Trail of Highways

Travel Writer, Cimematographer, Brand Manager. it is a priority to Protect #Wilderness #Nature #Environment from our #Government & #Corporations

[Trail of Highways @TrailofHighways]

May there be peace on earth May we find the miracle of walking a path of compassion and peace .

[Saltwater on the Fly @Saltwateronfly]

cow moose. Twin calves. One Sunday drive. Montana, you never miss. 🫎
Sometimes the best fishing days are the ones where you never even pick up a rod.
hashtag#Montana hashtag#MooseSpotting hashtag#TwinCalves hashtag#MontanaWildlife hashtag#SlowDown hashtag#OutdoorLife

[Saltwater on the Fly @Saltwateronfly]

You see the rings before you hear the sip.

Cinnamon Ant hatch. Small mountain pool. Right there off the trail.

The angler with a 4-piece is still digging through his pack, pulling out rod sections, threading guides. You're already false-casting.

That's the whole point of the Summit 5-6 Pack Rod. It rides collapsed on your pack all day — telescopic, already lined, already ready. Fish stacking in a pool along the trail don't give you five minutes to rig up. They give you about 60 seconds before they wise up or move on.

The Summit gives you exactly that. 60 seconds from pack to casting.

Graphite backbone. Glass tip. That smooth, progressive medium action that loads beautifully on small dries, nymphs, and light streamers. Built for the angler who hikes to fish — not fishes to say they hiked.

Two sizes: 7'6" 3-4wt for tight brushy creeks. 8ft 5-6wt when you want a little more reach and muscle.
https://t.co/ZA0BVvfxQg
:
#flyrods #flytying #summittackle #backpacking #flyfishing #hiking #backcountryfishing #yellowstone #regalvise #saltwateronthefly

[Saltwater on the Fly @Saltwateronfly]

Everyone remembers their first reel. Make it a good one.
The South Fork Fly Reel from summit tackle is where the journey starts — smooth, sealed, and built to grow with you. No confusing drag adjustments. No gear anxiety. Just you, the water, and whatever happens next.
Named for the headwaters — the place where a stream splits and something new begins. That's exactly what picking up a fly rod feels like.
Your South Fork is waiting. 🎣 https://t.co/MY1jSWGBaR
:
#BeginnerFlyFishing #LearnToFlyFish #FlyFishingForBeginners #SouthFork #SummitTackle #FlyReel #NewAngler #FlyFishingCommunity #StartFlyFishing #TroutFishing #FlyFishingLife #OutdoorLife #NatureTherapy #FlyFishing101 #CastYourStress #GetOutside

[Saltwater on the Fly @Saltwateronfly]

Some days you don't need a guide. You don't need a drift boat, a shuttle, or a crowd. You just need boots, a backpack, and enough sense to follow a trail until the trees open up and the stream finds you.
That's where I was yesterday.
Western Tanagers working the cottonwoods along the bank — that ridiculous flash of red and yellow against a Montana sky full of white clouds that looked like somebody painted them there on purpose. The kind of scene that makes you stop casting for a minute just to look at it. Just to make sure you're actually standing in it.
The water was clear. I mean clear — the kind where you can read the bottom at four feet and watch a cutthroat slide two inches to eat your fly. A #16 Pheasant Tail in the riffles. A Hare's Ear dropped into the slow water behind a boulder. Both working. Neither one being hurried.
I had the Summit Pack 7'6" 3-4 weight in my hand and it was exactly the right rod for every inch of that water. Tight willows on the left bank — short, accurate casts with a tip that loads at thirty feet and doesn't punish you for it. Hiked three miles in with that rod collapsed in my pack and never thought about it once. Pulled it out, extended it, and was fishing in under a minute.
The cutthroat didn't care what I was carrying. But I did. A heavier, stiffer stick on water that tight and that technical would have cost me fish. The soft glass tip read every take. Kept every tippet intact. Did what a good small stream rod is supposed to do — get out of the way and let the fishing happen.
I didn't count fish. I didn't check my phone. I just walked and cast and watched Tanagers until the light went gold and it was time to hike out.
That's the whole point.
👉 https://t.co/ZA0BVvfxQg
#FlyfishingMontana #CutthroatTrout #RockyMountains #SummitPackRod #BackcountryFlyFishing #PheasantTail #HaresEar #WildTrout #PublicLands #MontanaLife

[Saltwater on the Fly @Saltwateronfly]

