In 1992, freshly cut from college, I dropped my fiancee, or vice versa, laced up my traveling boots, and began a search for the perfect fly-fishing town. My trek started in Jackson, Wyoming, where I took offense to the traffic, gawking tourists, and $9-an-hour pool tables. Drive-through liquor stores, the Grand Tetons, and a feast of trout waters were Wyoming's saving grace.

After Wyoming, I slithered through Montana like a rattlesnake, renting weathered shacks on the banks of premier trout streams as I went. I liked Bozeman and Livingston, except for that bitter Yellowstone wind and some freaky landlords. Hamilton, Montana, I found, is a nice sleepy burg, and Missoula, with five tremendous trout streams within 25 minutes of downtown coffee shops, is a great place to set up camp. But even Missoula lacked some important qualities, most noticeably a premier spring creek. So, I wondered, where to next?

I didn't consider eastern Oregon, because that's where the fiancee landed; Utah and its nightlife--where patrons must be sponsored--wasn't my style; and Colorado was just a little too far out there and crowded for my liking. I took one last peek at the map, turned south of Montana, then headed for central Idaho and the sparkling little resort town of Sun Valley/Ketchum.

Central Idaho and Sun Valley offer one of the finest collections of trout waters in the West. And few areas offer as much public access and striking scenery. In central Idaho, there are excellent freestone fisheries on the Big Wood, Little Wood, and upper Big Lost rivers, and challenging flatwater on Silver Creek, possibly the Rocky Mountain's finest, albeit most difficult, public spring creek.

If tailwater fisheries and lots of large trout are your gig, on the lower Big Lost River hefty rainbows dine under the watchful eye of 12,000-foot mountain peaks. For large steelhead, say 15 pounds or more, drive 50 minutes north of Sun Valley and throw a tight loop on the upper Salmon River.

The above links take a closer look at the region's best stream fisheries.

Area Fly Shops

Lost River Outfitters, P.O. Box 3445, Ketchum, ID 83340, (208) 726-1706.

Silver Creek Outfitters, 500 North Main Street, P.O Box 418, Ketchum, ID 83340, (800) 732-5687, (208) 726-5282.

Sun Valley Outfitters, P.O. Box 3400, Sun Valley, ID 83353, (208) 622-3400.

Bill Mason Outfitters, P.O. Box 127, Sun Valley, ID 83353, (208) 622-9305.