Picked Jackson Hole Anglers (JHA) for our full day of fly fishing based on top notch TripAdvisor reviews, and we're so glad we did. Guided fishing trips aren't inexpensive, but having access to Wyoming waters with a guide who knows his stuff totally makes the experience - and Mike did that for us. Picked up our party of 2 (same pricing for 1 or 2 people, so I tagged along to try out fly fishing for the first time) on time at our hotel at 7 AM, and we headed out to the Snake River for the day. (It was easy to get our licenses online in advance, which saved a bit of time, and we chose to have JHA provide all equipment - very much recommended, especially when flying in.) Drove about 15-20 minutes to our launch site, settled in, and headed downriver before 8 AM.
Mike knows the river inside and out, and he started working right away to give me a few basics so I could have a fun day and find some success. He was extremely patient and encouraging, while still repeating what needed repeating (because let's face it, there's a lot to fly fishing!) and making the whole process do-able. We took a couple of breaks along the way - a short snack break mid morning (he provided chips and drinks), and a longer lunch break on shore around noon - and Mike even grilled us up chicken sandwiches and brats for a lovely and hearty meal. At the end of the day, my companion caught 13 fish (cutthroat trout and a local whitefish) and I caught 8 - an amazing first outing, which I credit to Mike for knowing exactly where to go, what lures to use, and how to get me doing what needed to be done. We pulled to shore about 10 miles downriver right at 3 PM, and were back at our hotel about 3:30.
Both I and my companion wholeheartedly recommend JHA and Mike if you want to experience driftboat fly fishing in this amazing environment. A few hints: Dress in easy layers (the temp started in the 30s in the morning but was low 80s by noon), reapply sunscreen - and consider a hat and light long pants and sleeves, and keep hydrated. And bring a camera / phone to get pics of your catch. That's all you need for a great time.
