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West Yellowstone Foundation
Building Community Together
Bozeman Bus Reservations line (406) 640-0244
Office line (406) 646-1152
epic Fest
Bring the whole family!
Friday September 6 & Saturday September 7
Union Pacific Dining Lodge & Bob Jacklin Casting Pond
West Yellowstone, Montana
Professional Chalk Artists
Friday & Saturday
Watch as chalk artists from around the country create beautiful chalk art pieces during our event!
Watch as chalk artists from around the country create beautiful chalk art pieces during our event!
Wretched Mess Casting Competition
Join John Hudgens and his team from the Anglers Academy for the first annual Wretched Mess Casting Competition on Friday and Saturday Sept 6th and 7th, 2024.
Day 1, September 6 from 4pm to 7pm
Junior Class (12 and under)
Amateur Class (Anyone older than 12 years of age that is not considered a professional)
Day 2, September 7: 10am-12:30pm and 4pm-7pm
Pro Class (Includes everyone in the fly fishing industry. Shop employees, shop owners, outfitters, guides, fishing reps, casting instructors)
Equipment:
A Scientific Angler 5 wt line (distance taper) loaded on a reel with a nine foot leader will be provided. We will have 2 reels loaded and ready to go. One for the person casting and the other for the person next in line.
Five weight, nine foot rods will be available for use. Rods can be nine foot or shorter. Rods longer than nine feet are not allowed. Contestants are welcome to use their own rod or borrow a rod, but must use the SA line and leader provided.
Layout:
There are three accuracy targets set at 20, 30, and 40 feet. There’s a 25 foot wide lane for distance casting.
Rules:
Each participant will have 2 casts at each target, and will have 3 long distance casts, taking the best of three long shots. When the fly (yarn) touches the ground it will be counted as a cast or shot.
Points:
20 foot target - 10 points each (20 points)
30 foot target - 20 points each (40 points)
40 foot target - 30 points each (60 points)
Distance Cast - 1 point per foot
There’s a max level of 120 points for the accuracy casts, and it’s possible that a caster could make a 120 foot distance cast, making the contest a 50 / 50 split between accuracy and distance.
Judges:
There will be a judge for accuracy and another judge for the distance cast. John Hudgens will be working with the contestants explaining the rules, handing them the reel and checking leader and fly. There will be a score keeper. We will have 2 reels loaded and ready to go. One for the person casting and the other for the person next in line.
There will be First Place prizes for three divisions (Junior, Amateur, and Pro) and a ceremony 30 minutes after the contest each day.
Day 1, September 6 from 4pm to 7pm
Junior Class (12 and under)
Amateur Class (Anyone older than 12 years of age that is not considered a professional)
Day 2, September 7: 10am-12:30pm and 4pm-7pm
Pro Class (Includes everyone in the fly fishing industry. Shop employees, shop owners, outfitters, guides, fishing reps, casting instructors)
Equipment:
A Scientific Angler 5 wt line (distance taper) loaded on a reel with a nine foot leader will be provided. We will have 2 reels loaded and ready to go. One for the person casting and the other for the person next in line.
Five weight, nine foot rods will be available for use. Rods can be nine foot or shorter. Rods longer than nine feet are not allowed. Contestants are welcome to use their own rod or borrow a rod, but must use the SA line and leader provided.
Layout:
There are three accuracy targets set at 20, 30, and 40 feet. There’s a 25 foot wide lane for distance casting.
Rules:
Each participant will have 2 casts at each target, and will have 3 long distance casts, taking the best of three long shots. When the fly (yarn) touches the ground it will be counted as a cast or shot.
Points:
20 foot target - 10 points each (20 points)
30 foot target - 20 points each (40 points)
40 foot target - 30 points each (60 points)
Distance Cast - 1 point per foot
There’s a max level of 120 points for the accuracy casts, and it’s possible that a caster could make a 120 foot distance cast, making the contest a 50 / 50 split between accuracy and distance.
Judges:
There will be a judge for accuracy and another judge for the distance cast. John Hudgens will be working with the contestants explaining the rules, handing them the reel and checking leader and fly. There will be a score keeper. We will have 2 reels loaded and ready to go. One for the person casting and the other for the person next in line.
There will be First Place prizes for three divisions (Junior, Amateur, and Pro) and a ceremony 30 minutes after the contest each day.
Wretched Mess Artist Market
Friday 2pm-7pm & Saturday 10am-7pm
This curated market celebrates the ingenuity of independent, small businesses who channel their passions into creating one-of-a-kind products. Meet & shop with the artisans and learn how they make their products.
