Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast

688 | Grand Teton Fly Fishing with Scott Smith - Jack Dennis, Snake River, Trout

Listen on

Episode notes

Scott Smith, owner of Grand Teton Fly Fishing, takes us on a journey through the Yellowstone area. We’ll uncover tips for fishing the area's rivers, learn about pre-hatches, and hear Scott’s biggest tip for landing those tricky fish sipping bugs off the surface.

Plus, Scott will also share stories about his mentor, Jack Dennis. This is going to be a good one!

Show Notes with Scott Smith on Grand Teton Fly Fishing.

02:03 - Scott grew up fishing creeks in North Georgia. Fly fishing for him came later when he picked up a rod at 12 at a garage sale and taught himself through magazines and VHS tapes. He eventually met Jack Dennis, who became his mentor.

Check out our episode with Jack Dennis.

Starting Grand Teton Fly Fishing

05:52 - Scott moved to Jackson Hole in the late '90s. Over the years, he built a career, mentored new guides, and created a loyal client base. In 2011, he and Mark Fuller took over Jack Dennis' business and started Grand Teton Fly Fishing.

11:55 - Scott tells us about the waters they guide in western Wyoming. They cover Yellowstone National Park's lakes to Grand Teton National Park's Snake River headwaters. Scott says they customize trips based on how long guests stay and what they want to do.

Fishing in Jackson Hole

15:41 - We hear about what fishing looks like throughout the year in Jackson Hole. Scott says they do a lot of drift boat fishing to cover large rivers like the Snake, but there’s still plenty of wade fishing when the conditions are right.

March to October is the best fishing season, with good hatches and fewer crowds. Early March is great for dry fly fishing, especially with midges and blue-winged olives. The peak fishing season starts in mid-June and continues in July through September. Fishing in September and October

23:20 - We talk about the fishing conditions in September and October. As the water cools down, the fishing gets better, with some great hatches like the Hecuba fly. Scott says this is also when the Jackson Hole One Fly event usually happens.

28:09 - Scott says that the Snake River is both forgiving for new anglers and challenging for experts. The Snake River is home to the Snake River Fine-Spotted Cutthroat, a subspecies of the Yellowstone cutthroat.

34:52 - Scott says that when he's guiding, he always looks for spots where fish are likely to be. The key is looking for subtle sips, usually signs of bigger fish feeding.

40:10 - If you’re not seeing much action on the surface, Scott suggests switching to attractor patterns or terrestrials like beetles and ants. You can also add a dropper fly, but it might limit how close you can fish to the bank.

Scott’s Top 8 Fly Patterns 1. Small chubby (black, purple, tan) 2. Small black foam flies 3. Golden Stone Water Walker 4. Parachute Adams 5. Parachute Hare's Ears 6. Mercer's Missing Link 7. Callibaetis Flies 8. Small streamers

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/688