Seasons of Jackson Fork

Seasons of Jackson Fork

For a place where Summer is two months of bad skiing, this part of Wyoming has a surprisingly long, and varied, fly fishing season.

SPRING

With smaller rivers starting to thaw, and before the runoff, Spring is a good time to sneak in a quick weekend or four-day trip. The rivers and streams are running clear and the trout are eager to feed. You won’t need bug spray and the rising average temperatures make for a more comfortable experience.

LATE JUNE-JULY

Depending on the extent of our Winter snow pack, this is typically our best dry-fly season when the hatches really start to bloom. (A large snow pack can prolong the run off until mid-July so it’s best to call in May to plan the best time to come so you can fish the larger, lower rivers, too.)

AUGUST

This is our Terrestrial Season. Most of our best angling waters run through small valleys and grass pasture lands that are home to an abundance of hoppers, humpies, ants and bees and a whole host of other larger surface-water bugs. The warmest temperatures of the year also present an abundance of hatch varieties.

SEPTEMBER-NOVEMBER

Even as the snows begin to fall and temperatures drop, Fall fly fishing at the Ranch is some of the best of the year. As skis replace fly rods at the airport, the serious anglers have their pick of the best spots to fish, the waters are crystal-clear, and the late-day hatches come out as early as late afternoon.

OTHER SEASONS

Winter comes early and stays late in this part of the Rockies and what used to be the season of hardship for the early fur trappers is now our own secret winter playground. Hundreds of elk winter on the property and share the valley with our year round bison herd. Recently reintroduced wolves roam the perimeter looking for easy prey. Lakes freeze over and rivers turn to small icy streams that carve their way through the snow pack. It’s quieter here in the winter, and some say more peaceful, too. But those are just a few of the many reasons why you’ll enjoy the ‘Non-Summer Seasons’ at the Lodge.