Paul Williamson's
Guided Catch and Release Fly Fishing on the wild and scenic Yellowstone River, Armstrong, Depuy, and Nelson Spring Creeks
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Do I need a fishing license?
If you are older than 13 you need a Montana conservation license in addition to a fishing license.
Montana Rates:
Non-Resident Conservation: $10
Non-Resident 2-Day Fishing (consecutive days): $15
Non-Resident 10-Day Fishing (consecutive days): $43.50
Non-Resident Season Fishing: $60
Fishing regulations may be found here: http://fwp.mt.gov/fishing/regulations/default.html
Yellowstone National Park Rates:
3-Day: $15
7-Day: $20
Season: $35
What about lunch and beverages?
Lunch, non-alchoholic beverages, and sometimes snacks are provided. Each guide is responsible for their own lunches so the contents will vary. If I am one of your guides, and depending on my time constraints, you will most likely not get a bland turkey sandwich on wheat! And I might even have a few beers in my cooler. For sure there will be a few cokes, diet cokes, and lots of water. If you have any requests for lunch or beverages, we will try to honor them. If you can not eat particular foods, please let us know.
We will row our boats in for lunch on the banks of the Yellowstone and set up a table, tablecloth, and chairs or head to a picnic table at a spring creek.
(Half day trips only include beverages and snacks.)
What else are you responsible for?
Well, our insurance agent requires our clients to sign a disclaimer that is now required in every outdoor industry.
Waders (you may rent them at Dan Bailey's in Livingston if need be), rod fees on the spring creeks, alcoholic beverages if you'd like, fishing licenses, terminal tackle (flies and leaders, although our guides may supply a few now and then). Tips for the guides.
Need a rod or reel? We usually carry a couple extra in case of breakage and can also supply you with a nice rod or reel.
May I bring my spinning rod?
NOT IN MY BOAT! :-)
How many people are allowed in a boat on a float trip?
Two plus the rower makes three.
What flies should we bring?
That depends on when you come as we do have some mega hatches on the Yellowstone such as stoneflies and caddis flies. We like to fish dry flies when we can but also nymphs, wet flies, soft hackles (and streamers if you can cast a good distance).
General dry fly patterns to bring for the Yellowstone:
Stimulators, Elk Hair Caddis, Royal Wulffs, terrestrials (including hoppers if coming after mid-July), foam anything, CDC caddis, etc....
General nymph patterns for the Yellowstone:
Bead head anything, Prince Nymphs, Zug Bugs, Hare's Ears, Soft Hackles, Stoneflies, Copper Johns, ....
Dan Bailey in Livingston has an great assortment of flies for the river .
For the spring creeks, both Yellowstone Angler (just south of Livingston) and Spring Creek Specialists (upper Depuy Spring Creek) have an excellant assortment of spring creek flies.
Where and when do we meet?
We will meet you at the put in (or spring creek) or at my house (which is about 20 miles south of Livingston in Paradise Valley two miles or so north of Emigrant and is very easy to find). We can meet you in town if you desire. Just let us know your preference!
We usually get started at a fishing access or a spring creek around 8AM. If you would rather do an afternoon to evening trip, that can be accommodated.
Do we need a reservation and send a deposit?
Reservations: Yes, due to high demand of good guides in our area. But, last minute requests may be accommodated (we will do our best).
Deposits (50% in advance): We have to, due to the demand of good guides and they have to get paid something if you cancel your trip (you might want to check out travel insurance). If it's just me, then I may let it slide. We have a two week cancellation policy. If the weather cancels the trip, then you will receive your deposit back in full or it can be applied to a future trip.
Is it windy there?
Supply your own "Is the Pope Catholic?" type of response to that question! ;-) Believe it or not: Not always! Sometimes the wind can help the fisherman, but rarely the rower!
It's the West. Wind is something you might have to deal with here, or anywhere out west.
What about the weather?
Bring a rain jacket and rain pants or waders. If it rains, we keep on fishing. If it pours or hails, or lightening, we'll pull the boat over if we are on the river, or head to our vehicles or warming huts if on a spring creek.
Note: The Yellowstone River is sometimes/rarely susceptible to muddying up after a rain storm, especially if one of it's tributaries in Yellowstone National Park that muddy up (the Gardner (why isn't it spelled the same as the town in flows into? Hmmm....), Lamar, Soda Butte, Slough Creek,...). If we can find some clear water, we'll try that but the mud moves faster than our boats do therefore we may have to cancel the float trip.
What should we bring?
Waders, boots, rain jacket, sunscreen. Depending on when you are coming, perhaps some long underwear (you may want bottoms any way for wading - especially the spring creeks as the water temperature is always in the 50s). Rods and reels (we carry extra ones, so you could use those). And especially polarized sunglasses (used to protect your eyes in more ways than one).
Where do we fly into?
The Bozeman airport (BZN) is a lot closer than Billings. Actually, the airport is in Belgrade (one town to the west of Bozeman). To get to Livingston, you would head east on Interstate 90 and take either one of the first two exits (the main one is exit 333 - Yellowstone National Park). Note: There is again bridge work being done on I90 between Bozeman and Livingston.
Where do we stay?
There are many hotels in Livingston, and plenty of B&Bs in the valley. See the resources tab for a partial listing.