Reviews

“World-Class Fishing”

Reviewed August 5, 2012 – Trip Advisor

I was in Jackson for a business trip and had some free time. I researched the many outfitters in the area and settled on [Grand Teton Fly Fishing, formerly] Jack Dennis Private Fishing Trips (not to be confused with the outdoors store with a similar name).

Our guide Josh was great to work with. We spoke several times before the trip. I have fished for years, but each river is unique and he was able to answer all of my questions.

We floated the Snake River from Dead Man’s to Moose. It was a 13 mile stretch. When we arrived, a thunderstorm popped up and he was prepared with rain gear! Once we launched, the sun popped out and Josh immediately had me on some nice cutthroat.

We landed quite a few fish and missed even more. The cutthroat behave differently from other species of trout and Josh was able to provide good insight into their habits and patterns. The highlight of the day was poling into a side channel and sight fishing for big cuttys! I was amazed at how similar this experience was to bone fishing in the Keys.

After we landed a few fish in the side channel, we walked up into a spring creek and landed the nicest fish of the day. Josh knows the river and is an excellent teacher. Even though I have 20 years of fly fishing experience, he was able to help me work on some new techniques.

Beyond the fishing experience, the scenery of the Snake is second to none. We saw eagles, red tail hawks, beaver, and a huge bull moose. I recommend [Grand Teton Fly Fishing] and will book Josh Gallivan to be our guide on our next trip to Jackson.

Grand Teton Fly Fishing formerly “Jack Dennis Fishing Trips”

Reviewed September 24, 2012 – Trip Advisor

OK, this is an old Jackson name, but a new business with Mr. Dennis selling the name to a group of guides and a wonderful outfitter-in-charge, Bruce James. I’ve fished all over the world, on three continents and for species in fresh and saltwater. Finding great guides is not so easy.

Finding a great name is, but still, you need to know the lingo when it comes to booking fly-fishing holidays. Better yet, you need to listen to the advice of the locals and change your river plans based on what the guides advise du jour.

That said, we were guided on 6 of an eight day fishing trip; the non-guided days the guides willingly lending advice on where to go. I have been fly fishing for 40 years, and our guides were younger than that. But they knew the rivers and their hot spots like the back of their hands. Of course, they knew how to entice cutthroat trout which can be surprisingly gullible or not, depending on conditions. They are opportunistic feeders and the only game in town on the uber-beautiful Snake.

These guides, Dave, Ed, Chris knew all too well how to switch things up to bring the cutts rising to dries. In addition, they knew how to tutor the other two in our party who were not as expert in presentation. In short, everyone caught fish, and had a blast floating over 50 miles of river on four days.

If I can convince my fishing buddies, we’ll go back next year when hopefully the riversheds will have a bit more water in them.