The first week and a half of 2016 have been chilly in Livingston, MT–normal for this time of year. And though I did get out last week for my first Yellowstone River fishing trip of the year (more on that in my next post), few of us have been thinking about floating the river. After all, most of it looks like this:
But not all of the river is frozen to this extent. In fact, there’s a fair amount of open water above the Yankee Jim Canyon due to the hot springs that enter the river. And that’s where we meet Justin Nash.
Justin lives in Kansas where he’s a student. And while most Kansas students were having fun somewhere warm on their college break, Justin decided it was time to visit Montana to float the Yellowstone. After all, he wouldn’t have to “worry about bears,” he told me.
Justin visits Sweetwater Fly Shop after his big float.
When Justin called our fly shop to ask me about floating the river, I told him that some sections would be frozen; that he might float around a corner and find an impassable river encased in ice. What then? He told me that he was going to float in a kayak and that he’d just portage if he had to. I still advised against the trip (hypothermia is no joke and who wants to begin 2016 dead?) but Justin didn’t drive here from Kansas to stand on the shore. Justin was going to float the Yellowstone.
Justin was worried that there wouldn’t be anyone to shuttle his car after his float, so he rented a car and trailer to do his own shuttles. That’s a first for me in 20 years of watching river shuttles.
And so after floating in his kayak on January 3 and 4, Justin is probably the first person to float the Yellowstone between Gardiner and Livingston in 2016. He’s got my vote for this year’s man of the year award (though the year is still pretty young). So on the first warm spring day of this year, or maybe the perfect July evening when the floating and fishing feel like heaven, you might wonder who was the first person to float the river in 2016. Well you don’t have to guess. I believe we know.
Have you also floated the river this year? Maybe even before Justin on January 1 or 2? Let’s hear about it.
2
2 Comments On 2016’s First Float
Justin Nash
Hello Sweetwater Fly Shop and Paul,
This Is Justin I had a great time while I was there in Montana I went on a couple mile hike up the Gardiner River from the Yellowstone took some amazing pictures. Then I was so amazed by the Yellowstone River I then went home and grabbed my kayak I worked for a day and headed right back for another 3days so a total of a week being there its a beautiful place. So on my arrival with my kayak I checked in with Sweetwater Fly Shop to let them know my intentions and that I was by myself and I would check in with them at the end of the day to make sure everything went as planned. Always check-in with local and the Best Place to check-in was the Sweetwater Fly Shop, Paul was very helpful and will help you with all your fishing needs I am certain and is very knowledgeable of the area. So on my on my kayak trip on the Yellowstone River first day was about 4 miles from the Cinnabar Basin River Access to Yankee to Jim Canyon River Access as it was froze up north of there and it was getting dark. There was a few rapids through this area and I saw 3 Fishermen I tried to stay out of there fishing hole and wished them luck it looked like a lot of fun and I will have to try it sometime and Sweetwater Fly Shop will be my go to place when I am in the area again. The next day I went 10-12 miles put in at McConnell River Access there was a heard of buffalo looking at me from the bluff across the river bank. So on this trip down the Yellowstone River there were definitely more rapids so after a few sets of rapids I did not realize my kayak filled up with water and the next set of rapids sunk my kayak still barely floating I bear hug my kayak and hold on through this set of rapids. I make it to calm water and pull my kayak out and drain the water out and away I go for another 8 ,miles wet. So before and after each set of rapids I would drain the water from the kayak so that this would not happen again. I have not been able to find a splash skirt for my kayak most definitely highly recommend having a splash skirt. It was a fun and will cherish the memories for the mountains, buffalo’s, elk, big horn sheep, bald eagles and other eagles, I did see trout through the crystal clear water seen a school of about 15-20 ranging from 5in-roughly 20in. The river was froze up a couple places so I got out and dragged my kayak to the water and set in and pushed off the ice. The Yellowstone river is a wonderful experience to see and soak in, I pulled out at Yankee Jim River access. Then got in rental car drove back to my truck and trailer and loaded up then went back for my kayak and loaded it up. I guess I have to go back to Kansas so I don’t know what Dorothy from Oz was thinking but there are always somewhere better than home. Montana is a wonderful place and everyone seems to be awesome too Thank you Paul and Sweetwater Fly Shop and Montana. Respectfully Justin
Phil nash
Thats my bother. Always out to do something different. And to have a nice challenge, and try to have a great time doing it.
Phil Nash (Justin Nash’s brother) from blue springs mo