Firehole Ranch Montana Fly Fishing Lodge

I am starting to sound like a broken record, we are under another winter storm warning for today through tonight. We are barely past digging out of the last storm. With all this snow, I am starting to get a case of the shack nasties. I hoping it warms up enough soon to hit the Madison by Reynold's. The new Women's Week at the Ranch is shaping up nicely. August 2nd-6th, we are having a week dedicated to the female angler. Sign up soon if you are interested (406) 646-7294. I am knee deep in #16 Shop Vacs and #16 Royal Wulff Cripples, we are going to have plenty of both this season to tantalize those pesky trout....Rowan

Rowan-New jersey

Thanks to everybody who stopped by the Orvis booth at the Fly Fishing Show in New Jersey this past weekend. It was great visiting with old friends and new. What a show, lots of gear, demonstrations, fly tiers, and presentations. All this gonzo related fly fishing stuff has gotten me excited once again for the upcoming season. Then,... reality hit as I flew back to Bozeman Sunday night, into another major winter storm. Fishing season is coming but I have to make it through an intense winter first. West Yellowstone got 12 inches of new snow, and experienced blizzard like conditions for 2 days. In fact the West Yellowstone school was closed for the first time in over 30 years because of snow. We are currently sitting on quite a snowpack and things are looking positive for this upcoming season. For all those of you in the Bay area of California, please stop by the Fly Fishing Show in Pleasanton the weekend of February 22nd-24th. I will be hanging out in the Orvis booth ready to talk fishing in Yellowstone country. Keep tying flies....Rowan

Josh, Fishing Update, January 21

January 21: Midges,worms,and stoneflies have been keeping me hooked up when it's warm enough. Just last week, just before all of my limbs froze off, I was able to complete a grand slam on the Yellowstone - rainbow, cutthroat, cutbow, brown, whitefish. After that I quickly headed to Chico Hot Springs to retrieve any lost feeling in my limbs. Now it's really cold and I'm back at the vise trying to keep up. The trout are already eating on the surface and there's only 11 more months to fish this year. Josh

Rowan, Yellowstone Update, January 19

Another weekend another prediction of a big storm. We are under blizzard like conditions, blinding snow, icy cold, and ripping wind-sounds like paradise. Alice and I just returned from the NE corner of YNP. Lots of photographs of both the Agate and Druid wolf packs. Lots of excitement watching the alphas of the Druid pack trying to take down a 5x5 bull elk on the Soda Butte. Lots of snow in the Park. Anyone in the New Jersey area should stop by the Sommerset show this weekend to say Hello. I will be in the Orvis booth on January 25th, 26th, and 27th. Fishing season is on the way! ...Rowan

Rowan, West Yellowstone Update, January 3

Here we go again, another winter storm warning for our area for Friday afternoon through Saturday, and another prediction of some significant snowfall. We will all keep our fingers crossed for some truth to follow the forecast. Checked out the Madison yesterday, going back again today. Look for an updated fishing report by tomorrow. Rowan

Alice, Yellowstone National Park Update, December 28

Yellowstone National Park is beautfiul! All the snow has made spectacular areas like the Firehole Canyon even more dramatic. This morning brown trout were spotted at the lower end of the canyon, enjoying the warmer water. Coyotes were busy hunting Trumpeter Swans at Biscuit Basin this afternoon and I haven't seem any rising fish from the windshield of a snowcoach in a few days. I am off to the Canyon area tomorrow so I will give you an update on the Yellowstone River, soon. Alice

Rowan, West Yellowstone Update, December 28

Another whopper snow storm is forecasted for Saturday and Sunday. We all have our fingers crossed that it will live up to expectations and maybe even pass them. Drove up along the Madison today and there is a lot of slush ice floating down-river. Too much wind to even get out of the car to check on midges as well. Be looking for something from the Firehole Ranch in your mailboxes in the upcoming weeks. Rowan

Rowan, West Yellowstone Update, December 27

2 days after Christmas and we ended up getting about 6 inches of snow out of the last storm. Bridger Bowl got 17" of snow and Targhee got 17" over 2 days. The snow is definitely piling up. It still hasn't warmed up enough to try to hit the midges on the Madison, but you can bet I will soon if the weather gets warm enough. Rowan

Rowan, West Yellowstone Update, December 23

December 23rd: We didn't quite get a foot of snow out of the last storm, but did get about 5 to 6 inches. The snow piled behind our back deck is almost up to the top. Something we never saw all of last winter. I have heard rumors of our official snowpack, but we definitely have more snow on the ground at this moment than we have had in the past couple of years. We are under a winter storm warning for X-Mas Eve Day, with predictions of some big snow possible. Rowan

Rowan, West Yellowstone Update, December 19

December 19th: It is currently snowing in West Yellowstone, and we are expecting another storm for tonight and tomorrow that could bring another foot of the white fluffy stuff.