Montana Angler Fly Fishing Blog

I grew up on a small dairy farm in central Massachusetts. A meadow extended from my grandparent’s farmhouse to a brook loaded with sunfish, largemouth bass, pickerel, and hornpout. I learned to fish there, casting gummy salamanders one year and whirligig bass lures the next. There were some great...

Winter can be a great time to get out and explore Montana’s world-class trout fisheries. Most of the state’s premier rivers are open to fishing year-round and a day on the water can result in some impressive fish. An added benefit of winter angling is the chance to enjoy some solitude on the water...

Montana locals and loyal anglers have always debated what is the best month for fly fishing in Montana. Because every month offers something unique, the answer is complex and personal. Some months feature consistent dry fly fishing while others serve up very high catch rates with subsurface nymphs...

The quintessential picture of fly fishing in Montana is often long summer days with blue skies, sun-tanned anglers, and prolific hatches. Fly fishing in winter provides adventurous anglers unique opportunities that do not exist when the weather is warm and the living is easy. For those willing to...

Montana is home to the world's highest concentration of accessible, world-class trout waters. With hundreds of miles of rivers, creeks, and shoreline, the fly fishing trips in Montana are varied and plentiful. At many of Montana's fishing lodges anglers have the option to experience a world-famous...

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...

Fly fishing in Montana is known for broad valleys with views that go on for miles, rugged canyons with picturesque rivers, and waters that are home to several species of wild and native trout. The Smith River epitomizes the many great things about fly fishing in Big Sky country. Beginning in the...

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...

Mongolia is one of those places where the photos never truly capture the magnificent grandeur of the location. When I try to explain the Mongolian landscape to those who haven't yet been, I ask them to imagine a location that looks like Montana with expansive big sky views but even fewer people...

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...