2 Guys And A River

We are not good at quitting. This is the first of four episodes from a recent fly fishing trip to Yellowstone Country in Montana and northern Wyoming. In August, after four wonderful years, we stopped publishing a weekly episode and writing a weekly article. We thought we were done. But then we had One Fine … Continue reading "Episode 221: One Fine Cloudy Day on the Yellowstone" The post Episode 221: One Fine Cloudy Day on the Yellowstone appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

Every day of fly fishing has a beginning. And an end. There’s often a sense of sadness right before, and certainly, after the last run of the day. Not every “last run of the day” is packed with emotion, but we’ve had several experiences when the final moments of the day felt thick with meaning. … Continue reading "S5:E12 The Last Run of the Day" The post S5:E12 The Last Run of the Day appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

Fly fishers gain confidence by fishing for brook trout. Brook trout are forgiving, and there’s nothing like an afternoon of catching 15 brook trout to increase one’s confidence. That’s only one of several strategies that we discuss to help newer fly fishers gain confidence. It’s easy to feel discouraged during a stretch of no fish. … Continue reading "S5:E11 How Fly Fishers Gain Confidence" The post S5:E11 How Fly Fishers Gain Confidence appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

Strange sightings while fly fishing are part of the overall experience of the sport. In this episode, we recount watching a car float by while fishing the Yellowstone, a mink steal a duck from a nest, and a forest fire glow while on our way to fish Hebgen Lake. LISTEN NOW TO “STRANGE SIGHTINGS WHILE … Continue reading "S5:E10 Strange Sightings While Fly Fishing" The post S5:E10 Strange Sightings While Fly Fishing appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

Trout lies are places in the river or stream where trout hang out. One of the most well-known lies is called the “feeding lie,” where trout sit in the current or pockets of water and grab insects or larger chunks of calories as they drift by. Often, a fly fisher can spot the feeding lie … Continue reading "S5:E9 The Truth about Trout Lies" The post S5:E9 The Truth about Trout Lies appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

Hopper season is upon us. And from now until some time in early to mid-September, trout will be attacking grasshoppers that fall or are blown into the river. In this episode, we offer up an introductory conversation on fishing during hopper season, what to expect, and how to make the most of this most wonderful … Continue reading "S5:E8 Fishing Hopper Season" The post S5:E8 Fishing Hopper Season appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

Animal encounters are a fact of life in the outdoors. We’ve discussed at length the precautions to take when fishing in grizzly country, but there are other types of encounters to avoid or at least to prepare for. In this episode, we discuss insects, birds, and even domestic cows. Animal encounters (and other kinds of … Continue reading "S5:E7 Surviving Animal Encounters in the Outdoors" The post S5:E7 Surviving Animal Encounters in the Outdoors appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

Fly fishing trips are not easy to plan well, especially if you are heading to a new place. Two factors unravel the best laid plans: weather and whether there is a bite on. Through the years, we’ve had to fight against the tyranny of Steve’s hyper-planning and the chaos of Dave’s “Let’s just see what … Continue reading "S5:E6 Fly Fishing Trips – Planning vs. Flexibility" The post S5:E6 Fly Fishing Trips – Planning vs. Flexibility appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

Fishing Rocky Mountain National Park is a different experience than is fishing the national parks in Montana for several reasons. One is that there are no grizzlies. Another is elevation: Fishing Rocky Mountain National Park is more demanding physically, simply because the lowest elevation to start hiking is around 7,800 feet. In this episode, we … Continue reading "S5:E5 Fishing Rocky Mountain National Park" The post S5:E5 Fishing Rocky Mountain National Park appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

Lefty Kreh was actually both a lefty and a righty. One of the most beloved and popular American fly fishers, Lefty cast right handed, because he felt it was easier for the majority of folks (who were right handed) to watch him and learn. Lefty was an original. He was a World War 2 veteran … Continue reading "S5:E4 Legends of Fly Fishing: Lefty Kreh" The post S5:E4 Legends of Fly Fishing: Lefty Kreh appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

