Author: Rick Smith

  • Report June 18, 2018

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    Rick Smith
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    Yesterday was the opening of the fishing season on the Railroad Ranch section of the Henry’s Fork. This is a much anticipated event in the lives of many fly fishermen both near and far. On opening day you are likely to cross paths with fishermen who have traveled from all across the United…

  • Report June 10, 2018

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    Rick Smith
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    Around this time of year for the past 40 years I drive into Yellowstone National Park and fish the Firehole River. The Firehole opens to fishing on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend and a lot of my friends like to be there for the opener. I like to wait ten days to two weeks…

  • Report June 4, 2018

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    Rick Smith
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    We have started to see adult salmon flies emerging in the Box Canyon and below and above the Coffee Pot Canyon. The hatch in both sections should be in full swing over the next couple of days. Presently the big bugs are out in full force from Riverside down to the Warm River. As anyone…

  • Report May 25, 2018

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    Rick Smith
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    Fishing Report: Chasing the Salmonflies I am sitting at the bar at Trouthunter watching the water race by outside. The river is bank full due to yesterday’s water releases from the Island Park Dam. Twenty-four hours ago the river was running at around 750 cfs it is now well over 1700 cfs….

  • Report May 14, 2018

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    Rick Smith
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    Fishing Report May 11, 2018The osprey are back and on their nests, the antelope are out on the Flat Ranch meadows and the curlews have joined them; the bears are coming out of their dens and several have been spotted around the area, and I’m back from my winter fly fishing show tour. Doug…

  • A Winter Report

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    Rick Smith
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    It seems like only yesterday we were celebrating the New Year and here we are half way through the month of March. Old man winter has been a fickle beast so far. By the middle of February we were well below average with our snowpack and were somewhat reluctantly enjoying some very pleasant almost…

  • Report November 20, 2017

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    Rick Smith
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    Things are starting to wind down up here in Last Chance but that’s not to say that it is over. We still have a few Blue Wings and Midges hatching and they are producing some decent dry fly opportunities for the few diehards who are in the area. Yesterday I geared up and walked out…

  • Report October 28, 2017

    Report October 28, 2017

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    Rick Smith
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    Every year I look forward to spending a few days fishing on the Firehole River in Yellowstone National Park during the month of October. It’s a wonderful time of year to be on the river for many reasons. The crowds of summer are gone, the leaves are changing, the Elk are bugling, the Bison are…

  • Fall on the Ranch

    Fall on the Ranch

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    Rick Smith
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    Speaking for myself I must say that I have been enjoying some of the best Fall fishing of recent memory on the "Railroad Ranch” section of the Henry’s Fork. It all started several weeks ago with the arrival of the Mahogany hatches. I have heard a few knowledgeable Ranch fishermen state…

  • Report September 25, 2017

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    Rick Smith
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    Our weather began to change in a significant way this past Thursday. Temperatures started to drop, clouds moved in and rain began to fall. This change turned a good Mahogany hatch into a great Mahogany hatch. I went down to the river after work and found myself in the middle of the best Mahogany…