Category Archives: Techniques

Fly fishing is much more than catching really big trout, but the fun factor definitely hits 100% when you tie into the biggest fish in the run. Every red blooded fly fisher person should have the luxury of experiencing fighting and landing a truly massive trout at some point in their life. One of...

Many of Montana’s most famous trout rivers flow through agricultural valleys flanked by towering mountains. These fertile valleys provide an ideal habitat for large populations of grasshoppers. The bulk of aquatic insect hatches take a pause in mid summer (with a few exceptions like tricos). Once...

There is a natural evolution in the sport of fly fishing. Early in an fly fisher's initiation to the sport, hooking and landing fish is paramount. Over time an angler slowly begins to improve their skills and the focus often shifts from numbers to quality. Hooking and landing truly big fish often...

A fun and effective method of trout fishing is the down-and-across streamer swing. The popularity of trout spey fishing has grown exponentially over the last few years and for good reason. The simplicity of spending a day stepping down a run casting and swinging is a refreshing change from the usual...

A fun and effective method of trout fishing is the down-and-across streamer swing. The popularity of trout spey fishing in Montana has grown exponentially over the last few years and for good reason. The simplicity of spending a day stepping down a run casting and swinging is a refreshing change...

A fun and effective method of trout fishing is the down-and-across streamer or wet fly swing. The popularity of trout spey fishing in Montana has grown exponentially over the last few years. The simplicity of spending a day stepping down a run casting and swinging is a refreshing change from the...

Does tying knots have you all tangled up?Let us show you the knots you need for a day's fly fishing!Our guides and staff aren't just pros at untangling knots, they're also experts at tying knots! In this post we’ll explain each knot, starting at the reel arbor and working our way out to tying your...

Stillwater Indicator Fishing BasicsAt Montana Angler we’ve got a wide variety of stillwater fishing options that add a fun and different option for our guided fly fishing trips. Stillwaters can actually produce some of the largest fish a fly fisherman may catch in Montana. We often target smaller...

Flies for Montana Rivers: Soft hacklesThere are few things in fly fishing that are more satisfying than tying flies that adhere to the adage “less is more.” Soft hackle flies are a perfect example of flies that play off of simplicity, clean lines, and perfect proportions. They’re also very fun and...

When we are first learning to fly fish the concept of the dead drift is constantly reinforced. It almost seems as if beginners are taught that trout won’t eat a fly unless it has zero drag on it and it’s drifting along perfectly with the current. Fortunately, not all insects just “dead drifting”...