GOOD TIMES JOURNAL // PHOTO SERIES 023 // LOGAN SMITH

 Logan Smith is a wedding, landscape, and lifestyle photographer who lives in a tiny town at the base of Mt. Rainier, WA.

Whenever I get the opportunity to travel and see new things, I take it. Recently I drove across the country to Wisconsin for a wedding that may have been my favourite to date. But the part of the trip that really excited me was being able to fly fish in Yellowstone on the way home. To me, Yellowstone is the most special of all places on Earth. Not just for its undeniable beauty, but it’s where my dad taught me to fish, and it has been a family gathering place for us since I can remember.

My girlfriend and I got to Madison Campground on a Monday afternoon. I was eager to set up camp and get out on the river. Madison Campground is especially awesome because you have walking access to the Madison, Gibbon, and Firehole rivers, all three of which are world-class fishing locations. As the sun was setting we got out to the Madison river, just on the edge of our campsite.

I’d planned on just fishing from the banks that evening, as I was too excited to take the time to throw my waders on. Getting those first few casts out is always an amazing feeling. For me, fly fishing is an escape and distraction from all else going on in the world. I feel a complete peace and calm out there—nothing can compare to it. A herd of elk was grazing just across the river as the last of the sunlight hid behind the hills. We didn’t have much luck on the fishing front that evening, but being out there with the sun setting and crisp air was pretty unbeatable.

For the next few days, we spent time exploring the park and rivers that run through it. This was my girlfriend’s first time to Yellowstone, so I was excited to show her the place that holds a lot of meaning for me. If you’ve never been to YS, I’d recommend going in early to mid-September when the wildlife and fall colours are in full effect, and the crowds are much smaller.

Before packing up and heading back home to Mt. Rainier, I got a few more casts in on what I consider to be some of the most beautiful rivers for fly fishing out there. A quick visit, but definitely worth it. My dad wasn’t able to make the trip out this time, but even without him there I felt as if I were carrying on his fishing legacy.