Sure, an excursion to Yellowstone National Park or Paradise Valley has its attractions, but here's the trade-off: You could end up shelling out a hefty share of cash in exchange for park fees, jam-packed lodging, over-pressured fish, and lots of crowded looks from other anglers. Sound reasonable? Not really. So how about venturing beyond the pale this year? Leave those park boundaries and claims of paradise behind and say hello to the other Yellowstone.

Coming out of a long and tedious winter semester, I made a personal commitment to give my schoolbooks a rest and start sampling some of Montana's great early season fishing. Glancing at a map, I was reminded that Interstate 90 provides a straight shot across the whole of south-central Montana, paralleling the Yellowstone River and providing access to a few tributaries packed with trout along the way. The "Big Stretch," as some call it, receives little pressure despite plenty of easy access along the 80 miles of roadway between Columbus and Big Timber. The only problem for me -- an over-eager college kid with a bad case of cabin fever -- was figuring out where to begin.

With drift boat in tow I started my way west. My plan was to spend a few days wade-fishing a famous Yellowstone tributary, the Stillwater River, and then inquire at local fly shops as to the condition of my other potential destinations. Even if the Boulder was running high or the Yellowstone off-color, I could hop on the highway and in under an hour be knee deep in the Shields River, casting dries to wild cutthroat in the shadows of the Crazy Mountains.

STILLWATER RIVER
Less than 45 minutes from my home in Billings, I took the exit off Interstate 90 into Columbus, and headed south along Highway 78, a two-lane that parallels the Stillwater for much of its lower section.

Somewhat of a misnomer, the Stillwater River is anything but still. Boiling out of the Beartooth Mountains to the south, the Stillwater loses several thousand feet of elevation before leaving wilderness and reaching the valley below. Its descent begins to slow around Nye, Mont., and from there on down the fishing only gets better.

All Stillwater public access points are well marked and visible from the road, and most allow camping for up to seven days. The 12 miles between Fireman's Point and Absaroka Access are the most popular with fishermen and fish, but to sample the best of what the area has to offer an angler would want to venture farther upstream along County Road 420, to the Cliff Swallow, Castle Rock or Moraine accesses, where awesome scenery and abundant angling opportunities combine to help create awe-inspiring experiences. For those who partake of this piscatorial bliss, the only question usually remaining is, "Where are all the people?"

The whole of the Stillwater can be waded. Except during high water months, floating is difficult due to many large rocks and boulders peppering the riverbed. Rafting can open up water that is inaccessible to wade fishermen, but with the Stillwater's gradient being so steep, the good water is often passed by in a boat moving 5 miles an hour or better.

Instead, take your pick of access points and make sure to walk two or three hundred yards upstream or downstream before making a cast. If the water is low enough, it often pays to wade the river to the other side: Experienced anglers know any efforts to fish new water on a gin-clear freestone stream will be rewarded.