Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout in Soda Butte Creek

Great Fly Fishing in Northeast Corner of Yellowstone National Park

Feb 25, 2009

Yellowstone National Park's wild trout reward anglers who are willing to walk a few hundred yards from the car - and that is especially true on gorgeous Soda Butte Creek.

Soda Butte Creek is never far from one of Yellowstone's most-traveled roads - the Northeast Entrance Highway - and fly anglers love the stream from July through October.

On some summer days, Soda Butte Creek's meadows are dotted with anglers waving fly rods.

But anglers who enjoy a short, pleasant walk along this meadow stream winding through scenic alpine valley will find plenty of space to cast a fly - and plenty of willing Yellowstone cutthroat trout.

And Soda Butte Creeks cutts, which range from 10 inches to 16 inches or so, run further and fight harder than their cousins in the Yellowstone River.

Pulling Over and Walking Soda Butte

Soda Butte Creek follows the Northeast Entrance Road from Silver Gate to where it flows into the Lamar River about 14 miles west of Tower- Roosevelt.

Northeast Entrance to Pebble Creek

Soda Butte Creek is small, mountain stream in this section. Anglers park in turnouts along the road for fast fishing for small Yellowstone cutthroat trout and the odd rainbow trout. A big trout - up to 18 inches or so - can surprise anglers who hike away from the road.

Most anglers cast Elk Hair Caddis, Royal Wulff and grasshopper flies in this section.

This stream often runs high and cloudy with snowmelt through June. July through September are the best months to fish.

Hiking anglers love the Icebox Canyon - a beautiful stretch away from the road. The only access into Ice Box Canyon is from the Thunderer trailhead - just off the Northeast Entrance Road about 20 miles east of Tower-Roosevelt.

Pebble Creek to Lamar River

It's easy to spot the winding Soda Butte Creek from the Northeast Highway, but it's hard to see the little bends and nooks that hide very nice trout!

Anglers should park at a pullout along the road and explore the stream. It's impossible to get lost, as the road is never more than a mile from this open, meadow creek.

The glacier-carved peaks and ridges of the Lamar Valley rise above the meadows, and pine forests blanket higher slopes.

Bison, elk and pronghorn are common along the creek, and anglers should give them plenty of room. Wolf packs howl at dawn and dusk. Grizzly and black bears roam the meadows, and anglers should keep at least 100 yards away.

Fishing Lower Soda Butte Creek

From late July through September, casting a grasshopper, cricket or beetle fly along the banks sparks strikes from aggressive cutthroat. At other times, trout will swirl on the fly or even follow it.

In either case, sneaky anglers should then fish the area carefully, as Soda Butte cutts travel in packs, and one trout means a lot of trout.

Trout rise to hatches of blue wing olive, Green Drake and Pale Morning Dun mayflies. Anglers should carry caddis patterns in size 14 and 16 and a good selection of grasshopper, ant and beetle flies.

Green Drakes are massive mayflies - up to size 12 or 10 - and the trout are silly for them.

Soda Butte Beauty

Many believe that Soda Butte Creek and the Lamar Valley are the most beautiful spots in Yellowstone. Huge herds of elk, bison and pronghorn are everywhere, and getting out of the car puts anglers into the scenery - and maybe the fishing - of a lifetime.

The copyright of the article Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout in Soda Butte Creek in Fly Fishing is owned by Chester Allen. Permission to republish Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout in Soda Butte Creek in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.