The ballon is deflating…and, in our view, that’s a good thing. It’s a great time to load the dry fly, streamer and nymph rigs and hit the road.

Outdoor recreation participation and spending are on a pretty dramatic downward trajectory after the explosion a couple years ago. Retailers, outfitters and number crunchers are all acutely aware of the “struggling” outdoor recreation economy. If you keep your eyes open you’ll see it pretty plainly. There are real opportunities that exist in this environment. Fewer folks out painting rocks and fewer folks ‘holing” you …both high and low. In Central Wyoming there aren’t very many anglers on the river and a bunch of water available, it is a bit surreal. The campgrounds along the lower North Platte River are almost vacant and fuel prices today are a couple pennies over $3/gallon in Casper, Wyoming. The next few months will be primetime to load up and explore on the cheap. Take your time, explore some back roads and maybe stiff arm the obvious spots. Go fish some new water and post up at a new-to-you camp.

We’ll soon see a drop in flows and increase in fish looking up. Current daytime temperatures have been around 80* with nighttime temps around 50* and wet wading is the way to go. If you make it to Alcova, swing by the shop and the crew will help orient you in a good direction.