Parks' Fly Shop Guided Trip FAQ

What is Included in Your Listed Rates? What's Not?

Different shops and outfitters have different policies in this regard. At Parks' Fly Shop, we include: the guide's time (obviously), transportation to and from the fishery, starting from our shop or a prearranged meeting point, rods and reels (if required) soft drinks and bottled water, and a picnic lunch on full-day trips. Rates do not include: flies, leaders, wading gear, alcoholic beverages, fishing permits, rod fees charged by the private Paradise Valley spring creeks or private lakes, Yellowstone Park entrance fees, or guide gratuity. Your guide may provide flies he tied himself at no cost provided they're not lost or destroyed by fish, but this is entirely up to him and should be remembered at the end of the day when you consider what to provide as a tip. We encourage you to bring your own tackle if you have it: you will be more familiar with it and many anglers have higher-quality gear than we provide on trips (basically gear in the low-intermediate to intermediate price bracket). You are not required to purchase flies or leaders before your trip. Your guide will carry a selection suitable for the water you're fishing and keep track of what you use.

Are Your Trips Catch & Release Only?

Except for a very few rare situations, our trips are catch and release only. There are two reasons for this: first, taking care of kept fish is a pain and takes away from fishing time. Second, almost all fish we target on our guide trips are wild, so keeping fish can severely impact populations. The only exceptions to our catch and release rule are if you catch a pure rainbow trout in the Lamar drainage or the Yellowstone above the Lamar or a lake trout in the Yellowstone drainage, or a brook trout in upper Soda Butte Creek. Park regulations suggest killing rainbows in the Lamar to protect cutthroat populations (the species can interbreed) and require killing illegally-introduced lake trout, which eat young cutthroat. If you want to keep some brook trout, we can point you towards some creeks where killing a few will actually help the population, but you'll have to go there on your own.

What License Do I Need? Where Do I Buy It?

The license you need depends on where we'll be fishing. For float trips or walk trips outside the Park, you'll need a Montana license. It's required for anglers over the age of 14. In Yellowstone, you don't need a Montana (or Wyoming) license, but you do need a Yellowstone National Park permit. All anglers are required to have a license, but for those age under 16 it's free. Licenses are not required on Depuy Spring Creek, but Montana licenses are required on the other Paradise Valley creeks. We are license agents for both Montana and the Park, so you can buy your license when you arrive. You can also buy Montana permits online here, if you want to fish on your own before you get to our shop.

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Other General Questions

I've Never Fly Fished Before, but I Want to Learn. Do You Take Beginners?

Absolutely. Probably 15-20% of our clients have never held a rod before. We recommend walk & wade trips for beginners. On a walk & wade trip we can spend our time fishing small water with fish that aren't too picky, to ensure beginners will catch some fish. They will not be big, but just like riding a bike you need to start fly fishing with "training wheels." For groups with small children, we recommend a half-day trip, while for people whose attention spans and stamina are longer either a half-day or full-day trip will work. On full-day beginner trips, we usually fish two stretches of river, one with small, innocent fish in the morning and a more-challenging stretch in the afternoon. Rental rods and waders are available from our shop for a nominal fee, so besides the guide trip itself there's only small investment if you just want to get your feet wet, both figuratively and literally.

If you do want to fish from a boat, either due to physical issues which prevent you from walking or just a desire to be in a boat, we suggest lake trips. These are only available in spring and fall, but since the guide doesn't have to actively row to dodge rocks, he has more time for instruction than on river trips.

My Child is "X" Years Old. Is He/She Old Enough to Go on a Guided Trip?

The age at which you introduce a child to fly fishing depends on two factors: attention span and size. Fly fishing requires considerably more focus than fishing with bait or lures, and fly rods for our area need to range from eight to nine feet. Both factors make fly fishing a poor choice for very young children. In general, a child is ready to learn to fly fish between age 7 and age 10. If you know how to fly fish and have a younger child who likes to fish and who knows how to cast and retrieve lures with conventional tackle, another possibility is taking a float trip. You can cast flies from the front of the boat while your child throws spinners from the back. This approach can bring some surprising results. In general, we will not take young children fishing unless a parent or other adult (grandparent) comes too, while teenagers can be unaccompanied provided they're no more insane than your average teen.

What's for Lunch?

