Fishing Alone in Yellowstone.

This board is for discussing concerns of fishing bamboo fly rods. Examples would be, lines, actions, classic and modern makers actions and the like.

Moderators: pmcroberts, uniphasian

snorider
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 3679
Joined: 04/04/13 10:20
Location: Southwest Montana

Re: Fishing Alone in Yellowstone.

#41

Post by snorider »

mlarocco wrote:
07/01/20 07:50
I may not have read all posts in this thread but I was wondering if the 1st encounter could have been avoided if a noise announcer (bell) was being worn?
My Bear announcer featured yelling at the top of my lungs. "hey bear wooo!" you could not have heard a bell over it. I suspect the bear was having breakfast and did not want to be chased of his plate of hash :eek . Learned 32 years ago to NEVER sneak around in bear country. My first timber stand exam in the gallatin NF featured a Griz walking behind me who left dinner plate sized tracks on top of mine in the mud. To this day I NEVER sneak around in bear country. That was the thing that made this encounter even scarier for me.
Leave it as it is. The ages have been at work on it and man can only mar it. T.R.

User avatar
Flykuni3
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 3264
Joined: 12/21/11 14:11
Location: California

Re: Fishing Alone in Yellowstone.

#42

Post by Flykuni3 »

oldgoat54 wrote:
07/01/20 09:25
A few year back I talked to a power line crew near the Yellowstone river. The story's they told about animal encounters made my blood run cold. Seems the park service uses the ROW for the lines to dump the roadkill. Two guys were inspecting the lines on a Razor and a beer reached out of the forest and removed one of then from the machine. That ended my fantasy of working in the park.
Man, that's rough when beers start to do that to you. (kidding)

mlarocco
Master Guide
Posts: 671
Joined: 11/03/13 11:41

Re: Fishing Alone in Yellowstone.

#43

Post by mlarocco »

With more than 4 million park visitors on a typical year I do not hear allot about violent encounters with any of the park's wildlife (excluding mosquitoes). Seems like most park animals would avoid human interaction when possible.

User avatar
Hellmtflies
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 8035
Joined: 01/14/12 10:27
Location: Bozeman, Montana

Re: Fishing Alone in Yellowstone.

#44

Post by Hellmtflies »

mlarocco wrote:
07/01/20 15:45
With more than 4 million park visitors on a typical year I do not hear allot about violent encounters with any of the park's wildlife (excluding mosquitoes). Seems like most park animals would avoid human interaction when possible.
Well, there was a 72 year old woman gourd by a Bison just this week.

mlarocco
Master Guide
Posts: 671
Joined: 11/03/13 11:41

Re: Fishing Alone in Yellowstone.

#45

Post by mlarocco »

Well, there was a 72 year old woman gourd by a Bison just this week.

I didn't say that the animals were not dangerous and that incidents did not happen, but considering the number of visitors per year and the level of outdoor experience many of them hold (little) I think if the park fauna was seeking to cause bodily harm to humans you'd hear about many more incidents.

I was in a small village in Botswana's Okavango Delta where the crocodiles would take people at the water's edge not paying attention (usually children). They were actively preying on people. And a hippo or buffalo is more likely to get PO'd and kill a human than a moose. Just saying....

User avatar
Loogie
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 1124
Joined: 03/13/15 10:38

Re: Fishing Alone in Yellowstone.

#46

Post by Loogie »

I almost stepped on a badger two years ago in the Lamar valley that was in tall grass, I think he was as surprised as I was, he high tailed it in the opposite direction of my high tailing! My buddy was wondering why I took off running, I explained to him the situation, he said, Badgers can get mean, I said thats why I ran away bravely.

mlarocco
Master Guide
Posts: 671
Joined: 11/03/13 11:41

Re: Fishing Alone in Yellowstone.

#47

Post by mlarocco »

I almost stepped on a badger two years ago in the Lamar valley that was in tall grass,

I was not trying to diminish the joy and exhilaration people get from interacting with Yellowstone's (or any) wildlife just like people's fishing experiences are their own. The reason 4 million people visit YNP annually (on non pandemic years) is because it's beautiful and to interact with nature. I have had close interactions with Grizzlies, most notably in Katmai National Park and have been really scared at the time.

And almost stepping on a badger is probably one memory more ingrained in your brain than some of the fish you may have caught.

snorider
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 3679
Joined: 04/04/13 10:20
Location: Southwest Montana

Re: Fishing Alone in Yellowstone.

