Adventure Journal: Top 3 Underrated places to fly fish in Grand Teton

Grand Teton National Park is famous for its pristine fly-fishing opportunities. Its iconic waterways provide excellent habitat for several species of fish, especially the Snake River fine-spotted cutthroat trout. The most popular fly-fishing spots within or near the park all […] The post Adventure Journal: Top 3 Underrated places to fly fish in Grand Teton appeared first on Grand Teton National Park Foundation | Jackson, WY.

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The most popular fly-fishing spots within or near the park all involve the Snake River in some way, such as the Jackson Lake dam, Blacktail Ponds, or the front country lakes like Jenny Lake or Leigh Lake. While these spots are great, we also want to highlight some lesser-known places to get your line wet in Grand Teton! Grand Teton National Park requires a Wyoming state fishing license which you can purchase here. Make sure to check the fishing regulations by clicking here.

1. Phelps Lake

There are three reasons to set your alarm and head to Phelps Lake early. First, to arrive at the Laurence Rockefeller Preserve parking lot before it fills up, which can happen as early as 8:30 am in the busy summer months. Second, to allow yourself plenty of time to hike the mile and a half to the lake. And third, to be on the water for an excellent morning bite. Phelps Lake is home to voracious cutthroat trout that feed on the surface during the morning hours and become less active as the hot afternoon approaches. Bring your favorite five-weight rod as the cutthroat trout in this glacial lake typically range from twelve to fifteen inches.

Fly Recommendations: Stimulators & Chubby Chernobyls.

2. Upper Gros Ventre River

Sunset glows over the upper Gros Ventre river and a Snake River fine-spotted cutthroat.

While the Gros Ventre River is a tributary of the Snake River, most of the fishing pressure occurs in the lower section. Starting from the Gros Ventre Campground upstream to the "Kelly Cliffs" area and beyond offers beautiful fly-fishing opportunities for adventurous anglers. During the summer months, trout will eagerly devour terrestrial insects in this section of the river, offering some of the most exciting hopper-dropper fishing in Grand Teton. The Gros Ventre flows through both private and public lands, so it's important to do your research before heading out to fish.

Fly Recommendations: Foam Body Salmon Flies & Chubby Chernobyls for your hoppers, bead-head Pheasant Tail & purple Duracell nymphs for your droppers.

3. Lake Solitude

The out-and-back hike to Lake Solitude is approximately sixteen and a half miles and will reward you with one of the best alpine fishing experiences in Grand Teton National Park. Expect to hike through a stunning canyon with several alpine waterfalls, vibrant patches of native wildflowers, and views of the immense peaks of the Teton mountain range. Although the hike is notably long, the beautiful and hungry cutthroat trout in the lake make it well worth the effort. Fishing is most productive in the morning and evening, with some success in the afternoon. Bring extra water and bear spray for this backcountry fly-fishing adventure.

Fly Recommendations: Pretty much whatever you have in your fly box. Hopper Droppers with medium/small Chubby Chernobyls & purple Duracell nymphs have worked great here.

Cutthroat CO-OP

We are proud of our partnership with WorldCast Anglers, a local Grand Teton National Park fly fishing outfitter and concessionaire. WorldCast created a line of Cutthroat CO-OP merchandise based on the iconic Snake River trout. The gear covers all the basics to look good on and off the river, with an array of hats, T-shirts, hoodies, and more.

A portion of proceeds from all Cutthroat CO-OP merchandise sales will support Grand Teton National Park Foundation's native fish conservation program. Visit WorldCast's website to learn more about the company and the Cutthroat CO-OP collection, and stop by their shop in Victor, Idaho (or call 1-800-654-0676) to get some gear before it is gone!

We'd like to extend our thanks to the entire team at WorldCast for their incredible support and all they do to steward the Snake River watershead and protect native fish.

Grand Teton National Park Foundation has been supporting the park for several years with native cutthroat trout conservation efforts. From restoring fish passage to natal streams to funding underwater video cameras to track population dynamics, visit this page to see our contributions to this initiative.

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