Typically we do picnic-style sandwich lunches on our trips. On float trips we arrange things buffet-style, while on walk trips where we'll be hiking we carry pre-made sandwiches. Fruit and chips or cookies accompany the sandwich. This is our default lunch, and we can modify it somewhat to suit tastes. If you require kosher, vegetarian, diabetic-friendly, or other specialized meals, please let us know when you book and we should be able to accommodate. When it's cold we usually include a thermos of tomato soup or coffee. At times our guides make something more complicated (usually after going insane from eating a roast beef sandwich every day), but we virtually never cook on-stream. We figure our clients want to fish and our trips already usually last until later in the day than those of our competitors, so we don't want to take the time to make something complicated for lunch. If having a gourmet lunch is a key element of how much enjoyment you take from a guided trip, you should probably book with another outfitter.

How Cold is the Water? Do I Need Waders?

Water temperatures range from forty degrees into the high sixties. We generally wear waders until late June or early July and again from early- to mid-September onward. Some waters require waders year-round, chief among them the upper Yellowstone and the Paradise Valley spring creeks. Otherwise, we wet-wade with our felt-soled wading shoes and gravel guards whenever weather permits, since this is cooler and requires less gear to be carried. It's always a good idea to bring waders in case of a cold snap, but you're probably safe if you choose not to from around 7/10 until 8/15 unless you're planning to fish the upper Yellowstone near Yellowstone Lake or the lake itself, both of which are icy year-round. Wading in an old pair of tennis shoes is usually not a good idea except on meadow streams, since our waters are often in rugged terrain and have fast currents or otherwise make felt soles and good ankle support necessities. We have rental waders and shoes ($20 per day for a full set, $15 for just the shoes) in case you don't have or don't want to bring your own.

What Kind of Trip Should I Take? Full-Day or Half-Day?

Choosing between each of the four types of standard trips we run (public walk, spring creek walk, river float, lake float) offer different things, produce different results at different times of year, and are suited to individuals with different skill levels and interests. The best way to decide which type of trip to take if you're unsure is to call us or e-mail us and talk it over. The descriptions of each trip type given on each type's own page in the Our Waters section in th Trip Planner (check the How-To link above) will often give you a ballpark idea.

Full-day trips are far more popular than half-day trips, except for beginners. Most of the time we suggest half-day trips for beginners and children, while full-days are better for others. On full-day trips we have more time to reach distant destinations, can hike farther, cover more water, see the whole day's succession of hatches and the like, and all in all have a much richer experience. Half-day floats do have one benefit: it is usually easier to get away from other boats on half-days than full-days. Except for beginners and families with children, cost is usually the determining factor in what type of trip to take.

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Flies and Tackle

What Kind of Flies and Tackle Should I Bring?

Please check our Trip Planner to learn the answers to this type of question. If you still have questions, feel free to contact us.

I Don't Have Tackle, or Don't Want to Bring It. Do You Offer Rentals? What Kind are They?

The use of rental rods and reels is included in the trip price, if required. The following covers other rentals.

We offer rental fly combos, waders, and wading shoes. For 2011, Rod/reel combos and full wader setups are $20/day each, while wading shoes alone are $15/day. The rental rods we stock are generally mid-grade Orvis and TFO combos with TFO or Orvis reels and Cortland lines. Waders are Orvis, while boots are generally whatever boot we can get a good deal on. Our rental setups include the rod, reel, and line. Consumables such as leaders, tippet, and flies must be purchased separately. The gear we rent is much higher quality than can be purchased at big-box stores like Wal-Mart, so if you're new to the sport or are unable to travel with bulky gear, renting makes a lot of sense.

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Public and Private Walk Trip FAQ

Note that the best way to have a question on a walk trip answered is to call or e-mail us.

Where Will We Go? How Long a Walk is It?

Both questions depend on your experience level, interests, the season, etc. On our walk trips we fish anywhere from right alongside the road to five miles into the backcountry, in flat meadows where we've taken 85 year-olds to rugged canyons that seem to require as much rock climbing as walking. Our Trip Planner will give you a good idea of how the season affects where we fish. This should give you some idea of our options. We do have some secret spots where we might take you, of course, but they're too sensitive to mention online. Regarding the spring creeks: in general, Nelson's and Armstrong's are flat, technical streams only while DePuy's has some faster sections. In general, DePuy's is suitable for intermediate anglers as well as experts, whereas the other creeks are not.

