When to Come and What To Expect:
Fly Fishing: Outside Yellowstone National Park – July – Fall River (Outside Yellowstone National Park)
The Fall River begins in the Southwest corner of Yellowstone National Park. This is called the Cascade Corner of Yellowstone because of its many water falls. The Fall River is the largest river that drains this area of the park. The Belcher River, Boundary Creek, and Mountain Ash Creek are a part of this drainage. The Fall River is the largest tributary of the Henry’s Fork of the Snake River.
From Cave Falls in the edge of the park to the CCC concrete bridge, the Falls River flows for about fourteen miles mostly inaccessible except by foot. It flows through the Targhee National Forest. From there it flows through Idaho farm land to the Henry’s Fork southeast of Ashton, Idaho. There are plenty of access points along the lower section of the river. There is about 50 miles of fishable water. Most of the lower part is located on private property and fishing is only available to those who obtain permission from the land owner, or at the bridges.
The trout in Fall River are mostly cutbows, or a mixture of rainbows and cutthroat trout. There are rainbows and cutthroat trout too, of course. Although the average size trout is probably only ten inches or so, the lower river produces some that go up to twenty inches. This river is mostly under fished because of the popular Henry’s Fork of the Snake.
Although there are probably many better choices from a fish size standpoint to fish during the month of July, the Fall River is an option for those who want to get away from the July crowds.
Copyright 2012 James Marsh