This curated market celebrates the ingenuity of independent, small businesses who channel their passions into creating one-of-a-kind products. Meet & shop with the artisans and learn how they make their products.
Zach Nytomt Band
Saturday 7pm on the lawn
These guys formed in 2019 while hanging out in Last Chance, Idaho on the banks of the Henry’s Fork at Trout Hunter Fly Shop and Lodge. They are intertwined musicians that are friends, colleagues, and compatriots. The boys are grounded in a passion of community, burning obsession for music and the love of fishing– they are all fishing guides in Idaho and Montana. They create music that is song written on a fading sunset, locked with a hook and downbeat to remember, and swings with rhythms to dance to. Forged from the evocative wordsmithing of a troubadour, performing songs of live lived and lessons learned. The Zach Nytomt Band play music for their love of energy and enthusiasm they create around them. Their original songs span a decade of song writing and their covers will get you dancing. Their roots include Texas roadhouse psychedelia, steeped in storytelling and Montana hustle–where are all welcome to rock-n-roll. For the past few years, they bounced between Last Chance and West Yellowstone playing bars and private parties honing their skills. In the summer of 2023, they began touring around Idaho and Montana playing venues across the northern Rockies. In Late July 2023 they opened up for their buddies, CAAMP, at Red Rocks in Colorado where they received a standing ovation from a sold-out crowd. During the winter months, Zach tours on his own as a solo act throughout the great state of Texas.
These guys formed in 2019 while hanging out in Last Chance, Idaho on the banks of the Henry’s Fork at Trout Hunter Fly Shop and Lodge. They are intertwined musicians that are friends, colleagues, and compatriots. The boys are grounded in a passion of community, burning obsession for music and the love of fishing– they are all fishing guides in Idaho and Montana. They create music that is song written on a fading sunset, locked with a hook and downbeat to remember, and swings with rhythms to dance to. Forged from the evocative wordsmithing of a troubadour, performing songs of live lived and lessons learned. The Zach Nytomt Band play music for their love of energy and enthusiasm they create around them. Their original songs span a decade of song writing and their covers will get you dancing. Their roots include Texas roadhouse psychedelia, steeped in storytelling and Montana hustle–where are all welcome to rock-n-roll. For the past few years, they bounced between Last Chance and West Yellowstone playing bars and private parties honing their skills. In the summer of 2023, they began touring around Idaho and Montana playing venues across the northern Rockies. In Late July 2023 they opened up for their buddies, CAAMP, at Red Rocks in Colorado where they received a standing ovation from a sold-out crowd. During the winter months, Zach tours on his own as a solo act throughout the great state of Texas.
Professional Fly Tyers Table
Friday 2pm-7pm & Saturday 10am-7pm
Watch some of the regions (and possibly the world) best fly tyers show off their craft at the Union Pacific Dining Hall in the Mammoth Room. Come watch Kelly Galloup, Arrick Swanson, Bob Jacklin, Cheech Pierce, Bucky McCormick, Kris Keller, Jake Chutz, Josh Almond, Craig Mathews, Chris Daniel and Rick Wollum!
Friday 2pm -7pm
2-3:30pm Kelly Galloup and Jake Chutz
3:45-5:15pm Arrick Swanson and Kris Keller
5:15-6:45 Cheech Pierce and Rick Wollum
Saturday 10am- 7pm
10-11:30 am Craig Mathews and Chris Daniel
11:45-1:15 Bucky McCormick and Jake Chutz
1:30pm-3pm Josh Almond and Kris Keller
3:15- 4:45pm Cheech Pierce and Jake Chutz
5-6:45pm Bob Jacklin and Rick Wollum
Watch some of the regions (and possibly the world) best fly tyers show off their craft at the Union Pacific Dining Hall in the Mammoth Room. Come watch Kelly Galloup, Arrick Swanson, Bob Jacklin, Cheech Pierce, Bucky McCormick, Kris Keller, Jake Chutz, Josh Almond, Craig Mathews, Chris Daniel and Rick Wollum!
Friday 2pm -7pm
2-3:30pm Kelly Galloup and Jake Chutz
3:45-5:15pm Arrick Swanson and Kris Keller
5:15-6:45 Cheech Pierce and Rick Wollum
Saturday 10am- 7pm
10-11:30 am Craig Mathews and Chris Daniel
11:45-1:15 Bucky McCormick and Jake Chutz
1:30pm-3pm Josh Almond and Kris Keller
3:15- 4:45pm Cheech Pierce and Jake Chutz
5-6:45pm Bob Jacklin and Rick Wollum
Wolly Bugger Kids Fly Tying
Friday 2pm-6:30pm & Saturday 10am-6:30pm
Does your little angler want to learn to tie flies? Check out the kid’s fly tying area to learn more!
