Conundrum...

T

tomitrout

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Jun 9, 2010
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So, I've already got my girlfriend set up with a 7'6" 3/4wt outfit. Great little rig for her here in the Cumberland Valley, but we're planning another trip to Montana this summer, we'll hitting Yellowstone for the first time.

With Valentine's day coming up, what do ya'll think of a 9'/5wt outfit as a romantic gift for the holiday?
 
I think she would love it and if she doesn't just keep it for yourself!
 
tomitrout wrote:

With Valentine's day coming up, what do ya'll think of a 9'/5wt outfit as a romantic gift for the holiday?
Click to expand...

It would go over like a lead balloon with my wife.
 
I don't think she would consider a fly rod outfit to be romantic. It has to be more personal and romantic like flowers, teddy bear, etc.
 
I fish Yellowstone a lot. At least 10 days a year and have been in the park over 150 days in total over the last 8 years. I fish a 3 wt. 95% of the time. Most of the water is fairly small. I do take a 9' 5 wt., but I rarely use it inside the park. Outside of the Madison and the Yellowstone its easily fished with a 3wt.

The Yellowstone in the park is tough fishing as it has been decimated by the lakers in Yellowstone Lake. Although what is left are typically trophy size Cutts. I pretty much only use my 5 wt when I fish Trout Lake as I do it from a float tube and the trout are huge.

While Im always one who likes new gear, you can get a way with your 3 wt. Because it is 7'6" I would string it with a 3.5 or 4 wt line and youll be good to go.

Finally, be careful what time of year you go as it can be a completely different experience depending on when you go. I generally recommend August unless you have very specific goals (i.e. must fish the Firehole, or want the Salmon hatch on the Madison)...

Good luck and feel free to PM if you have any questions. I have a passion for Yellowstone and fishing for its amazing trout....
 
tomitrout wrote:
With Valentine's day coming up, what do ya'll think of a 9'/5wt outfit as a romantic gift for the holiday?
Click to expand...

This could be the funniest question on this forum....EVER! It reminds me of a Justin Timberlake video he did for SNL. Please video your giving her a wrapped up rod for Valentines day and as much of her response (prior to your death) as you can ;-)
 
We obviously don't know whether it's a good gift for your girl or not. But you certainly set yourself up for some jokes!

Make sure you get "tomitrout" stencilled onto the blank.
 
9' 5wt. would be most practical everyday rod in Yellowstone except in the fall when having 6wt fast action streamer rod would help.
 
If she's into FF, you'll be golden. Just make sure you include dinner and a bottle of wine.
 
Since I am an old redneck,trailer park,toothless type I gotta admit the title snickered me for a minute until I realized thats not what was meant.
 
I can't imagine using a 3 wt to fish the classic Yellowstone waters like the Lamar, Slough or Firehole. However, in deference to pghtrouthunter who has fished it more than I, I may try on my next trip in the fall.

That being said, Rowland has a nice pink 5 wt outfit for sale at YBO.

Happy Valentine's day!
 
Stoneman,

Those are exactly the waters I fish with the exception of the Firehole which in my opinion is overrated as a fishery.

Last summer, when it was muddy and blown out, I used my 9' 5wt. as I almost exclusively nymph fished czech style due to the conditions. Usually, I use an Orvis Helios 3 wt. on the Soda Butte, Lamar, and especially Slough and only dry fly fish. I consider those three waters my "home" rivers and have fished all three of them end to end...

I have never had an issue with bringing a fish to hand responsibly with a 3wt, the only time its an issue is high wind, but the Helios handles that well (and I know places to go that combat that).

That being said, styles and skills vary, and my point was if you do not want to buy a 9' 5 wt., which in my opinion is the first rod you should own, you can get away with a 3 or 4 wt. with little trouble.
 
PghTrouthunter, I am a Yellowstone novice compared to you but look forward to another week there this year. I have a Helios 3 wt as well and now intend to bring it and see what happens. It would have come in handy on the smaller streams in Montana (Mill and Big Creeks) we turned to because of the rain in the Park last year. That being said, those cutthoats pack a wonderful punch and could present a challenge. As for the Firehole, I had a 20-30 fish day there last year when the Lamar Valley waters were blown out. Give it another chance. The white miller caddis hatch is great! Just walk out from the Middle Geyser parking area a couple of hundred yards.
 
When my wife retired from teaching I bought her a nice 8'4wt (thought it would enhance her retirement). She used it once, now it's mine. At that point we had been married 34years. If I had got it for her while we were dating, we might not be married now. Tour call.
 
tomitrout wrote:
...With Valentine's day coming up, what do ya'll think of a 9'/5wt outfit as a romantic gift for the holiday?
Click to expand...


If I bought a fly rod for my wife for Valentines Day she'd kick me in the :-o

Don't get kicked in the :-o ....try flowers or candy.
 
If I bought a fly rod for my wife for Valentines Day she'd kick me in the :-o

Don't get kicked in the :-o ....try flowers or candy.
Click to expand...

Best advice yet! My wife fly fishes but I would never buy her anything fishing related for Valentines Day.
 
If you REALLY loved her, you'd buy her a drift boat.

Good luck w/Valentines!
 
Stoneman,

Not to highjack the thread, but Yellowstone gets me going...I usually am in Yellowstone in August and the Firehole has seen its best fishing by then and is usually too warm. The closest Ill get is Nez Perce. But it takes an act of congress to pry me out of the Lamar River Valley in August. Even last summer we fished the blown out waters nymphing and we killed it. The added bonus is we were the only anglers there. Not my favorite style in Yellowstone, but I couldnt argue with the results.

I could shoot the breeze about Yellowstone and its fisheries all day and we havent even started talking about the Lake Trout/Cut issues.

Definitely take your three weight. On rivers like the Soda Butte, Lamar, and Slough halve the water as you enter it and fish the front half, then the back towards the cutbank. Most of these trout will hold or cruise the cutbanks, but you can catch some big boys cruising the flats. I also love dapping off the high cut banks of Slough to big cuts I can sight fish too.

Also if you want to see some of the biggest wild trout (bows and cuts) hike up to Trout Lake and walk around it. 25"+ crusing the shoreline in gin clear water. Its awesome and if you are lucky enough to fool one (think scuds) then good luck bringing it to hand...

Finally, another kind of cool excursion is to hike up to Grebe Lake (not too long) and fish for Arctic Grayling. A cool fish, not many people can say they have caught....

Like I said, I can jabber about this stuff all day. Thanks for humoring me...
 
Well, the truth of the matter is only you know well enough if it would go well or go south in a hurry. If she's into it like us, you already know the answer. If you have to think about whether she will like it or not I'd go with something else. Just saying.
 
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