Most anglers miss more takes than they think. Not because they're not paying attention — because their rod isn't telling them anything.
A stiff tip is quiet. It doesn't communicate. By the time you feel the fish, the fish is already gone.
The Summit Pack 8-foot 5-6 weight has a glass tip, and that tip is doing real work. It telegraphs subtle takes before your eyes catch up. It loads on short casts so you're never fishing with dead stick between you and the fly. And it protects fine tippets by absorbing the kind of shock that breaks off fish on rods with no give.
This isn't a soft rod. The graphite body gives it backbone — enough to handle small streamers, fight a strong trout, and punch a cast into a headwind when you need to. But that tip keeps you connected to what's happening at the end of your line. That's a different kind of fishing. A better kind.
I've guided long enough to know that the anglers who consistently catch more fish aren't always the best casters. They're the ones who feel more. This rod helps with that.
Built right.
👉 https://t.co/ZA0BVvfxQg
:
#flyfishing #backpacking #backcountryflyfishing #flyrods

[Saltwater on the Fly @Saltwateronfly]

Montana's Classic Stonefly Bench Article 1: The Improved Sofa Pillow & Bird's Stonefly Pat Barnes started me tying flies. I rowed him down the Missouri, fished Barnes Hole with him, and stood in Buffalo Ford on the Yellowstone watching him work a Goofus Bug through cutthroat lies with the kind of precision that takes a lifetime to develop. When he showed me the Sofa Pillow at his bench in West Yellowstone, I was young enough to think complicated was better. Pat was patient enough not to say what he was thinking. This is Article 1 of Montana's Classic Stonefly Bench — a series working through the foundational western dry fly patterns from the tiers who actually built them. In this video we cover: — The Improved Sofa Pillow by Pat Barnes: full tying instructions, materials, and why the wing and hackle make or break this fly — The Bird's Stonefly by Cal Bird: the segmented elk hair abdomen technique, step by step, and why this pattern has been in Montana guide boxes for six decades — When to fish each pattern and why they're not interchangeable — Hatch timing by river: Madison, Gallatin, Clark Fork, Rock Creek, Missouri, Bitterroot Before you tie the fly, know the bug: 🔗 Life Cycle of the Salmonfly → https://t.co/EQFfXF7M7y Full tying instructions and the complete article: 🔗 Montana's Classic Stonefly Bench Article 1 → https://t.co/ruExIUiN53 Gear up for the hatch: 🔗 Salmonfly Graphic Hoodie (UPF-50) → https://t.co/BN1wJFIkPP 🔗 Ewing Hackle — the finest dry fly hackle available → https://t.co/S9uejMxilm 🔗 Full Fly Shop → https://t.co/tWs4xJpkhc Float Montana's salmonfly hatches with an expert guide: 🔗 Get Lost in America → https://t.co/sgO9q0pwcW #SalmonFly #MontanaFlyFishing #FlytTying #SofaPillow #BirdsStonefly #PatBarnes #MontanaStonefly #DryFlyFishing #WesternFlyFishing #FlyfishingMontana #EwingHackle #SaltwaterOnTheFly

[Saltwater on the Fly @Saltwateronfly]

"🚣‍♂️ Tired of the bass boat crowds? Try fly fishing Sam Rayburn Reservoir—the rebel way to hunt Texas giants.
This 114,500-acre beast is loaded with Florida-strain largemouth (10-13+ lb common, lake record ~16.8 lb) hiding in flooded timber, hydrilla mats, and shallow coves that big rigs can't touch.
Sneak in with a float tube: slap deer hair poppers on the surface at dawn (BOOM—explosive eats!), strip Clousers through shad schools, or punch weedless frogs into thick green jungle.
Spring beds, fall schooling frenzies, year-round stealth strikes—pure adrenaline.
Bass don't care if it's feathers or trebles—they smash flies harder.
Who's ready to out-fish the tournament crowd? Link in comments/bio to the full guide: https://t.co/W163lGB076
#FlyFishing #BassFishing #TexasFishing #LargemouthBass #SamRayburn #WarmwaterFlyFishing #AdventureAwaits #EwingHackle

[Saltwater on the Fly @Saltwateronfly]

