Revitalized by the Waters of the Yellowstone

Fly Fishing on the Yellowstone

By Donnie Sexton

Our fishing guide for the day, Mike Pogoda, is chatting up the river conditions as we drive down into Paradise Valley from Bozeman. "The Yellowstone will fish great today. The water is sexy green." I must ask what that means. Mike replies, "That's when the water is clear enough to see down two to three feet." Mike, the owner of Rising Trout Fly Fishing Outfitters, is an easy-going sort, eager to show my friend Kali and me a good time on our half-day float.

It's a bluebird, cloudless day when Mike pulls into a spot along this renowned body of water. He instructs us to hang tight while he rigs up the rods, loads all the gear into the drift boat and then maneuvers our vessel into the water. He positions the drift boat at the edge of the river, conveniently making sure we don't get our feet wet. Once we're settled in, he pushes the boat away from the shore, only to be greeted by a whitetail deer swimming across the Yellowstone. In my mind, that's a good omen.



The Yellowstone River originates from Yellowstone Lake in Yellowstone National Park and flows almost 700 miles through Montana. It pours into the Missouri River near Buford, North Dakota. This river is a hotbed for fly fishing and floating, especially in the Paradise Valley that runs from Livingston to Gardiner, Montana. The Yellowstone River is famous for being the longest undammed river in the lower 48 United States. Fly fishing aficionados from around the world show up to test its waters.



Mike is tying on flies and discussing the various stoneflies, caddisflies, and mayflies that we might use today. All this fly talk is going in one ear and out the other. I'm caught up absorbing the scenery and observing the Canadian geese hugging the shoreline.

It has been a while since Kali and I fly fished, so Mike gives us a much-needed lesson in technique. After many attempts, my casting ability improves. Mike instructs me to let the fly "marinate on the water" when my cast is successful.



The conversation flows easily among the three of us, as we share life experiences and funny stories. We pass by farmland, homes and cabins that line the river. When we spot a house with a lovely, manicured lawn, Mike pipes up. "I used to be into the tech side of life, but I've become a lawn dad now, obsessed with cutting my grass and caring for my yard when I'm not on the water."

I ask Mike what sort of life lessons he has learned from the rivers. "Patience, resilience, respect for nature, and a healthy fear of the river" is his answer. "Not everyone is out to catch a million fish; some just want to enjoy nature. I can respect that. But if catching fish is their goal, I'm 100% going to make sure that happens."

Mike takes all the guesswork out of fishing by tying on the right flies, instructing us where to cast, and consistently placing the boat so that our feet stay dry when getting in and out of his drift boat.



Kali is more successful than I, netting several whitefish, cutthroat, and rainbows throughout our half-day float. I manage to catch one beautiful cutthroat. For me, absorbing the stillness of my surroundings and hearing the gentle lap of the water as we move with the currents is revitalizing. Netting a fish is secondary.

On a scale of 1 to 10, this excursion ranked 15 in my book. Stepping away from life's distractions, even for a short while, renewed my spirit. I highly recommend the experience for everyone, and no better place to accomplish this than on one of Montana's premier rivers.