Endless Adventure: North Fork Anglers offers wide variety of local activities

Open year-round, North Fork Anglers is located in Cody and has provided guided trips since 1984 – the longest-operating fishing outfitter in the state.

Owners Blair and Justine Van Antwerp took over the historic fly shop earlier this year and take pride in having the friendliest staff around, who are also exceptionally knowledgeable and provide an unbeatable fly fishing experience.  

North Fork Anglers offers a well-stocked pro shop, meeting the needs of any fly fishing enthusiast. From a fishing license to a new rod setup or shopping for latest apparel from major name brands, North Fork Anglers has it all.

The local fly shop is also home to 10 to 12 full-time experienced guides ready to take guests out on the local waterways.

At North Fork Anglers, the staff is always ready to answer questions, ensuring they meet their guests’ needs, backed by their mission to teach, inspire and outfit everyone they meet.

“Guests can select from a range of fly fishing adventures – from a fabulous float trip to a splendid walk-wade trip – or they can experience the excitement of hunting waterfowl and upland birds mixed with fishing on a cast-and-blast trip,” Blair states.

Floating local water

Floating Wyoming’s rivers is a unique way to fly fish since it allows anglers to cover miles of water and grants the opportunity to cast over numerous trout in a single day.

However, it also gives anglers time to sit back and enjoy remarkable scenery and wildlife around the Greater Yellowstone Area. On any given day, guests might spot a moose, Bighorn sheep, deer, elk and on occasion, a grizzly or black bear.

“Float trips provide the perfect opportunity for anglers to enjoy fishing nymphs, streamers and dries, which can be easily fished with great success,” Blair continues. “Fly fishing enthusiasts can float July through September, with summer being our busiest season, on the North Fork of the Shoshone, the lower Shoshone River, the lower Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone and the Big Horn River in Wyoming.” 

During September through April, anglers can usually only float on the Big Horn and lower Shoshone rivers because the flows on the freestone streams are too low for a boat to make it down safely.  

The float trips can accommodate one to two people per craft.

Walk-wade trips in Yellowstone Country

Walk-wade trips feature wild trout, solitude and scenery, giving anglers the chance to pick the water apart by casting around objects on the river. 

“Fall fishing is great, but truthfully, the best fishing is in the winter,” Blair continues.

Walk-wade trips give guides time to teach anglers the needed skills to land big fish, permits more time on the water and grants the opportunity to take advantage of numerous hatches occurring at the end of the day.

Walk-wade trips are the best option for anglers to experience a variety of locations which cannot be floated and for those who enjoy to hike.

Cast-and-blast adventures

North Fork Anglers also offers adventurous anglers the opportunity to experience scenic fishing and hunting around Cody.

Blair notes, “The cast-and-blast guided trip is a unique experience, fishing surrounding waters and hunting a variety of upland birds and waterfowl all day.” 

Guests have the opportunity to hunt a variety of birds, including grouse, pheasants, chukers, huns, ducks and geese, all while landing big browns, cutthroats and rainbows. 

Enjoying a class 

The perfect way for an individual to immerse themselves into the wonderful world of fly fishing is to participate in a class, and North Fork Anglers is proud to offer a variety of classes.

“We offer an Orvis Fly Fishing 101 class every spring. This class covers everything from setting up a fly rod to basic fly selection and knot tying,” Blair explains. “Also, starting in November and running through March, the shop will offer fly tying classes every Saturday morning.”

Fly tying classes are typically held during the winter months, covering the basics and providing step-by-step instructions on how to tie the most popular fly patterns that will have fly fishing enthusiasts tying flies in no time.

North Fork Anglers is an old Western fly shop located in downtown Cody. Stop by and visit with friendly staff and learn about the latest fly fishing gear or book a guided trip in beautiful Wyoming.

For more information on North Fork Anglers, visit northforkanglers.com.

Melissa Anderson is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.