Does Hiking a Long Way Reduce the Amount of Fishing Time?

It sometimes does, though the hike is usually worth it in terms of solitude, larger and/or more plentiful fish, and scenery. We may stay out a bit later on days when we hike a long way, but there are only so many hours of daylight, meaning that a hike to the Second Meadow of Slough Creek or several miles up the Black Canyon of the Yellowstone will by necessity eat an hour or two of fishing time.

What Kind of Shape Do I Need to be in to Take a Walk Trip

The baseline requirement is an ability to stay on your feet for most of the day. We will either travel to a picnic area or find a convenient spot under the trees to eat lunch, but otherwise there aren't many places to rest on the public water we fish. The spring creeks have numerous benches, picnic tables, etc. Other than this, physical fitness is not a huge requirement, as there are streams to suit any degree of fitness or desire for adventure. Walter Wiese was guiding walk trips by early September, 2006, only two months after having serious knee surgery, for example, though he wasn't scrambling around canyon walls three miles from the trailhead as he likes to do.

I Want to Catch Big Fish in a Place where I won't See Anyone Else? Is This Possible?

At the right time of the year and if you are in good enough hiking shape, a full-day trip often can. Despite popular opinion, there are still secret spots in the Yellowstone area. Other good options for big fish with little competition are the spring creeks and private lakes. There are always anglers present on the spring creeks, but not pounding every pool as can be the case on the easy to reach famous streams in the Park. On the lakes, we are often the only party present.

What are the Maximum Distances You'll Hike on a Walk Trip?

Generally speaking, five miles one-way is the absolute maximum we're willing to walk. Any more and we're too tired to fish once we get where we're going, and it's too late in the day by the time we get there. Two or three miles each way is more common when we want to shed the roadside crowds for some solitude. Even a short hike, less than a mile, is often enough to shed all competition. Most flat roadside streams will be crowded, even if they're not very good.

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Float Trip FAQ

Where will We Float?

For river trips, we float the Yellowstone and occasionally the Madison (using contract outfitters Pat Straub and Rob Olson). The Yellowstone in particular can fish very differently depending on which stretch we're doing. In general, we float further up the river for numbers and dry fly fishing and further down for a shot at big fish. There are exceptions to this rule, but it's a good way of thinking about it. The Middle and Lower Yellowstone River pages in our planner will give you an idea of which stretch is right for you. You can also contact us to talk about it. Rob and Pat primarily run the Lower Madison, from immediately below Beartrap Canyon down about 10-12 miles. The upper Madison, the "50 Mile Riffle" is too far away for us to feel comfortable guiding on it very often. We float the Yellowstone from mid-March until runoff dirties the river sometime in early-mid May, the Madison and private lakes until the Yellowstone clears in late June or early July, and the Yellowstone for the remainder of the season unless thunderstorms dirty it. The lakes are another good option in the fall in case of mud.

If you are interested in floating Yankee Jim Canyon, we are the shop for you, and Walter Wiese is the guide. He is the only guide who regularly does this section of the river in a drift boat, though a few others do it in rafts, which aren't as comfortable or efficient to fish out of on such big water.

On lake trips, you can choose which lake to fish. The Lake Floats page has a great deal of information on each lake, and you can also ask us for our recommendations. The only thing we'll say with certainty is that if you want a good chance of catching fish on dries, you should fish upper Story Lake in the spring and maybe Burn's Lake in the fall. The lakes are the best choices for novice anglers and those who want to be almost sure of catching larger fish, albeit maybe lower numbers of them. Please note that the lakes are only a valid option in the spring (May and June) and fall (after September 20), as they grow too warm in midsummer.

What Species Will We Catch? How Big Will They Be?

The Yellowstone is home to cutthroat, rainbow, brown, and brook trout. The upper river near Gardiner has more cutthroats than any other stretch, while the area below Yankee Jim Canyon on down to Livingston and beyond is home to more rainbows and browns. Brook trout are a rarity, but possible near tributaries. The average fish size in the upper river is from ten to fourteen inches, with plenty of chances to encounter fish to eighteen or nineteen inches. Closer to Livingston the average fish size creeps up to 12-15 inches and there are a handful of fish to 22 inches. There are fewer trout altogether, however. Downstream of Livingston your chances for big trout go up, but so do your chances of a skunking. When the brown trout run in the fall, larger fish become available throughout the river system and your chances of catching a trout over twenty inches dramatically increase. The best period to come for these larger fish is from September 20 until November 10.

