Montana Fly Fishing Guides
Guided Fly Fishing on 5 Incredible Rivers
World Famous Rivers – Wild Trout
Montana Fly Fishing Guides
Missoula is home to four exceptional freestone rivers as well as countless small streams. There are over 350 miles of fish-able water within an hour of town. Whether you come for a few days or a couple weeks you will never run out of fly fishing options to explore.
Our main streams include the Blackfoot River, highlighted in Robert Redford’s movie “A River Runs Through It”. We also have the Bitterroot River to the south, the Clark Fork River, with it’s amazing diversity to the east and west, and the world renowned Rock Creek with its prolific hatches to the east.
Add to that, the Missouri River, a bit further out, but well worth the effort at certain times of the year. The Missoula area is truly a fly fishing paradise.
Customer Comments
Montana Trout Outfitters – Premier Guide Services
Montana Fly Fishing Guides
Fish the Bitterroot River with Montana Trout Outfitters
The Bitterroot River is everything you could ask for in a trout stream and then some. This is the most diverse river in our area and also the most consistent producer.
Depending on the time of year you could find yourself throwing a size 6 stonefly in pocket water, or casting a size 20 trico to risers in a slick.
The upper river south of Hamilton is governed by faster flows and eager cutthroat looking to pounce on hapless dry flies.
A more even mix of rainbows, cutthroat, and browns can be found mid-river which is characterized by numerous side channels, logjams, and classic fishy structure where trout feed by ambush.
As the river nears Missoula it gets wider and slows somewhat. The lower river really shines during mayfly hatches where anglers test their skills against pods of rainbows and cuttbows actively rising to the surface.
When you add the East and West Fork of the Bitterroot you gain an additional 50 miles of water that offers extraordinary float fishing during the Salmonly madness of June.
And there is always the distinct possibility of an outsized brown trout smashing your hopper along one of the many cutbanks.
The Bitterroot offers something for anglers of all skill levels. Montana fly fishing guides love this river and so will you!
Montana Fly Fishing – Nothing Better
Fish the Blackfoot River with Montana Trout Outfitters
Montana Fly Fishing Guides
Glaciers worked over this landscape to create a river with towering canyon walls, boulder strewn pocket water, and deep emerald green pools. Made famous by Norman Macleans’ A River Runs Through It, the Blackfoot has benefited from intense conservation and rehabilitation efforts that have returned this stream to its former glory.
This is great attractor pattern water, and there is nothing quite like watching a big cutthroat come off the bottom to drill a gaudy dry fly.
Discover more fly fishing tips for the Blackfoot River from Tony. Blackfoot River Fishing Guide
The mid and lower river has a high population of rainbows with good numbers of cutthroat and a few browns as well.
The upper river is home to more cutthroats and a larger average size trout. True giants lurk here, where rainbows and browns to 24+ are not unheard of, and anywhere on the Blackfoot the chance to tangle with a 30+” bull trout is always possible.
A float trip through the spectacular Box Canyon is an experience not to be missed.
You will find the Blackfoot one of the most beautiful trout streams anywhere – Montana fly fishing guides.
Montana Trout Outfitters – Book Your Blackfoot River Trip Today!
Fish the Clark Fork River with Montana Trout Outfitters
Montana Fly Fishing Guides
The Clark Fork is our largest river as everything in Western Montana eventually drains into it on the way to the Columbia. Characterized by long riffles and calm slicks this is the most underrated river in the state.
While it is overlooked by many, those who know it well consider the Clark Fork an astonishing fishery.
The river is populated mostly with rainbows and cuttbows that average 16” with many pushing the 20” mark.
These fish typically congregate in pods to feed on the daily mayfly and evening caddis emergences. This is match the hatch fishing at its finest, and once these trout feel cold steel their reel screaming runs and stunning jumps will leave you begging for more.
Many of our customers return each year to specifically target the rising trout on the Clark Fork.
The Clark Fork river and its surprisingly good trout fishing is just waiting for you – Montana fly fishing guides.
Five Amazing Fly Fishing Rivers
Fish the Rock Creek with Montana Trout Outfitters
Montana Fly Fishing Guides
Rock Creek is simply the perfect trout stream. Unparalleled scenery, classic water, and the highest trout populations in the area all add up to a blue-ribbon fishery worthy of distinction.