🌲🍂 Mid-Fall Colorado Adventure: Cottonwood Pass Drive, Taylor Reservoir, and Epic Fly Fishing to Almont! 🎣🏔️
Friends, I just wrapped up one of those perfect shoulder-season trips that remind me why I traded saltwater flats for these Rocky Mountain rivers. As Saltwater on the Fly, I’m always chasing the next adventure, and mid-October in Colorado delivered everything I could ask for on a stunning drive down Cottonwood Pass to Taylor Reservoir, followed by some of the best fly fishing of the year along the Taylor River all the way to the little town of Almont.
I kicked things off climbing Cottonwood Pass from the Buena Vista side. This paved road tops out at over 12,126 feet — the second-highest paved pass in the country — and the views are absolutely jaw-dropping. The aspens were at peak explosion, painting entire hillsides in brilliant yellows and golds that popped against the dark green spruce and pine. Higher up, fresh snow dusted the Collegiate Peaks, and that crisp, pine-scented mountain air hit just right — invigorating, cool, and full of that unmistakable fall energy. Every switchback pulled me over for photos because the panoramas kept getting better.
Descending the west side into Taylor Park felt like dropping into a living postcard. The valley opened wide, and there was Taylor Reservoir sparkling under a cloudless blue sky, its shores ringed with glowing aspen groves. I stopped at a pullout, killed the engine, and just soaked it in — the reservoir reflecting all that autumn color like a giant mirror, with 14,000-foot peaks standing guard in the distance. It was one of those quiet moments where the world feels perfectly still. a continuation or more to come?
Tight lines and happy trails,
https://t.co/zX2BW0Dtd1
#ColoradoFall #FlyFishing #CottonwoodPass #TaylorRiver #TaylorReservoir #AspenColors #AlmontCO #RockyMountainFishing #FallFoliage #OutdoorAdventure #ewinghackle

[Saltwater on the Fly @Saltwateronfly]

But the real magic happened when I geared up for the Taylor River tailwater just below the dam. This stretch is legendary for a reason, and mid-fall conditions made it even better. The flows were steady and gin-clear, the water cold enough to keep the trout active and hungry. I rigged up with baetis nymphs under an indicator and tossed a few small streamers tight to the banks. The river winds through a dramatic canyon lined with those same golden aspens, leaves fluttering down and landing on the surface like nature’s own dry flies. I hooked into several solid rainbows and chunky browns — one 18-incher put up an absolute battle in the current! There’s nothing like standing knee-deep in that cold water, elk bugling from the hillsides, and the fall colors framing every cast. Pure Colorado bliss.
After a few hours of rewarding fishing, I packed up and continued the scenic drive down Taylor Canyon Road toward Almont. The river tumbles through rocky gorges with more incredible foliage and the occasional mule deer sighting. Almont itself is that charming little crossroads where the Taylor meets the East River to form the Gunnison — a handful of rustic cabins, a general store, and a peaceful vibe that makes you want to linger. I grabbed a hot coffee and a bite, reflecting on the day while the late-afternoon light painted the mountains gold.
This whole route from Cottonwood Pass through Taylor Park and down the Taylor River to Almont is one of Colorado’s best-kept mid-fall secrets for road-trippers who also love to fish. The combination of high-alpine scenery, vibrant colors, solitude, and quality trout fishing is hard to beat. Fewer crowds, cooperative fish, and scenery that stops you in your tracks — it doesn’t get much better.
Have you driven Cottonwood Pass in the fall or fished the Taylor River tailwater? What’s your favorite autumn fishing spot in the Rockies? Drop your stories in the comments — I’d love to hear them and maybe plan the next trip together!
Tight lines and happy trails,
https://t.co/zX2BW0Dtd1
#ColoradoFall #FlyFishing #CottonwoodPass #TaylorRiver #TaylorReservoir #AspenColors #AlmontCO #RockyMountainFishing #FallFoliage #OutdoorAdventure #ewinghackle

[Saltwater on the Fly @Saltwateronfly]

🪙 Montana’s Best-Kept Secret: The Wild History of Cooke City & Silver Gate 🏔️ Tucked right next to Yellowstone’s Northeast Entrance, these two tiny towns have stories straight out of the Old West. Cooke City kicked off in the 1870s gold rush—prospectors flooding the rugged Beartooth Mountains chasing fortune in one of the harshest, most isolated spots around. Harsh winters, no roads, and big dreams. By the 1880s it was a real (if rough) town, even named after railroad tycoon Jay Cooke (ironically, Yellowstone National Park later blocked the railroad that miners hoped would boom the place). Then came Silver Gate in the 1930s—built specifically as a peaceful gateway for Yellowstone visitors, with classic log cabins and that quiet, step-back-in-time feel. Today, both spots are year-round adventures hubs: epic hiking, world-class fly fishing in the Lamar Valley and beyond, wildlife galore, and the jaw-dropping Beartooth Highway (called “the most beautiful drive in America” by Charles Kuralt). Limited cell service, no crowds, and history you can still feel in the old mining buildings and local museums. Perfect for anyone craving real Montana wild. If you love hidden gems, frontier tales, and unbeatable mountain scenery, this one’s for you. 👉 Read the full story here: https://t.co/W2ia9QQeUV Yellowstone Backcountry Flies, Ewing Hackle and Great Outdoor Apparel at https://t.co/Eui3phCFJe #Montana #Yellowstone #CookeCity #SilverGate #BeartoothHighway #MontanaHistory #GetLostInAmerica #flyfishing #ewinghackle

