No to floating in Yellowstone

[mdunc8]

I've probably spent more nights camped on the Yellowstone the last six years than anyone on this planet, so the river holds a special place in my heart. Purely from a selfish point of view, I don't want to see boats on the Yellowstone. The Yellowstone in the Park is one of the few remaining stretches of large river in a wilderness setting that wade fishermen have to themselves in the lower 48. There are plenty of rafting opportunities on each side of the Park if that's the kind of activity you're looking for. If you're looking for a sweet wilderness float, check out the Bob, Frank Church, or Grand Canyon. I'd like to have one river that I can fish without worrying about boats, a train of pack mules, or the constant drone of highway traffic.

 

[Ben Lamb]

I've probably spent more nights camped on the Yellowstone the last six years than anyone on this planet, so the river holds a special place in my heart. Purely from a selfish point of view, I don't want to see boats on the Yellowstone. The Yellowstone in the Park is one of the few remaining stretches of large river in a wilderness setting that wade fishermen have to themselves in the lower 48. There are plenty of rafting opportunities on each side of the Park if that's the kind of activity you're looking for. If you're looking for a sweet wilderness float, check out the Bob, Frank Church, or Grand Canyon. I'd like to have one river that I can fish without worrying about boats, a train of pack mules, or the constant drone of highway traffic.

I can think of 10 rivers off the top of my head that fit your bill. Some of them are in Wilderness, some are not.

 

[mdunc8]

Hence my use of "few". Regardless, care to share a few. I'm always looking for new spots to visit.

 

[Ben Lamb]

I'm no hotspotter!

 

[Nemont]

So the gist of the snobbery is that wading in with neoprene waders, a $800 Winston rod, enough LL Bean gear to be a catalog ad is more "pure" then casting a line from a drift boat?

I don't really have a dog in the fight and my preferred alternative would be to leave it the way it is currently regarding floating but listening the self righteous purist could get me to change my mind just given their superiority complex.

Over here it ain't fishing unless you burn at least 25 gallons of gas to get to your spot.

Nemont

 

[mdunc8]

So the gist of the snobbery is that wading in with neoprene waders, a $800 Winston rod, enough LL Bean gear to be a catalog add is more "pure" then casting a line from a drift boat?

Exactly

 

[Ben Lamb]

So the gist of the snobbery is that wading in with neoprene waders, a $800 Winston rod, enough LL Bean gear to be a catalog add is more "pure" then casting a line from a drift boat?

I don't really have a dog in the fight and my preferred alternative would be to leave it the way it is currently regarding floating but listening the self righteous purist could get me to change my mind just given their superiority complex.

Over here it ain't fishing unless you burn at least 25 gallons of gas to get to your spot.

Nemont

Kinda reminds me of folks who don't want wolves delisted because they don't trust the mechanisms and processes already around.

 

[mdunc8]

I could care less about government oversight. It's about the experience. I can't get that experience on any other river of that caliber within a days drive of my house. I realize there are plenty of other opportunities for me to fish by myself and have a great day. However, not on a river like the Yellowstone. Ben, you mentioned the Big Hole and Beaverhead. Have you actually floated or fished either recently?

P.S. - I've spent more time fishing the Yellowstone with a can of worms and Busch Light than I have a fly rod.

 

[Ben Lamb]

I could care less about government oversight. It's about the experience. I can't get that experience on any other river of that caliber within a days drive of my house. I realize there are plenty of other opportunities for me to fish by myself and have a great day. However, not on a river like the Yellowstone. Ben, you mentioned the Big Hole and Beaverhead. Have you actually floated or fished either recently?

P.S. - I've spent more time fishing the Yellowstone with a can of worms and Busch Light than I have a fly rod.

1.) Buffalo Fork
2.) Belcher
3.) Lewis River
4.) Wind River
5.) Boulder
6.) Clark Fork
7.) Gros Ventre
8.) Salt
9.) Grey's River
10.) Upper Green
11.) Upper Ruby
12.) S. Fork Shoshone
etc.

Lots of options to find rivers in and out of Yellowstone, within a days drive, that have little to no boat traffic are at least partially away from the road or enter into Wilderness.

Look to Wyoming Duncan. Lots of great fishing without a ton of boat traffic. Of course, you don't have an access law like MT, so it's even more diffucult to find a spot unless it's on public land.

Yes, I fish the Big Hole and understand the crowding issue, but to think that a river in a NP would get that kind of traffic ignores Yellowstone's rather draconian access policies.