Rock Creek is perhaps most famous for its Salmonfly hatch where literal clouds of migrating insects can darken the sky at times. After the short float season in June Rock Creek becomes the premiere wade fishing destination in the area.
Solid hatches keep the fish looking up all season and offer anglers the best chance at a Grand Slam, a cutthroat, brown, rainbow, brook, and bull trout all in one day.
Public fishing access is plentiful and sightings of bighorn sheep, moose, and eagles are common occurrences.
During prime hatches Rock Creek is dry fly paradise.
Many anglers chose to wade fish Rock Creek on their own for a day or two during their trip.
Fly Fishing the Big Mo
Fish the Missouri River with Montana Trout Outfitters
Montana Fly Fishing Guides
The Missouri is a tailwater fishery that offers clear and consistent flows with trout populations over 7,000 fish per mile and intense mayfly, midge and caddis hatches.
This tremendous river is a great alternative when our local rivers are high and off-color due to spring snowmelt.
Anglers are greeted by grand Big Sky vistas that haven’t changed much from when Lewis and Clark first explored the drainage.
The main target is rainbow trout from 16-22”, but the chance at a trophy brown trout is always a reality.
We primarily fish the Missouri from April through June and again in the late Fall.
Deep nymph fishing is most effective near Holter dam with excellent dry fly opportunities further down the river.
Full Day Jet Boat Trip – Access Incredible Water
Montana Guided Fly Fishing Trips
Full Day Jet Boat Trip Package
Full Day Jet Boat Trip – $725 (For one or two anglers)
Trips include:
All flies and tippets
Snacks
Non-alcoholic Refreshments
A full day is typically 6-8 hours on the water
Access remote areas of the river that have amazing fishing
Fish the Famous "Land of the Giants"
on the Missouri River
Experience Amazing Fishing in Beautiful Montana
Outfitter, Tony Reinhardt, is a USCG licensed captain and offers Jet Boat fly fishing trips on some incredible waters. The jet boat allows us to access stretches of rivers and lakes that aren’t practical in a traditional drift boat.
We are one of a limited number of outfitters authorized to guide on the famous “Land of the Giants” section of the Missouri. It is a stretch of river that truly lives up to its name throughout the season.
All that – and we KNOW how to put anglers on trout too! Let’s go catch some trout! Simply put, Montana Trout Outfitters provide the best Montana Guided Fly Fishing Trips available.
Jet Boat Trips take You to Some of the
Most Scenic Waters in Montana
Enjoy Exceptional Fishing in the Stunning state of Montana
Jet Boat Trips on the Clark Fork River
Fun Fishing for these Monster Pike
In the summer months we utilize the jet boat to target northern pike and
smallmouth bass on the lower Clark Fork.
Carp on the Fly is a Favorite
Carp on the fly is one of our favorites.
All sight fishing, this will put your skills and tackle to the test.
Carp trips are a great way to prepare for the demands of saltwater fly fishing.
Montana Trout Outfitters – Book Your Trip Today!
Montana Fly Fishing Guides
Tony Reinhardt tells us about another day on the river…
…Run-off has finally arrived in Missoula, and our Missouri river guide season has started. We always look forward to spending the month of May on the Missouri. This big tailwater rarely disappoints with consistent nymphing, exciting streamer action, and some of the finest dry fly fishing of the year.
With a bigger than average snowpack we are expecting higher water on the Missouri this year than the last couple of seasons. That is not ideal for our dry fly plans, but just like in Missoula, higher water equals more big brown trout and everyone loves big browns!
The big browns are always a special treat, but it is a steady diet of 16-20+ inch rainbows that keep our anglers coming back year after year to the Missouri in May. The spawn seems to be nearly over for the season and those big rainbows return to the main river ready to eat anything that moves.
While the higher flows aren’t the best for midge and blue-wing olive hatches, the trout won’t be able to resist big March Browns and the hordes of caddis that are coming. The March Browns should show up any day, and size 12-14 mayflies covering the river will get some big snouts breaking the surface. The caddis will come next and we will get explosive takes in fast water.
We had an unbelievable spring dry fly season in Missoula with some of the most consistent conditions ever on our local rivers. Now it is time to switch gears as our Missouri river guide season has already started. We will be on the big river for the next month with heavy nets and smiles as wide as the big sky. We look forward to seeing a lot of familiar anglers and introducing a few new ones to the Mighty Mo