#48

Post by snorider »

Loogie wrote:
07/01/20 17:13
I almost stepped on a badger two years ago in the Lamar valley that was in tall grass, I think he was as surprised as I was, he high tailed it in the opposite direction of my high tailing! My buddy was wondering why I took off running, I explained to him the situation, he said, Badgers can get mean, I said thats why I ran away bravely.
Loogie you are lucky, Badgers are rowdy critters. When I was in college in Butte I walked out the back door of the M&M one evening after a ground round and gravy fries, and a Badger growled at me, came charging down the alley and chased me right back into the bar! And no it was not a kid from Wisconsin ;) . There was no way in heck I would have tangled with that pile of sinew, teeth and claws. Even more dangerous than the badger is the hole, I have injured myself a few times stepping into badger holes on the prairie bird hunting.
Leave it as it is. The ages have been at work on it and man can only mar it. T.R.

User avatar
BP Green
Guide
Posts: 202
Joined: 04/06/13 10:49
Location: Las Cruces, NM

Re: Fishing Alone in Yellowstone.

#49

Post by BP Green »

Over the years I’ve had countless encounters with moose in the north Maine woods. Several close ones with black bears as well. Never saw any moose, but did see bears in the UP of Michigan also. Never once felt threatened by any of them. And when I say close encounters I mean there were a few where I could reach out with my fly Rod and tap the critters.

Having said that, I’m about to head to MT, WY, ID. I would be lying if I said that I’m not at all concerned about grizzlies. I am more than just concerned. I know I’ll pretty much be crapping bricks the entire time I’m fishing.

I read somewhere once that the men of the Lewis and Clark Expeditionary were collectively of the opinion that they would rather face twenty Indian braves alone, than square off with a lone grizzly bear. I’ll take their word for it and do my best not to test that out for myself...
Trout don't live in ugly places...

GBU31v1
Guide
Posts: 109
Joined: 05/29/20 16:48

Re: Fishing Alone in Yellowstone.

#50

Post by GBU31v1 »

I fished in the Yellowstone in the park in 1989 - I was 18 and had no idea about moose being dangerous. I was steadily catching and about 20 mins in a cow and two calves who were fairly big waded in and started eating veg. They stayed about 50yds ahead of me for about 2 hours - along the far bank. We had quite a pleasant time watching each other. She was never upset or threatening at all.

User avatar
CDCdun
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 1263
Joined: 05/07/12 12:08

Re: Fishing Alone in Yellowstone.

#51

Post by CDCdun »

Most animals in the park are pretty chill. If people just keep their distance everything is fine. It’s the people who feel it’s safe to get within 5 or 10 feet of a large animal that usually have problems. My father in law and I hiked up to the second meadow. He’s a slow hiker so he told me to go up ahead. When he got to the second meadow he showed me a picture on his digital SLR. Hard to make out at first, but it was just the eye of a bison. He told me as he was hiking up the hill leaving the first meadow a herd of bison started to head his way. He doesn’t move well so he stood his ground hoping they wouldn’t get too close. Well, close they got. They walked right past him within arms length. As the last one passed he pointed his camera and took a picture. Fortunately the flash wasn’t on.

Jake

mlarocco
Master Guide
Posts: 671
Joined: 11/03/13 11:41

Re: Fishing Alone in Yellowstone.

#52

Post by mlarocco »

Statistically, you are much more likely to get COVID-19 in the Yellowstone area that have a violent encounter with park wildlife.

https://missoulian.com/news/state-and-r ... f68fb.html

User avatar
Eric Peper
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 2441
Joined: 08/06/07 18:00
Location: Island Park, ID & Austin, TX

Re: Fishing Alone in Yellowstone.

#53

Post by Eric Peper »

mlarocco wrote:
07/07/20 12:00
Statistically, you are much more likely to get COVID-19 in the Yellowstone area that have a violent encounter with park wildlife.
Just my opinion, but becoming adversely affected by either Covid or Critter necessitates a lack of preparedness. I am headed for Idaho where, statewide, there are 40 percent fewer cases than there are in my COUNTY. Somehow I've managed to avoid getting Covid here by wearing mask, gloves, carrying sanitizer. Not convenient, but it beats getting sick. Oh, did I mention that the "reopening" of bars made absolutely no difference to me. Likewise, the probability of getting nailed by a critter in Yellowstone is increased geometrically by approaching that critter. I have photos taken of elk at 15 feet -- on the other side of the truck in which I am sitting. A long lens beats hell out of a "stealthy" approach.

Eric
A mountain is a fact -- a trout is a moment of beauty known only to men who seek them
Al McClane in his Introduction to The Practical Fly Fisherman . . . often erroneously attributed to Arnold Gingrich

mlarocco
Master Guide
Posts: 671
Joined: 11/03/13 11:41

Re: Fishing Alone in Yellowstone.

#54

Post by mlarocco »

Just my opinion, but becoming adversely affected by either Covid or Critter necessitates a lack of preparedness.
Here in Washington the governor has indicated that businesses that do not enforce customers to wear masks will be subjugated to stiff fines. I don't know how well that will be enforced but the last time I walked into the local Safeway/Ace Hardware/Shell Station most customers were maskless.