Does your little angler want to learn to tie flies? Check out the kid’s fly tying area to learn more!
Bob Jacklin Casting Pond
The Town of West Yellowstone is known around the world as a premier fly-fishing destination. Besides being surrounded by world-class waters, Town has rich historical roots in the evolution of fly fishing as a sport and the technology associated with it. Since the inception of Yellowstone National Park, fly fishing has played a large role in the economy and culture of our community.
From 1980 to 1990, West Yellowstone was the headquarters of the Fly Fishing Federation. In 1982, this organization raised the necessary funds and supplied the volunteers to construct a casting pond on Town property. In 1967, Mr. Bob Jacklin arrived in West Yellowstone and soon started an educational program that is still very active today. Every Sunday throughout the summer, he and a number of volunteers work with anglers of all ages and talent levels to improve their casting skills.
After forty years of harsh winters and sunny summers, the original casting pond fell into a state of disrepair, and the facility has been all but forgotten by many locals and long-time visitors.
This new casting facility will function as not only a great amenity for town, our visitors, and our businesses, but also serve as a sort of cultural hub where the fly fishing community can gather. We also envision the new pond and park as a monument to honor our rich fly-fishing heritage in West Yellowstone. As part of that vision, we unanimously decided to name the new facility after Bob Jacklin, to honor his decades of contributions to fly fishing and our community.
From 1980 to 1990, West Yellowstone was the headquarters of the Fly Fishing Federation. In 1982, this organization raised the necessary funds and supplied the volunteers to construct a casting pond on Town property. In 1967, Mr. Bob Jacklin arrived in West Yellowstone and soon started an educational program that is still very active today. Every Sunday throughout the summer, he and a number of volunteers work with anglers of all ages and talent levels to improve their casting skills.
After forty years of harsh winters and sunny summers, the original casting pond fell into a state of disrepair, and the facility has been all but forgotten by many locals and long-time visitors.
This new casting facility will function as not only a great amenity for town, our visitors, and our businesses, but also serve as a sort of cultural hub where the fly fishing community can gather. We also envision the new pond and park as a monument to honor our rich fly-fishing heritage in West Yellowstone. As part of that vision, we unanimously decided to name the new facility after Bob Jacklin, to honor his decades of contributions to fly fishing and our community.
Free Kids Chalk Area
Friday & Saturday
You and the kids can join in the fun and create chalk art!
You and the kids can join in the fun and create chalk art!
Casting Presentations & Open Casting on the Bob Jacklin Casting Pond
Friday & Saturday
Friday 2pm-3pm Alice Owsley – Riverside Anglers - fly casting 101
Friday 3p-4p: Simon Gawesworth will be presenting on Single Hand Spey Casting. These techniques bridge the gap between traditional two-handed Spey casting with swung flies and fishing with single handed rods with dries, nymphs, and streamers. Simon literally wrote the book on this subject, so this will not be a presentation to miss.
Saturday: Trouble Shooting Your Cast with John Juracek.
Saturday 12pm-1pm Matt Klara - Big Sky Anglers Saturday - Fundamentals of Spey Casting
Saturday 1pm-2pm Brian Chou - CF Burkheimer Fly Rods - Thoughts and Tips for the Advanced Spey Caster
Saturday 2:30-3:30 John Juracek - Trouble shooting your cast
OPEN CASTING: Grab a fly rod from one of the Industry Reps and take it for a spin on the pond. Available on Friday and Saturday during festival hours.
Friday 2pm-3pm Alice Owsley – Riverside Anglers - fly casting 101
Friday 3p-4p: Simon Gawesworth will be presenting on Single Hand Spey Casting. These techniques bridge the gap between traditional two-handed Spey casting with swung flies and fishing with single handed rods with dries, nymphs, and streamers. Simon literally wrote the book on this subject, so this will not be a presentation to miss.
Saturday: Trouble Shooting Your Cast with John Juracek.
Saturday 12pm-1pm Matt Klara - Big Sky Anglers Saturday - Fundamentals of Spey Casting
Saturday 1pm-2pm Brian Chou - CF Burkheimer Fly Rods - Thoughts and Tips for the Advanced Spey Caster
Saturday 2:30-3:30 John Juracek - Trouble shooting your cast
OPEN CASTING: Grab a fly rod from one of the Industry Reps and take it for a spin on the pond. Available on Friday and Saturday during festival hours.