[Saltwater on the Fly @Saltwateronfly]

🚂✨ Step back in time with the wild history of Livingston, Montana!
Long before the trains arrived, Crow, Shoshone, and other tribes called the Yellowstone River valley home — sacred lands rich with game and natural beauty. In 1806, Captain William Clark of the Lewis & Clark Expedition became the first recorded European to pass through, guided in part by Sacagawea.
Then in 1882, the Northern Pacific Railroad turned a dusty tent camp (originally called Clark City) into a booming frontier town. Renamed Livingston after a railroad director, it quickly grew into a vital division point with repair shops, dozens of bars, hotels, and a lively Main Street full of miners, cowboys, and adventurers. Even Calamity Jane wandered its streets!
Today, this charming gateway to Yellowstone National Park still pulses with that pioneer spirit — world-class fly fishing on the undammed Yellowstone River, vibrant art galleries, historic brick buildings, and endless outdoor adventures in Paradise Valley.
From Native heritage to railroad boom to modern Montana magic, every corner of Livingston tells a story of resilience and untamed beauty.
👉 Read the full frontier journey here: https://t.co/5KqamcjR0U
Best Outdoor Apparel, Ewing Hackle for Perfectly tied flies and more at Saltwatero https://t.co/JZPQ449lhN
#LivingstonMT #MontanaHistory #YellowstoneGateway #WildWest #GetLostInAmerica #flyfishing #ewinghackle

[Saltwater on the Fly @Saltwateronfly]

Heading up Trail Ridge Road
#rmnp

[Saltwater on the Fly @Saltwateronfly]

Just laced up my boots and started the hike from Bear Lake to Mills Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park! 🌲🏔️
The trail is already stunning — crisp mountain air, towering pines, and that first glimpse of the snow-dusted peaks ahead. Can't wait to reach Mills Lake and soak in those insane alpine views.
Who else loves a perfect spring hike in the Rockies?
#RockyMountainNationalPark #BearLakeToMillsLake #ColoradoHiking #MountainAdventures #getlostinamerica #ewinghackle #saltwateronthefly #flyfishing

[Saltwater on the Fly @Saltwateronfly]

Haunting History of St. Elmo & Iron City: Colorado's Forgotten Mining Towns Description: Journey to the heart of the Sawatch Range and uncover the boom-to-bust story of St. Elmo and Iron City, Colorado! From 1880: Forest City becomes St. Elmo, peaking at ~2,000 souls with gold/silver mines, saloons, and every amenity. Fires in the 1890s, silver crash, and the final train in 1922 sealed its fate. Nearby Iron City’s smelter supported the district but floods ended it in two years—surviving relics include a unique Queen Anne cabin and ore-grave cemetery. Today, St. Elmo thrives as a top-preserved ghost town: 40 historic buildings, museum, general store, and summer visitors. National Register gem! Full article & more Colorado adventures: https://t.co/CEb7iYgn2W Like if you love ghost towns, subscribe for more hidden history, and comment: Which abandoned place should we explore next? 👻🏞️ #StElmo #GhostTown #ColoradoHistory #MiningBoom #IronCity #GetLostInAmerica #abandonedplaces Fly fishing is good in the area. Hook some Ewing Hackle, Flies for near by lakes and streams, Outdoor Performance Apparel at https://t.co/WlA00aQqAQ