While nobody wants to be the victim of an animal encounter gone bad, statistics indicate you are probably really safe from Yellowstone's wildlife, especially is you use common sense.

One of my fondest memories in Yellowstone was watching from a hill side next to the park road somebody fly fishing the Lamar river. There was a steep embankment behind the fisher where a lone wolf sat in the grass. Apparently the local pack used it as a rendezvous point when they became separated. From the distance I was watching, it looked like there was no way the wolf could not have noticed the back casts whizzing over the embankment (at least that's what most people thought that had joined the 'watch' group). Sure the fisher was clueless he had company.

User avatar
jhuskey
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 6332
Joined: 12/14/12 15:45
Location: IL

Re: Fishing Alone in Yellowstone.

#55

Post by jhuskey »

Quote: "While nobody wants to be the victim of an animal encounter gone bad, statistics indicate you are probably really safe from Yellowstone's wildlife, especially is you use common sense."

Yep, well now, that is the rub, isn't it?

Cool Wolf story!!!

Jacque Le Fluer
Member
Posts: 22
Joined: 11/08/19 15:15

Re: Fishing Alone in Yellowstone.

#56

Post by Jacque Le Fluer »

Sign me up,

Bears or no bears, moose or no moose, as long as there are fish, fun and what ever else nature can throw.
Been charged by a moose on a couple occasions, had my thrill with the big bears, fished till I just couldn't make that next bend in the river because of fear. Bear won't hang in one area unless they have reason, and calving season is over, but she will still be protective.

If I had to choose, I am more afraid of the moose. The bear in most circumstances will leave.

Fishing partners are always good to have. :wave

User avatar
thegubster
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 4658
Joined: 08/29/05 18:00
Location: Minnesota!

Re: Fishing Alone in Yellowstone.

#57

Post by thegubster »

Michael, what you related in your post scares the heck out of this city boy! I could never be comfortable having gone through that 1st encounter with that bear.....never...it's make me so creeped out that I could never concentrate on any sort of fishing. To me that would just be damned foolish!

Thanks for your post. I just returned from a month up near Canada chasing walleyes and muskies - (don't ask fer any pix... :lol ) and all I came across were a family of red fox living in the resort area! Fine by me...

I'm happy to hear you are safe after your adventure but have no doubt, I'm not gonna be one to bug you about taking me along in that country tiger!

You be well, stay safe and use your sense. I'd forever quit fishing if I was left with your options....

Jeremy.

billems
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 1620
Joined: 05/11/06 18:00

Re: Fishing Alone in Yellowstone.

#58

Post by billems »

The story reminds me of a band I was in. I was the only white guy in it; and while driving to a gig, one of the guys commented on the copy of "Field and Stream" I was reading. "Everytime I see that magazine, there's on the cover a painting of a giant bear attacking some hunter or fisherman. Everytime I see that, I think "Is that the biggest worry white folks ever have to face? Damn, ya'll come up with stuff--boy, I can't even believe!"

User avatar
Flykuni3
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 3264
Joined: 12/21/11 14:11
Location: California

Re: Fishing Alone in Yellowstone.

#59

Post by Flykuni3 »

+1

User avatar
uppercreek
Guide
Posts: 218
Joined: 12/22/04 19:00

Re: Fishing Alone in Yellowstone.

#60

Post by uppercreek »

Ha, ha to billems' post.

I am morbidly fascinated with bear attacks and read every story I can find. The Facebook algorithm has picked up on this, and my Facebook feed is filled with bear attack stories.

My son and I fished the headwaters of the Gallatin one year, despite the bear sighting warning signs. Something very primal about being in the deep woods with a beast that could eat you if it wanted to. Of course, we were carrying bear spray, and even tested an old can to make sure we knew how to use it.

Another time me and three buddies hiked into a remote tributary to the Madison. I was the "straggler" in our group. We came across a recent elk kill, with bear tracks and blue bottle flies buzzing around it. That really made me nervous. The stream was full of beautiful redband rainbows, but I imagined running into a bear in every clump of thick streamside willows, unable to hear me over the rushing waters of the stream.

My brother is in Montana right now as I write this. I asked him if he was going to buy bear spray, and he said he never needed it before on his last trip twenty years ago, although he saw several bears from a distance. I think there are more Grizzlys now, though. Seems to me that just having it at the ready would give you more confidence and may deter a charge from Mr. Griz, if you can get to your can in time.

I was run off the Snake River by a bull moose. Was fishing a trib that comes in below the Moose (town) overlook, and noticed several people on the overlook waving at me. I waved back. They kept on waving and jumping. It looked like they were yelling something, but I was too far away and couldn't hear them. I was done fishing anyway so I walked up to the overlook and one of them said, "Didn't you see that moose laying down in the grass on the bank? You walked right by it!" I didn't have a clue.

Kevin

Post Reply

Return to “Fishing Bamboo Fly Rods”