Trout eat pretty much anything put in front of them, including their young. Much of fly fishing is focused on the insects, such mayflies, caddisflies, and stoneflies. But often trout are looking to consume a bigger chunk of calories. In this episode, we regale each other with stories of things we’ve heard trout eat. One … Continue reading "S5:E3 Surprising Things Trout Eat" The post S5:E3 Surprising Things Trout Eat appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

Fishing Yellowstone National Park is a one of life’s great thrills. There’s nothing like hearing the shrill bugle of an elk in the fall while casting a hopper into the Yellowstone in early September. In his book on great fishing spots in Yellowstone, Richard Parks, founder and owner of Parks Fly Shop in Gardiner, Montana, … Continue reading "S5:E2 Fishing Yellowstone National Park" The post S5:E2 Fishing Yellowstone National Park appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

Traditions in the great outdoors are routines with meaning. It’s one thing to make a single memory with a fly fishing or hunting trip. But traditions in the great outdoors create multiple layers of memories that enrich and give joy to life. In this episode, Steve and Dave interview Dave’s father on his family’s traditions … Continue reading "S5:E1 Memorable Traditions in the Great Outdoors" The post S5:E1 Memorable Traditions in the Great Outdoors appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

Steve is the restless wanderer when he is out on the water. He makes a few casts in a run and then skips ahead to the next. He moves on. On a recent trip to the Minnesota Driftless, Steve spent almost the entire two days of fishing in one fine run. In this final episode … Continue reading "S4:E52 One Fine Day on One Fine Run" The post S4:E52 One Fine Day on One Fine Run appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

You can’t make this stuff up – that’s a common expression after seeing or experiencing something unusual. On a recent fly fishing trip, we collected several strange moments that in aggregate made the trip one to remember. Steve had some apologizing to do after this trip. LISTEN NOW TO CRAZY MOMENTS FROM A RECENT FLY … Continue reading "S4:E51 Crazy Moments from a Recent Fly Fishing Trip" The post S4:E51 Crazy Moments from a Recent Fly Fishing Trip appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

Buying a fly fishing rod should be easier than it is. It’s certainly easier to buy your second or third rod than it is your first. If you are purchasing your first rod, the brands and options are endless. In this episode, we attempt to cut out much of the noise on fly rods – … Continue reading "S4:E50 Basics of Buying a Fly Fishing Rod" The post S4:E50 Basics of Buying a Fly Fishing Rod appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

Fishing where grizzlies and mountain lions live requires a heightened level of vigilance. It seems as if there have been more reports of mountain lion attacks the past year or two than in recent memory. Not long ago, a runner in Colorado was attacked by a young mountain lion while trail running west of Fort … Continue reading "S4:E49 Fishing Where Grizzlies and Mountain Lions Live" The post S4:E49 Fishing Where Grizzlies and Mountain Lions Live appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

Landing larger trout takes a different skill set than what most of us practice on a regular basis. It takes a different set of chops to net a 22-inch rainbow than it does to rip out a 10-inch brook trout. Most of us have lots of experience landing smaller fish and rare opportunities of landing … Continue reading "S4:E48 Landing Larger Trout" The post S4:E48 Landing Larger Trout appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

Joe Brooks was one of America’s greatest sportsman, and his contribution to the rise of fly fishing in America, including the conservation of our fisheries, is unparalleled. With this episode, we start a new series called “Legends of Fly Fishing,” in which we profile some of the great contributors to our sport. First up is … Continue reading "S4:E47 Legends of Fly Fishing: Joe Brooks" The post S4:E47 Legends of Fly Fishing: Joe Brooks appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.

You arrive first on the river. You have a couple miles of river to fish by yourself. The day is slightly overcast. Fishing reports have been fantastic. This is the day. You fish the first run. Nothing. Then the next. Nothing. You switch to streamers. Nothing. Then to nymphs. Nothing. Three hours later, you’ve had … Continue reading "S4:E46 Fishing When Nothing Is Working" The post S4:E46 Fishing When Nothing Is Working appeared first on 2 Guys and A River.