722 | Fishing for the Snake River Cutthroat with Josh Gallivan - Grand Teton Fly Fishing

#722 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/722

Presented By:  Grand Teton Fly Fishing

Josh Gallivan, head guide at Grand Teton Fly Fishing, is here to share his expertise on the streams and lakes around the Grand Teton area. He’ll talk about how he started at the Jack Dennis Fly Shop, share some great stories, and dive into his techniques for sight fishing snake river cutthroat and fishing stillwater lakes. Plus, he’ll tell us about an incredible mothership trip that’s not to be missed.

About Josh Gallivan

Josh’s fly fishing journey started in high school when he got a job at the Jack Dennis Outdoor Shop in Jackson. While working there, he met fantastic people like Jeff Currier and Scott Sanchez.

He remembers watching the guides come in after their long days on the river, sunburned but happy. That’s when he realized he wanted to be a guide, not just work in the shop. After three years, he switched to guiding, and it’s become his true passion.

Check out our podcast episode with Jack Dennis!

Episode Chapters with Josh Gallivan on Fishing Snake River Cutthroat

Spring fishing kicks off when temperatures hit around 40–45°F. That might not seem warm, but after a long winter, the fish get active. The best action happens from noon to 4 p.m. when the sun warms things up. The challenge is that boat ramps can still be buried under snow.

How Do You Know When the River “Pops”?
Look for Blue Winged Olive mayflies starting to hatch.
If you see trout rising to sip bugs off the surface, it’s game on.
If a spot looks fishy but you don’t see any heads, move on—it’s all about sight fishing.
What Fly Should You Use?
A size 16 Comparadun with a sparse tie works excellently. Pair it with a 10-foot, 5X leader. The Snake River Cutthroats aren’t too picky, but a soft landing fly helps.
Snake River Cutthroat
While some tributaries don’t open until April, the Snake River stays open year-round. Fish move out of the smaller streams and into the river in winter. You can still fish here without a boat and catch Snake River Cutthroat. A 20-inch Snake River Cutthroat is considered big because these fish grow slowly due to the long winters and short summers.

In the summer, Jackson Hole gets packed with tourists. It’s exciting but can be a bit crazy with traffic. For guides like Josh, it’s a chance to teach people about the environment and the fragile river ecosystem.

What Makes Snake River Cutthroat Unique?
The Snake River cutthroat is one of several native cutthroat species in the West, with others like the Yellowstone and Colorado River cutthroats nearby. What’s unique about this fishery is that you won’t find native trout in many places. Jackson Hole is a lucky area with thriving native cutthroat populations.

For those interested, there’s even a Wyoming Cutt-Slam challenge where you can try to catch all four cutthroat species in the state.

Hosted Trips
26:28—Josh has traveled the world on fishing trips with his clients. Some places he’s been to include Greenland, Cuba, Belize, and Mexico. One of his favorite trips was to Cuba, where the tarpon fishing was incredible.

Josh talks about his time on a mothership during his Cuba trip. The boat was huge, with 10 rooms and three stories. It was super comfortable, and the crew took great care of everyone.

After fishing, they’d get ice-cold towels, rum punch, and delicious appetizers. The best part? The boat was only 5 minutes away from the fishing grounds. They’d relax on the top deck at night, watching tarpon roll in the sunset.

          
31:09 – Josh has also been to the remote Anaa Atoll near Tahiti, one of his favorite places. The fishing is incredible, with bonefish, giant trevally, snapper, and sharks. But what truly stands out is the culture. The locals treat visitors like family.
 
Show Notes:  https://wetflyswing.com/722