2023 in Review – Challenge and Change Stand Out
Overall another great season but 2023 did include a first-time occurrence that found our community on edge. In May '23, the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) indicated flows from the dam at Jackson Lake would be decreased to a "well below" minimal flow of 50 cfs. It had been well established that 250 cfs was the lowest flow possible to maintain the ecosystem that includes many native fish species and dozens of birds and mammals that rely on that portion of the river to be healthy. After a couple weeks of public outcry and pressure from nearly every operator and other government agencies the BOR re-established their water management goals for the year and the valley averted a possible environmental catastrophe. We did, however witness for the first time, minimal winter flows (250 cfs) into July. Holding back the water and combined with an above average snowpack, lake levels were brought back up from a dire, unprecedented 3 year low, very good news. 
The remaining summer climate was good with a combination of typical hot days and monsoonal showers. Of particular note, was the lack of fires and smoke in the valley. Not until late in September did we have a couple smokey days that obscured the mountain views. Late August always brings the first hints of autumn, cooling and dropping flows, fall hatches, less crowds and shorter days trigger the fish into a feeding mode that is some of the best of the year and can last nearly all day for several weeks. One of our favorite months, October, was quite wet and cool, not so inviting this year but then November turned around and was one of the best late season events we had seen in years, good dry fly fishing nearly to Thanksgiving. Thus far the winter of 23/24 is a no show on the precipitation side. We have had a couple storms coat the Tetons with a few feet of snow but overall, it has been dry, and we currently sit at 62% of average snow. A few good storms in January can keep us in the zone so fingers are crossed once again. Keep checking in with our blog posts and social media as we often update thoughts on current snowpack, trends and seasonal expectations. In general, we do expect lower snow in 23/24 due to the strong El Nino pattern shaping up, that does not typically favor our region. Our best summer water forecasts will be after April 15, so until then, it is just a hunch. Lastly, a big change for our operation was the opening of our new store front at 565 N. Cache in Jackson (near Creekside Deli). We are super excited to finally offer our unique retail experience year-round. The experience is one with a laid-back atmosphere, deep history and fish guiding knowledge from the region and many other corners of the world. Our hope is to, over time, offer some of the best products in the industry that we use on a daily basis and have confidence in. Most importantly, we want to share our knowledge in a friendly manner, provide excellent customer service and educate sustainable fishing for future generations. See our other blog posts for more on our new store! Thanks for checking out our content!
The remaining summer climate was good with a combination of typical hot days and monsoonal showers. Of particular note, was the lack of fires and smoke in the valley. Not until late in September did we have a couple smokey days that obscured the mountain views. Late August always brings the first hints of autumn, cooling and dropping flows, fall hatches, less crowds and shorter days trigger the fish into a feeding mode that is some of the best of the year and can last nearly all day for several weeks. One of our favorite months, October, was quite wet and cool, not so inviting this year but then November turned around and was one of the best late season events we had seen in years, good dry fly fishing nearly to Thanksgiving. 
Thus far the winter of 23/24 is a no show on the precipitation side. We have had a couple storms coat the Tetons with a few feet of snow but overall, it has been dry, and we currently sit at 62% of average snow. A few good storms in January can keep us in the zone so fingers are crossed once again. Keep checking in with our blog posts and social media as we often update thoughts on current snowpack, trends and seasonal expectations. In general, we do expect lower snow in 23/24 due to the strong El Nino pattern shaping up, that does not typically favor our region. Our best summer water forecasts will be after April 15, so until then, it is just a hunch. 
Lastly, a big change for our operation was the opening of our new store front at 565 N. Cache in Jackson (near Creekside Deli). We are super excited to finally offer our unique retail experience year-round. The experience is one with a laid-back atmosphere, deep history and fish guiding knowledge from the region and many other corners of the world. Our hope is to, over time, offer some of the best products in the industry that we use on a daily basis and have confidence in. Most importantly, we want to share our knowledge in a friendly manner, provide excellent customer service and educate sustainable fishing for future generations. See our other blog posts for more on our new store! Thanks for checking out our content!