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Spring is a great time to fish Montana. The valleys starts to turn green, the mountains are still covered in snow and the trees begin to bud. Spring weather in the Rockies can be unpredictable. You can be wet wading one day and bundled up in waders, fleece, and rain jackets the next. Here is a list of things you should bring with you, so you are prepared for any weather condition.

Our cancellation policy has been revised during the coronavirus situation. You have 14 days prior to your scheduled trip to receive a full refund and up to 7 days for a 50% refund.

Governor Bullock hosted a press conference where he announced moving to Phase II of Montana’s reopening plan on June 1st. Embarking on Phase II of the reopening plan includes lifting the 14-day out-of-state travel quarantine on June 1st as well. 

This time of year, the trout are hunkered down and not moving far to eat. You want to fish the slower moving water, water that they don’t have to expend much energy to live. Nymph fishing is primarily the preferred way to have success this time of year. There are windows of opportunities for dry fly fishing, but conditions must be just right.

A few months back we asked you to take a scoping survey regarding the Madison River.

Watch a video on How to Make a Roll Cast by RIO Products.

Planning your Montana fishing trip is fairly easy if you have a good idea on when you want to visit and what you want to do.

We are happy to let you know that we will be offering a great special this spring. From March 1st to April 30th we are discounting our full day fishing trips 20%. To go along with this great rate, we also have a great early season rate on rooms at the Best Western Grantree Inn in Bozeman. Basically, you can fly fish the Bozeman area with a professional guide and get a great room for the same price as our summer prime rate for a guide.

Last winter we received an over abundance of snow that seemed as if it would never stop falling. All the drainages in the state were well above normal levels. We started our season in April due to the unusual winter and had some good fishing locally. The Missouri River fished really well in mid-May and into June. Around about mid-June, we were in full run off mode statewide.

The Madison is the most heavily used river in the state. From FWP (Fish Wildlife and Parks) numbers.

Over the last four years the upper Madison River has seen a steep increase in use, doubling from 88,000 to 179,000 angler days from 2011 to 2015. Estimates for angler use during 2017 were 207,000 angler days and were obtained from FWP. Outfitted angler days during 2016 and 2017 on the Upper Madison River was 20,018 and 19,662, respectively. The Lower Madison River extends from the outlet of Ennis Lake to the beginning of the Jefferson River. Recreational use numbers on only the lower Madison River were estimated at 750,000 user days during 2017. Outfitted angler days during 2016 and 2017 on the Lower Madison River was 2,284 and 2,724, respectively.

Fall is a great time to fish Montana. But winter weather can strike at any time. How do you prepare for what mother nature can throw at you?

It’s time to bring out the heavy artillery and target those pumpkin colored brown trout that get super aggressive in the fall here in SW Montana. If you are going to be throwing streamers all day it’s best to have the right equipment. Streamer fishing is tough work, but the payoff can be tremendous.

There are over thirty hotels in the Bozeman area. Lots of choices. We work closely with three hotels in the area.