Rainbows predominate in all lakes except lower Story, but there's a chance of other species in most. In general the trout we catch on our lake floats will average somewhat longer than those in rivers, and be much fatter, but you have a better chance at a real monster in the Yellowstone.

How Good do I Have to be to Catch Fish on a Float?

On river floats, for all trips you must be able to cast thirty feet accurately, even with wind, and often with a change of direction in the cast. This basically means intermediate skills are required. If we plan to fish streamers, this will usually mean knowing how to handle sink-tip lines and large, wind-resistant flies. Because the upper Yellowstone usually produces larger numbers of fish, this section of river is best for those with lower skill levels, since you'll have larger numbers of chances. We strongly suggest that you practice casting before your trip, if you haven't fly fishing in a while. Please be honest about your skill level when booking; nothing is more likely to lead to low numbers of trout caught than taking our clients somewhere they're unprepared to fish.

Lake floats are more suitable for those with lower skills, since casts don't need to be as accurate and the guide doesn't have to row constantly and thus can give more hands-on instruction. Even on the best lake trips you won't get as many strikes as you do on river floats, but the fish are larger on average, so you don't need as many strikes.

What Kinds of Boats do You Use?

We float exclusively in drift boats. If anyone wants to float you down the Yellowstone or Madison in a raft and they aren't doing the Gardiner town section, Yankee Jim Canyon, or the Beartrap, run screaming, because drift boats are far more suited to these rivers than rafts. Richard Parks and Ben Jewell use older Lavro drift boats. These boats are small, but very durable, meaning Ben and Richard aren't afraid of running into a few rocks. The rest of our staff use Clackacraft drift boats. Walter uses a high-sider that's suitable for running Yankee Jim Canyon, while the others use low-siders that work better in the wind but can't handle the heavy whitewater of the canyon. All boats feature a waterproof compartment for items such as cell phones and dry clothes. All boats feature double-leg front knee braces and single-leg rear knee braces. It's also possible to fish sitting down in the back. We MAY start using john boats on some lake floats, since the lower freeboard makes these boats handle better in the wind and no whitewater capability is needed.

Do You Encounter Much Whitewater on Your Floats?

All sections of the Yellowstone feature at least a couple small rapids. The only extended whitewater is found on the upper river between Gardiner and Corwin Springs and in Yankee Jim Canyon. We may require you to wear life jackets for portions of these sections, or on other sections early in the season when all rapids are heavier. The Yellowstone isn't a really heavy whitewater river; except for a few rapids, you don't even need to stop fishing as we run the waves. We tend to cut things pretty close to keep you fishing the prime water, so we may splash a little water over the sides at times, so it's a good idea to be prepared for this eventuality by stashing phones, etc. before we get started. There isn't much whitewater on the section of the Madison we run.

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Tipping Etiquette

Is Tipping Standard? How Much is Usual?

Tipping fishing guides is generally standard provided their service is of expected quality. In 2010, an average tip for a full-day trip was $70-150. Last year's median was probably right at $100. Half day tips average $40-80. If there is some problem with your trip caused by your guide, you should of course avoid tipping. We also suggest you share your concerns with both the guide and Richard Parks or Walter Wiese, since we are all professionals and want to give our clients the best experience possible.

How Should I Decide How Much to Tip

The number of fish you catch should not be the determining factor unless it seems like you don't catch enough fish due to your guide's indifference. Fishing is fishing, after all, and even we have a tough day once in a while. You should focus instead on your guide's effort, how much you learn, your guide's sense of humor, and other factors which are entirely within his control.

How Should I Tip?

Cash is king. We can add the gratuity to the bill at the end of the trip if you don't have any cash, but we would strongly prefer to leave the tip between you and the guide. If you use multiple guides over several days, you should tip each individually. If you have a single-day multiple guide trip, a general tip split evenly between the guides is fine. Our clients more commonly tip at the end of each guide day, rather than at the end of the entire trip.

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