Of course, the first answer is whenever you can. Our season goes from March all the way through October. We catch fish and have a great time on the water with our guests every day we guide throughout the year, so it’s hard to find a “bad” time to come. With that being said, our favorite times of year generally mean the best combination of size of fish, numbers of fish, and odds of good fishing conditions and weather. With those factors in mind, our favorite times of year are late March, April, May, June, first half of July, September and the first half of October. Check out our detailed season and rivers information page here
You will need to bring your purchased Montana fishing license first and foremost. A pair of polarized sunglasses, hat, and layers of breathable apparel designed for outdoor recreation during the current season is very important. Waders or waterproof boots with rain pants are a must in March, April, May and October. In June, July, August and September, wet wading in sandals with pants/shorts and sun shirts is the way to go. Even in the summer months however, bring your rain jacket and a light fleece or similar layer.
Your Montana Fly Fishing Guide will supply all fishing equipment, which includes, rods, reels, line, leaders, flies, etc. If you’d like to bring your own rods to use you are more than welcome to.
Your Montana Fly Fishing Guide will arrange with you a meet place and time. It’s very typical for us to pick you up directly from your lodging accommodation and drop you back off there at the end of the day. In some circumstances however we meet guests at an agreed upon location other than your lodging location. Meet times vary depending on time of year, but typically are around 7:30-8:30 am in the Spring and Fall and 6:00-7:30 am in the Summer.
No, you do not need prior experience to be successful at fly fishing in Montana. Our guides are very experienced in working with beginner and experienced anglers alike, and know what it takes to tailor a day to one’s experience level. Booking a guide is one of the best things to do for the newer angler who wants to learn and get better at fishing. The learning curve will be shortened exponentially with a guide.
Choice of river and stretch of river will depend on time of year, weather, hatch conditions, and more. Please let us know any special requests on where you would prefer to fish or water to see and we can do our best to accommodate.
Yes, your Montana Fly Fishing Guide guide will have high quality lunches made by one of the great eateries in the area, along with non-alcoholic beverages, such as water, Coca Cola, Gatorade, etc.
Missoula International Airport is a growing International airport that now offers many direct flights from almost all areas and regions of the US. The airport is conveniently located only a few miles from downtown Missoula and many hotels and restaurants.
There are many great options in the Missoula area, check out our recommended lodging options here.
