Nestled in the heart of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Yosemite National Park is renowned for its breathtaking landscapes, iconic granite cliffs, and pristine rivers. While many visit for the stunning scenery alone, Yosemite offers something extra special for avid anglers—the chance to achieve the elusive Yosemite Grand Slam. This fly fishing expedition provides the chance to catch not just one, but four different trout species of trout in a single day. Join us on a journey through the forgotten rivers of Yosemite as we explore this thrilling multispecies adventure.

The Yosemite Grand Slam should be a dream trip of every trout angler who seeks diversity in their catches. It's the pursuit of Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, and the ever elusive Golden Trout—all within the picturesque confines of Yosemite National Park. While catching a massive trophy trout can be gratifying, the Grand Slam offers a unique thrill of variety.

To embark on this adventure, you'll need to venture off the beaten path, away from the well-known fly fishing spots. Some of Yosemite's forgotten rivers hide these hidden treasures, making them the perfect setting for your multispecies quest.

1. Rainbow Trout: Begin your day with the vibrant Rainbow Trout. These beauties can be found in various rivers and streams throughout Yosemite.
2. Brook Trout: After a successful morning, head to the lesser-explored streams and creeks in the park. Here, you'll encounter the strikingly colorful Brook Trout, known for their vibrant orange and green hues.
3. Brown Trout: Transition to the mainstays of Yosemite fly fishing to cast your line and test your skills against the elusive Brown Trout, which are celebrated for their cunning nature and size.
4. Golden Trout: To complete your Grand Slam, it's time to venture into the remote high country river's and creeks that offer the rare opportunity to target the iconic Golden Trout, California's state fish. Their golden bodies and crimson stripes make them a true gem of the Sierra Nevada.

The Yosemite Grand Slam is not just about the variety of trout species you catch; it's about the adventure, the exploration, and the connection with the park's pristine waters. This multispecies quest takes you on a journey through some of Yosemite's most secluded and enchanting locations, where you'll experience the thrill of catching four different trout species in one day.

As you crisscross the park, casting your flies into these forgotten rivers, take a moment to appreciate the tranquility of the wilderness, the rush of the river, and the beauty of the landscapes. It's not just about the fish you catch; it's about the memories you hook into along the way.

​The Yosemite Grand Slam Fly Fishing Trip is the ultimate adventure for anglers who crave diversity in their catches. With Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, and Golden Trout all waiting to be caught within the confines of Yosemite National Park, this journey is a testament to the park's incredible natural diversity and the thrill of exploring its forgotten rivers. So, pack your fly gear, embark on this multispecies adventure, and make memories that will last a lifetime in the stunning wilderness of Yosemite.

Since the beginning of fly fishing, anglers have been trying to figure out ways to maximize their ability to present a quality, stealthily fly to an awaiting trout. From the perfect dry fly cast to the best way to drift a streamer, quality presentation is everything! So why should nymphing be any different? And that's where the Tungsten Bead comes in! 

The Tungsten Bead allows for a nymph to sink down to the desired water column three times faster than most conventional Beads. So when an angler is able to present a size 18, tungsten bead headed Pheasant Tail nymph to an awaiting trout that is holding four feet down in fast water and they can make it look as if it's drifting naturally, the hook up ratio will increase exponentially. Due to the fact that the Tungsten Bead is heavier than other beads, anglers can use less weight(split shots, sicking leaders, oversized flies, etc) and still get the fly to sick at an exceptional rate. Most anglers know that skimming a dry fly across the top of the water surface and having it look "unnatural" will drastically lower their catch percentage, yet they don't tend to think that "pulling" or "dragging" a nymph under the surface will have the same outcome. 

The general consensus on the web is that Tungsten Beads cost so much more than traditional beads, but let's do the "catch rate" math and see what the outcome would be.(one missed trout = one bead) (Hypothetically :) )

A pack of 20 Tungsten Beads, size 3/32 costs: $9.95 or $.50 cents each
A pack of 20 Regular Beads, size 3/32 costs: $3.50 or $.18 cents each

Just for fun, lets say that a quality presented fly would increase your catch rate by 50% per Bead, per missed trout. So if you potentially missed 20 trout because of a poorly presented nymph and by just adding a Tungsten Bead, you would only miss 10. That mean your paying $3.60 to miss 20 trout and $5.00 to catch 10 trout. When you look at it with this perspective, the price doesn't seem to come into play at all.

Anglers will pay more for dry flies that float better because  they are a higher quality tied fly, they will pay more for streamers that are larger, with more flash and more hooks, so why not pay more for Tungsten Beads? All three of these lead anglers to the same outcome, a better presented, high quality looking fly that allows for more tight line battles!

Tungsten Beads may be more expensive, but to Yosemite Fly Fishing Guide, the time spent catching more trout makes them worth their weight in GOLD!

Catch the beauty, enjoy the journey! 
Yosemite Fly Fishing Guide

What's the point of gaining a valuable life lesson if it doesn't leave a hand print across the back of your skull? One of the best fly fishing lessons I've ever learned from an "Old Timer", deals with the proper way to be prepared your attack plans and strategies. As a youngster, I always made sure to have my rod set up and ready to go well before I ever placed my boot on the path to the river. I would usually keep the same fly tied on from the previous day or past week of fishing.

One day, I raced past this well seasoned angler while heading out to go fly fishing on the Tuolumne River in Yosemite. After I had been casting for about 30 mins or so, I saw him approach and then sit down by the water for at least 15 mins before ever tying on a fly. This was so taboo for me at the time that I had to know way; so like the smart ass kid I was, I asked him about his early morning siesta, and he replied, "I'm just checking out the battlefield young-an, so I can prepare the proper plan of attack." 

What... battlefield, plan of attack? These were all new concepts to me so I engaged him even more with the thirst for an explanation and he preceded to give me one of my greatest lesson on fly fishing. He explained that he liked to come to the river with nothing ready but his blank canvas, he would then sit and enjoy the beauty while watching the action on the water, in the air and all the struggling flies trapped in webs during the previous night. He then explained to me that by not checking my battlefield, I didn't notice the two hard freezes we had and because of them, all the hoppers were done for the year; not good for the hopper I had tied on. I also missed the signs of a Yellow Sally hatch up river and if I would of paid more attention to the battlefield, I would of seen them trapped in the spider webs along the bank of the river. SMACK, my brian did a 180 and the lesson was etched on my skull, but it was only after many years went by that I actually put it to proper use. 

The best anglers, always know what's going on around them. They draw up their attack plans from what they see in the present moment and as a result; they land more trout. Slow down your approach, capture the beauty and use the knowledge that each day provides. 

No angler ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and they are not the same angler. - A modified quote from Heraclitus