Bows, Cuts and Browns await in waters recognized as the Mecca for trout fishing.
Story and Photography by Bob Zaiglin

A sudden appearance of a brilliant gold streak in the scotch-colored water resulted in a malicious attack on the small nymph I employed as a dropper below my ostentatious chubby Chernobyl floating high on the water’s surface. With a quick flick of my wrist, the tip of my nine-foot five-weight fly rod bent like a bow in the swift current while I carefully played the 21-inch brown trout on the end of my line.
While I enjoyed the aggressive maneuvers, the fish attempted to separate itself from the barbless hook. My guide and good friend Ryan Brewer swiftly and methodically negotiated the drift boat into the milder waters of the Yellowstone River, facilitating our ability to net the brilliant, golden-colored trout. Moments later we celebrated the entire event by taking several photographs before releasing the fish back into the river.
When it comes to fly fishing, it’s all about access, and the Montana Fish and Game Department has done a remarkable job of providing fishermen with ample opportunities to fish some of the most bountiful trout waters on the planet with the Yellowstone River, considered by most ardent sportsmen as a trout fishing Mecca occupied by rainbow, cut bows, and brown trout in abundance.
Over the last 15 years or so, my wife Jan and I have ventured north each summer to not only take advantage of the quality fishing, but to escape the extreme temperatures of South Texas. Last year, as always, our home away from home was the quaint western town of Bozeman, Montana. Unlike most conventional towns, Bozeman represents a time warp where one can relive the past.

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