Fly Fishing Film Tour
Friday 8pm on the lawn
The annual Fly Fishing Film Tour is a traveling roadshow of the best fly fishing films in the world. Through a submission process, films are selected to bring some of the best content to the big screen in your hometown.
The F3T is more than just the film, our shows aim to create community, inspire, encourage and support conservation efforts worldwide. Each evening is complete with a live emcee, raffle & door prizes from our premium sponsors, local fly shops and more. Come for the action, stay for the camaraderie, all while helping to raise money for the waters we love. So get ready to kick back, drink a beer or your beverage of choice, enjoy the cinematography that will get you stoked on the season ahead.
The Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T) was founded in 2006 and has run for 18 consecutive season predominantly in the USA & Canada. In 2023 the F3T merged with the Rise Fly Fishing Film Festival which has been operating in Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France, Argentina and other countries since the mid-2000s. The tour also streams on Outside Watch, ADVENTURE+ and Vimeo annually. The combined Fly Fishing Film Tour now visits more than 14 countries, putting on 300+ shows annually and making it the biggest community fly fishing event in the world.
https://flyfilmtour.com/
The annual Fly Fishing Film Tour is a traveling roadshow of the best fly fishing films in the world. Through a submission process, films are selected to bring some of the best content to the big screen in your hometown.
The F3T is more than just the film, our shows aim to create community, inspire, encourage and support conservation efforts worldwide. Each evening is complete with a live emcee, raffle & door prizes from our premium sponsors, local fly shops and more. Come for the action, stay for the camaraderie, all while helping to raise money for the waters we love. So get ready to kick back, drink a beer or your beverage of choice, enjoy the cinematography that will get you stoked on the season ahead.
The Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T) was founded in 2006 and has run for 18 consecutive season predominantly in the USA & Canada. In 2023 the F3T merged with the Rise Fly Fishing Film Festival which has been operating in Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France, Argentina and other countries since the mid-2000s. The tour also streams on Outside Watch, ADVENTURE+ and Vimeo annually. The combined Fly Fishing Film Tour now visits more than 14 countries, putting on 300+ shows annually and making it the biggest community fly fishing event in the world.
https://flyfilmtour.com/
Spey Hang on the Madison River
Saturday 3pm - 6pm at the Madison River / Highway 191 Bridge Day Use Area
Whether you are already a devoted disciple of the two-handed rod or have just recently become Spey-curious, you are invited to join this formally informal gathering of Spey nerds on the Madison River for a few enjoyable hours of learning, teaching, and camaraderie.
Following Spey casting related talks at the Bob Jacklin Casting Pond, Matt Klara and Chris Daniel from Big Sky Anglers, Brian Chou from CF Burkheimer, and others will channel their inner steelhead and migrate to the river for the Spey Hang. There, you may decide to take in an informal presentation on Spey casting/fishing, solicit some 1-on-1 instruction from one of the pros, talk rod and line pairings for your favorite kits, or simply enjoy the day and catch up with old and new friends. We will have some awesome trout Spey gear on hand for folks to try out, and we always encourage you to bring your own setup as well.
We recommend that attendees bring a folding camp chair, water, snacks, waders or hip boots, and layers along with a positive attitude and your favorite Spey rod. After the Spey Hang, be sure to head back into West Yellowstone with us for some live music, beer, and tacos to complete the Wretched Mess experience!
Whether you are already a devoted disciple of the two-handed rod or have just recently become Spey-curious, you are invited to join this formally informal gathering of Spey nerds on the Madison River for a few enjoyable hours of learning, teaching, and camaraderie.
Following Spey casting related talks at the Bob Jacklin Casting Pond, Matt Klara and Chris Daniel from Big Sky Anglers, Brian Chou from CF Burkheimer, and others will channel their inner steelhead and migrate to the river for the Spey Hang. There, you may decide to take in an informal presentation on Spey casting/fishing, solicit some 1-on-1 instruction from one of the pros, talk rod and line pairings for your favorite kits, or simply enjoy the day and catch up with old and new friends. We will have some awesome trout Spey gear on hand for folks to try out, and we always encourage you to bring your own setup as well.
We recommend that attendees bring a folding camp chair, water, snacks, waders or hip boots, and layers along with a positive attitude and your favorite Spey rod. After the Spey Hang, be sure to head back into West Yellowstone with us for some live music, beer, and tacos to complete the Wretched Mess experience!
Presentations
Friday & Saturday @ Museum of the Yellowstone's Theater Room
*schedule subject to change please check our social media or information tent for the most up to date schedule.