[Saltwater on the Fly @Saltwateronfly]

t's your resident Big Fly, Big Fish addict here. You know the struggle: you spend hours tying what you THINK is a sexy baitfish... then it hits the water and instantly turns into a drowned rat that even the smallest trout laughs at. 😭 My old fibers? Waterlogged disasters. They clump like bad hair on a humid day, sink like bricks, and make my casts look like I'm throwing a mop. But then I discovered Semperfly Predator Fibers—and y'all... it's like someone handed me cheat codes for fly tying. These bad boys are 20-inch strands of pure synthetic sorcery. They shed water like a duck ghosted by rain, stay fluffy, move like a real baitfish having a seizure (in the best way), and create that perfect profile that makes big predators go full murder mode. Perfect for monster streamers, parachute posts, or even dubbing if you want your fly to look like it ate too many tacos. Tied one once. Fished it once. Now if I leave home without 'em, my fly box gives me the silent treatment. [Cut to on-water action shot or stock footage of big fish eating] Grab a few hanks, throw in some premium Ewing Hackle, and deck yourself out in the best fishing apparel at https://t.co/zX2BW0Dtd1. —don't make your flies look embarrassed anymore. If these fibers don't make your next streamer look like it belongs in a Hollywood blockbuster, I'll eat my hackle pliers. (Spoiler: they won't disappoint.) Smash that like if your bench is currently a fiber crime scene, subscribe for more big-fly nonsense, and drop your worst tying fail in the comments. Let's laugh at ourselves together. Tight lines! 🎣💥"

[Saltwater on the Fly @Saltwateronfly]

🎣 Fly Fishing for Bass in the Florida Everglades: Swamp Chaos & Savage Eats!
Forget manicured trout streams—this is raw, humid, gator-patrolled wilderness. Florida largemouth smash poppers like freight trains; peacocks hunt streamers with fury. 30–50 fish days? Absolutely possible.
In this guide:

Best rods (8wt rules), lines, leaders, and must-have flies (weed guards mandatory!)
Top spots: Holiday Park, Alligator Alley canals, Tamiami Trail, Everglades backcountry
Tactics: long casts into pockets, fast strips, sight fishing glowing peacocks
Real talk: beating heat, bugs, lightning, and alligator stares

If you're ready for an adventure that leaves you sweaty, sunburned, and totally alive, dive in.
Full article + more tips: https://t.co/mhj7Uv1F1n
Hit LIKE if you've battled bass in the swamp, SUBSCRIBE for more fly fishing guides, and comment your dream Everglades target—largemouth or peacock? 🐟🐊
#FlyFishing #BassFishing #Everglades #PeacockBass #FlyFishingAdventure #SaltwaterOnTheFly #EwingHackle #Florida

[Science girl @sciencegirl]

Huge Great White shark just cruising casually around the marina

[Saltwater on the Fly @Saltwateronfly]

Wild Horses & Gilded Age Ruins: Exploring Cumberland Island National Seashore (Georgia's Hidden Gem!) Step onto Cumberland Island National Seashore—a car-free barrier island where feral horses roam free on endless white-sand beaches, ancient live oaks heavy with Spanish moss create magical tunnels, and the haunting Dungeness ruins whisper tales of Gilded Age luxury. Ferry from St. Marys, GA, for day trips or primitive camping in this untouched wilderness. Hike 50+ miles of trails, spot wildlife, and disconnect in pure nature. Adventure awaits! Full guide: https://t.co/vK2S5GFsrk #CumberlandIsland #WildHorses #NationalSeashore #GeorgiaTravel #ExploreAmerica Snag some Outdoor Performance Apparel, Fly Fishing the Southeast, https://t.co/zX2BW0CVnt

[Saltwater on the Fly @Saltwateronfly]

"Unlock endless Lefty's Deceiver and streamer magic with Ewing Hackle Deceiver patches—premium, long, webby feathers perfect for killer tails, flowing collars & bold accents. Bright Purple screams in low light Grizzly = classic barred baitfish Honey glows like shrimp in sun Red = bloody trigger Silver Doctor Blue shines electric Orange burns hot in murk Olive = natural green crab/bait Yellow Chartreuse explodes in dirty water Grab these colors & tie flies fish can’t ignore! 🎣✨ https://t.co/1ASWiqWfxQ : #flytying #LeftyDeceiver #SaltwaterFlyFishing #ewinghackle #streamers

[Saltwater on the Fly @Saltwateronfly]

"Steelhead swing game strong 💪 These spey flies are money right now: Pretty in Pink, Mae West, Gary Cooper, Autumn Day, Night Walker, Steel Thunder & the timeless Skunk. Match the water, swing tight, hold on! 🎣 https://t.co/TsDlUmEOJM What’s your current favorite? 👇 #Steelhead #SpeyFlies #FlyFishing #SwingTheFly #PrettyInPink #SkunkFly #SteelheadFishing #EwingHackle