Fins & Feathers Fly Fishing

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Western Montana fly fishing centers around the city of Missoula in late summer and early fall. The city is quite a bit larger than Bozeman and has a very vibrant downtown nightlife. It’s a great place to base out of for a few days of fishing a variety of rivers including the Blackfoot, Clark’s Fork, and Bitterroot rivers, each well regarded in terms of quality fisheries. Late season on these rivers is characterized by dry fly fishing with attractor and hopper patterns, often with a small dropper nymph just a foot or two below the dry. The fishing over there is quite a bit different than around Bozeman and is certainly worth the trip.

We like this time of year around Missoula for a variety of reasons, but mostly just because there is a lot of great water in the area and it’s not very crowded most days. Each of the three main rivers is scenic and unique in their own way and offer miles and miles of access to quality waters. One of the main differences between the fishing in Missoula and Bozeman is the fact that the rivers around Missoula all have healthy population of our native Westslope Cutthroat Trout. Westslope’s fight much more vigorously than the Yellowstone Cutthroat found in SW Montana, but are still a beautiful and unique fish. In addition to the Bows, Browns, and Cutties, it’s not uncommon to hook into a Bull Trout on occasion as well. This area has a lot to offer in terms of diverse fisheries and experiences for that angler that wants to see some new water with Fins & Feathers in 2012.

Rick Weisend is our primary guide around Missoula and he is available for trips over there year-round. Toby Swank and a few of our other guides head over that way for a couple of weeks each fall in search of rising fish and a change of scenery. The fall is characterized by reliable hatches of Tricos and Hecuba (a large Mayfly) which generally bring fish to the surface almost all day long. Hoppers and large attractor dries typically work well too and we try to stick with dry fly fishing for the most part this time of year on these rivers. There are chances for some really large fish on streamers on any of these rivers this time of year when conditions are right.

Guests typically fly into Missoula and stay at anyone of a myriad of hotel choices. The Holiday Inn downtown is a perfect location if you don’t want to hassle with a rental car as there are dozens of restaurants within walking distance and we can pick you up there in the mornings. We’ll be happy to help you find something that fits your needs, but the Holiday Inn has worked well for us in the past. Our standard rate of $425 per day applies to all of our trips out of Missoula and you can book a trip by calling the shop at 1-877-790-5303 or just send us an e-mail to get it rolling.

If you’d like to join up with Toby for one of the fall trips, he’ll be available for Missoula trips from Sept. 17 – 28 and requires a minimum of 3 days per booking. Rick is available year-round or for trips of less than 3 days during this timeframe.  This is one of our favorite times of year to fish western MT and we hope that you’ll consider this trip when looking at planning your 2012 fishing vacation!

Fins & Feathers Fly Fishing

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The Big Horn is one of those rivers that everyone should experience at least in their lifetime. The sheer numbers of fish will blow you away at times. Its reputation is well deserved and attracts anglers from around the world all year long. As a result, it’s also one of the most crowded rivers you’ll find anywhere in the Western US.  However, the majority of anglers fish the upper stretches of the river, leaving much of the lower water to the few that venture that way. And what a difference a few miles can make!

The Big Horn is located a couple hours south of Billings, MT. and is a tail water fishery meandering its way out of the Pryor Mountains out across the northern plains. While not as scenic as the rivers around Bozeman or Missoula, late summer hopper fishing on the Big Horn can be as good as it gets! We head over there every year in mid-August for a few days and are extending our stay this year through the month of August. This is a great time of year to throw streamers in the mornings and hopper fish the rest of the day and the action is typically about as good as you could ever expect.

We do some things different than the majority of the other guide services on the Big Horn and that’s what makes it worthwhile to join up with Fins & Feathers during this period. We get up early and usually do lengthy floats and fish the parts of the river that don’t see as much pressure.  There are typically Tricos and Black Caddis around which can make for some great “match the hatch” dry fly fishing early and late. We’ll usually start off with streamers or nymphs and switch to Hoppers once the sun gets high in the sky. This has been an absolute riot to fish the last few years and 2012 is shaping out to be another great year.

