Barns Rotation

If you plan to fly fish the Madison River just inside the West Entrance of Yellowstone National Park, there are rules to abide by. The locals have established a mechanism to share a popular fly fishing area. Here's how it went a few years ago.

When we arrived (with our guide) at Barns, we were quickly instructed on the rules.

1. Get in line.
2. When it's your turn, step into the river upriver of the other fly fishers when the upriver person get's to a certain point of the river.
3. In between every cast, take one step down river.
4. When your are the last person in the line down river, you will step out of the river when you reach a designated stop.
5. Then get back in line and wait your turn.


I still don't know how I feel about this "local system".  But if you get into fish like this, then it may be worth it.