Category Archives: Techniques

Mid-May and early June in southwest Montana is the heart of our snowmelt runoff season. Despite what some people think, many long-time Montana fly fishing guides this is a favorite time of the year to fish--our tailwaters and spring creeks are in prime shape with hatches of Mother's Day caddis and...

“Streamers” is the common term used to describe flies tied to imitate baitfish or other larger prey, such as crayfish. Because spring is when most of our Montana trout rivers come into play and trout swimming in these rivers have gone most of the winter without seeing a lot flies, anglers in-the...

As the days get longer and the sun shines a little brighter, the fly fishing in Montana slowly gravitates from winter mode to spring time consistency. Cut to the scene: It is mid-March on a trout river in southwest Montana. The riverside vegetation is greening but the mountains in the distance are...

Fly fishing for trout in Montana or anywhere in the world can be an exciting experience. Because trout live in dynamic and ever-changing aquatic environments, it is essential to understand how a trout survives and thrives. Whether a trout lives in a bio-rich river like the Missouri River or one of...

Novelist and angler, Tom McGuane, once said that though fishing was the sport of kings, it is just what the deadbeat ordered. We may not all be lucky enough to live like kings and travel the world fishing—although some of you are— but fly fishing for big trout can be pursued regardless of your tax...

The spring creeks and tailwater rivers of Montana serve up just the right amount of challenge and provide clear and consistent water when other rivers are in runoff or are too cold or too warm to fish. The most famous and the most fishy spring creeks are DePuy’s and Armstrong’s. These two are...

You've heard it before: trout spend most of their time feeding below the surface. But how do you catch what you can't see? Seeing a trout eat a dry fly might be what we all dream about and what originally brought us to love fly fishing, but mastering your ability to fish a fly where you cannot see...

Streamer fishing can be one of the most exciting ways to catch fish when fly fishing. It is also a successful way to target large trout. Anglers who regularly fish streamers know the rewards may not come as easily as when fishing tandem nymph rigs or when a hatch is thick and the trout are hungry...

So, you’ve got a rod and reel, waders, and boots and fallen completely in love with fly fishing. You’ve spent late evenings on the Madison River casting caddis patterns to trout at last light. You’ve hiked long trails into the mountains in search of the elusive golden trout. And then one day your...

Catching a fish is the result of several things all coming together at the same time. To have success in fly fishing, most people talk about fly rods, flies, casts, and presentations. But an often overlooked component to catching a fish is choosing the correct leader. With an abundance of lengths...