 

[Straight Arrow]

Again it's the conservation perspective. You say "draconian"; I say protective.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Again it's the conservation perspective. You say "draconian"; I say protective.

One is not mutually exclusive of the other.

 

[mdunc8]

1.) Buffalo Fork
2.) Belcher
3.) Lewis River
4.) Wind River
5.) Boulder
6.) Clark Fork
7.) Gros Ventre
8.) Salt
9.) Grey's River
10.) Upper Green
11.) Upper Ruby
12.) S. Fork Shoshone
etc.

Some great options on your list, Ben. I've fished 1, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, and 12. However, I'd only consider the Green and maaayyybe the Clarks Fork of the YR as "large rivers". After a night of drinking I could produce as much streamflow as the upper Ruby (definitely some great fishing when it's not too warm and some amazing country to spend an afternoon). Not sure I follow your use of the Boulder and Salt as examples. They have roads running almost their entire length. The Green and Clarks Fork do have some stretches that offer some solitude but not to the extent of the Yellowstone and you can't even compare the fishing.

My point is that the "large rivers" surrounding the Park are dominated by boaters. Don't get me wrong, I love spending an afternoon in a boat (when I can convince someone to take me). The Yellowstone fishery could definitely support some boat traffic, but it would be nice to have just one large river where the folks on shore don't have to deal with boats. I'm all ears if you have an idea for getting boats off the Madison, Yellowstone, Missouri, Snake, Big Hole, Bighorn...

P.S. - I believe that the Lewis is the only river in the Park you can already float

 

[mdunc8]

Actually the boats can have the Madison. I hate that river.

 

[Hem]

Wait a second...to insinuate that any opposition to floating in Yellowstone is merely snobby fly fishermen with expensive gear is nothing but bunk and a poor effort to redirect this thread.Opposition to floating is about trying to preserve the wildness of portions of the MOST VISITED Park in our country.I can't stand the notion that all lands should be accessible to everybody.The fact of the matter is that many of these waters ARE easily accessible if folks would just get off their butts and walk a bit.What makes a place like Black Canyon special is that with a little effort hikers,backpackers, fisher people can explore a semi-remote canyon and have a very remote experience.Sure maybe it is selfish reasoning to some degree for those of us that live nearby,but most of the vehicles parked at the access points are from out of state,...evidence that others as well appreciate the solitude this canyon provides.Having personally rowed a raft through all the local big waters, and kayaked and canoed countless others I still appreciate the fact that some waters are simply off limits.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Hem,

That's a great letter to the editor. You should send it in.

I give. Y'all win. Mean old fuddy-duddies.

 

[bigskyblueman]

Rep. Lummis is looking for money and votes from park vendors , their employees , and the gateway communities, along with backing down a federal agency. This will be a fiasco in the making. Bad idea.

 

[mdunc8]

Hem,

That's a great letter to the editor. You should send it in.

I give. Y'all win. Mean old fuddy-duddies.

At least you spelled "y'all" properly.

 

[Ben Lamb]

At least you spelled "y'all" properly.

6 years forced relocation to Houston. Adapt - or get shot.

 

[RobG]

...

 

[RobG]

1.) Buffalo Fork
2.) Belcher
3.) Lewis River
4.) Wind River
5.) Boulder
6.) Clark Fork
7.) Gros Ventre
8.) Salt
9.) Grey's River
10.) Upper Green
11.) Upper Ruby
12.) S. Fork Shoshone
etc.

Lots of options to find rivers in and out of Yellowstone, within a days drive, that have little to no boat traffic are at least partially away from the road or enter into Wilderness.

Look to Wyoming Duncan. Lots of great fishing without a ton of boat traffic. Of course, you don't have an access law like MT, so it's even more diffucult to find a spot unless it's on public land.

Yes, I fish the Big Hole and understand the crowding issue, but to think that a river in a NP would get that kind of traffic ignores Yellowstone's rather draconian access policies.

That's a silly list. There is no substitute for the wilder stretches of Yellowstone.

As far as it being well regulated, it probably will be for a while, but politics change and it won't take long before the commercials say they have just as much right to the river as everyone else. People will also question the limits saying it is arbitrary and more boats won't do more damage than the ones already there, etc. Lawnboy gave the example of the Gallatin. The biologists are fine with the madness of the Madison, Missouri and so many other river. When there is money to be made with a boating industry you can bet that sometime in the future little regard will be made to the individual seeking a wilderness experience. To be honest, I get extremely frustrated with people who can't understand history and think this will always be a few boats.

As for the supposed conflict between the "snobbish" fisherman and boaters, that is complete ignorant horsesh*t.