I'll miss my Yellowstone fishing friends this year

It was 50 years ago this month that I first fished the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. I was working for an outfitter in Cooke City and had been asked to accompany an elderly couple into the canyon and tend the horses.

I don’t remember how the fishing was but I suspect it was good, good enough that I soon began making the trip on my own on foot.

In the ensuing half century I rarely went a summer without at least one trip into the canyon. The cutthroat were plentiful and 40-fish days were common. I caught my age in cutts when I was 55.

Since then, however, the fishing has been in decline. Last year I even got skunked, although the others in my party still managed to catch a few trout.

But the fishing had years ago taken back seat to the trip itself. It had become simply an opportunity to spend a day with good friends in spectacular country while testing ourselves on a challenging hike.

It used to be that the excellent angling made the brutal climb out of the canyon worth the effort. In recent years, though, we joked about all the effort involved in catching only a handful of fish.

During the climb out we would talk about going somewhere different, somewhere easier, with better fishing, but deep down we all knew we’d meet at the trailhead next August and do it again, especially since this year since marked 50 years for me.

But it’s not going to happen. Not this year.

Yellowstone Park recently imposed Hoot Owl restrictions on all rivers and streams in the park, limiting fishing hours. At the same time Yellowstone is seeing a record number of visitors clogging the roads.

The thought of getting caught in traffic and then having to quit fishing early in the afternoon was enough for me to call off the trip.

I admit it’s a bit of a relief. After a summer of lethargy the hike is always tough, but also a reminder that hunting season is less than a month away and it’s time to get in shape.

I’ll miss seeing my friends, who I’m sure are somewhat relieved they won’t have to follow me into the canyon this year, but I have no doubt they’ll show up at the trailhead next year ready to go.

I’m already dreading the trip.

Parker Heinlein is at [email protected]