Friday September 6th
3:30pm Bob Jacklin – History of Fly Shops in West Yellowstone
5pm-6pm Rich Jehle YNP Interpretive Specialist presentation – The Twisted History of Fishing in Yellowstone
Saturday September 7th
11:30 – 1pm Dr. Mike Duncan Montana FWP Region 3 Biologist – Brown Trout and the Madison River
1:30pm -3pm Dr. Rob Van Kirk from The Henry’s Fork Foundation – Dr. Rob will be giving his presentation – "Should I Stay or Should I Go?: Choices trout, insects, and anglers must make in a warming climate."
3:30pm-4:30pm Brian O’Keefe – Fly fishing Photography
5pm-6:30ishpm Kelly Galloup – Streamer Fishing tactics in SW Montana
*schedule subject to change please check our social media or information tent for the most up to date schedule.
Friday September 6th
3:30pm Bob Jacklin – History of Fly Shops in West Yellowstone
5pm-6pm Rich Jehle YNP Interpretive Specialist presentation – The Twisted History of Fishing in Yellowstone
Saturday September 7th
11:30 – 1pm Dr. Mike Duncan Montana FWP Region 3 Biologist – Brown Trout and the Madison River
1:30pm -3pm Dr. Rob Van Kirk from The Henry’s Fork Foundation – Dr. Rob will be giving his presentation – "Should I Stay or Should I Go?: Choices trout, insects, and anglers must make in a warming climate."
3:30pm-4:30pm Brian O’Keefe – Fly fishing Photography
5pm-6:30ishpm Kelly Galloup – Streamer Fishing tactics in SW Montana
Beer Garden & Food Truck
Grab a Yellowstone Beer Company beer and some super tasty Mexican food while you walk around and enjoy the Wretched Mess Fest. The open container law in West Yellowstone will be lifted on the grounds of the Union Pacific Dining Hall and the Bob Jacklin Casting Pond during festival hours!
Ro Drift Boats
Friday 2pm-7pm & Saturday 12pm-7pm
Arguably the greatest drift boats ever built! Join Robert Eddins and Johnny McMillan, owners of Montana based Ro Drift Boats, outside on the lawn. They will have several of their boats on site and will be chatting about at all things fiberglass and why their boats are so popular.
Arguably the greatest drift boats ever built! Join Robert Eddins and Johnny McMillan, owners of Montana based Ro Drift Boats, outside on the lawn. They will have several of their boats on site and will be chatting about at all things fiberglass and why their boats are so popular.
Patagonia’s Wader Testing Station
Friday 2pm-6:30pm & Saturday 10am-6:30pm
Bring your waders (any waders, not just Patagonia) and have them tested and repaired for pin hole leaks. This is an all-day process, so be prepared to leave your waders with Patagonia for the day. Please be considerate of their time and do not bring every pair of leaky waders in your garage! The service is free of charge and always a popular attraction.
Bring your waders (any waders, not just Patagonia) and have them tested and repaired for pin hole leaks. This is an all-day process, so be prepared to leave your waders with Patagonia for the day. Please be considerate of their time and do not bring every pair of leaky waders in your garage! The service is free of charge and always a popular attraction.
Fly Fishing Booths
Friday 2pm-7pm & Saturday 10am-7pm
Swing inside the Union Pacific Dining Lodge and check out all the Fly Fishing Reps. The Mammoth Room will be filled to the brim with fly fishing representatives from the northern Rockies. Come check out the latest tackle and gear from Simms, Winston, Orvis, Sage, Rio, Fish Pond, Grundens, Bauer Reels, Ross Reels, Scientific Anglers, NAM rods, Douglas, Nautilus, Turtle Box, Able Reels, Umpqua, Montana Fly Company, Fulling Mill and many more.
Join the Henry’s Fork Foundation, Madison River Foundation, Montana FWP, Gallatin National Forest and Medicine Fish in the Mammoth Room to learn about their operations and what they are doing to push fish conservation, bear management and at risk youth on Native American Reservations throughout the USA.
Swing inside the Union Pacific Dining Lodge and check out all the Fly Fishing Reps. The Mammoth Room will be filled to the brim with fly fishing representatives from the northern Rockies. Come check out the latest tackle and gear from Simms, Winston, Orvis, Sage, Rio, Fish Pond, Grundens, Bauer Reels, Ross Reels, Scientific Anglers, NAM rods, Douglas, Nautilus, Turtle Box, Able Reels, Umpqua, Montana Fly Company, Fulling Mill and many more.
Join the Henry’s Fork Foundation, Madison River Foundation, Montana FWP, Gallatin National Forest and Medicine Fish in the Mammoth Room to learn about their operations and what they are doing to push fish conservation, bear management and at risk youth on Native American Reservations throughout the USA.
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