basics list:
For starters...get a landing net... its really hard to land a nice trout without one.

Go to the fly shop there in Austin "The American Angler" and talk with them, see if they have a list of guildes. Start with a guide on your first day and plan to buy most of your flies when you get up there, don't try to match the hatch from 2000 miles away.

A good guide wants you to catch fish and to teach you. Also check with the American Angler about casting school. Accurate casts and detailed presentations are absolutely critical in the heavily fished YS area.

It is best if can learn to cast before you buy a rod so that you know what flex of rod suits you best, but that may not work. Casting school, practice, hire a guide, listen and learn, buy your flies local. follow this and I think you'll have a great shot at landing some nice fish.

Oh and unless there is a serious hatch or the fish are busting hoppers fish DEEP, your flies should be ticking the bottem that time of year especially when the sun is high.

I think the Austin American Angler store closed down and went out of business a year or so ago Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

thanks guys

Go out to Sportsman's Finest and talk to Joe Robinson and he will hook you up with equipment and a lesson if you want. He is an excellent fly caster as well as a great teacher. I would say a 4 to 6 wt. rod would be prefect for what you are doing.

http://www.alvindedeaux.com/

http://www.hillcountryflyfishers.com/

The two guys above also give lessons as well as guide trips. The Austin Angler closed so don't try to find it. Good luck!!

My advice:

1) Take casting lessons and practice, practice, practice...accuracy is more important than distance
2) in addition to the equipment you mentioned, get a good selection of leader/tippet materials.
3) get a good guide
4) buy your flies locally based on the guides recommendation
5) have fun!

"end of summer" is not specific enough for fly fishing in the Rockies. Snow will be coming down in October (entrances start closing in late October) and it will be pretty cold in September. When you look up information on your trip, look for it with the specific week in mind, and for two weeks on either side since the fishing varies from year to year.

If you are going for big cutthroats, the Lamar is your best bet. If you also will target browns and rainbows, the entire area is good.

kill me now, moved to texas not too long ago, Madison, firehole and gibbon are a bit tricky in the park but having grayling make it fun... I like the gallatin and the madison out of the west end of the park. Get a permit and fish yellowstone lake with a tube, or guide. Great fun catching 12-22 inch wild cutthrouts on wooley buggers. Also in the late summer hoppers with a dropper will catch fish almost anywhere in most of the streams. Good luck, I'm jealous, 95 degree weather and %#%@! fire ants are gettin the best of me...

MT is cool (I grew up there) but give TX a shot the fishing here is a lot more diversified, lots of different stuff to fish for, you can fish virtually all year long, just don't step in those fire ant mounds. (Oh and watch out for chiggers, sooner or later you'll probably learn what those are...)