There are several lodging options in the Ft. Smith, MT. area from which we can choose. We typically have guest stay in some cabins near Ft. Smith that have all the essentials, including kitchens and grills for those that want to do their own meals. There are a few restaurants in the area for dinner, but we’re usually on the water before they open for breakfast.  We require a 3 day minimum for these trips at our standard rate of $425 per day. Lodging is typically in the $150 a night per room range and we will be happy to help you arrange something that suits your group. This is a very busy time of year over n the Big Horn, so we like to make these bookings very early to ensure adequate lodging and our schedule.

The available dates for this trip with Fins & Feathers are from August  19-29. You will want to fly into Billings and plan on renting a car for the 2 hour drive down to Ft. Smith. There is a possibility that your guide could meet you in Billings as well, so check for availability. Give us a call at the shop to go over the details on the trip or to make a reservation. If you’ve fished the Big Horn before, chances are that we’ll show you an entirely different experience on a river you might think you know pretty well!

Fins & Feathers Fly Fishing

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Dazed and Confused In Central Montana Trip

Montana has much to offer the adventurous angler that is willing to take a few side trips “off the beaten path.” Countless small streams, hidden rivers, and meadow spring creeks are literally just about everywhere you turn, but rarely fished by non-residents or even resident anglers. You’re not likely to find many fish over 20” in these waters, but the exhilaration of exploring new country and getting into some rarely fished to wild trout is worth the trip in itself. These waters can be very productive at different times of year when conditions are ideal.

We’ve started exploring more and more of these little gems over the last few years as high water has forced us to look elsewhere when runoff is at its peak.  Mid-June is the perfect time to join us on one of these adventures across parts unnamed here on the website. You’ll be sure to see some new country, new water, and fish over fished that hardly ever see a fly.

These trips are really for the adventurous angler that is in good shape and comfortable walking a mile or two and wade fishing in a variety of conditions. It’s not for everybody! You’re going to have to be willing to put in some windshield time, be willing to sleep in some “old school” motels , and dine anywhere from bars to convenience stores. We follow the water conditions and head to where we think our best opportunities lie and things can change quickly this time of year.

Toby Swank is the guide on all of these trips and there is only room for 2 anglers per trip. We start and end in Bozeman and work our way around the region over the course of 4 days, fishing someplace new each day.  The basic itinerary for this 4 day trip is we’ll depart Bozeman early on day one and fish late morning through early evening. We’ll be staying in small motels for 3 nights, dining out at both morning and night. We’ll fish into the early afternoon on the 4^th day and plan on being back in Bozeman that evening. The cost for these 4 day trips is $3225 total (1-2 Anglers) and includes 3 nights of lodging, meals, and guide fees starting on the first morning up until w e drop you off in Bozeman. These trips are available in 2012 from June 11-29. E-mail Toby at the shop to find out more details or to make a reservation.

Fins & Feathers Fly Fishing

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The upper Missouri River is one of the most prolific wild trout fisheries found anywhere in the world. We’ve been fishing the sections below Holter Dam for over 20 years now and consider it as one of our “Home Waters.” Although we fish this part of the river all year, our favorite time of year to be there is May and June, without question. 

Rainbow Trout, the dominant species in these sections of the river, typically finish spawning by late April and make their way back into the main river from the feeder creeks at this time. These fish are hungry and feed just about all day long as they recover from the stresses of the yearly ritual. Insect life is abundant this time of year as well, so there is plenty to keep them eating throughout the day. Whether it’s the midges, small mayflies, or aquatic crustaceans, there is a never ending stream of protein churning down the river this time of year. There are occasions for dry fly fishing just about every day, but it is the classic drift boat nymph fishing that really keeps a steady bend in the rod.

We focus our attention primarily on the Missouri starting in early May, with guides in Craig, MT. through June 15. Our guests generally stay at motel rooms at Cross Currents fly shop right there in Craig, easy walking distance from the only restaurant in the area. The 2 motel rooms each sleep 2 guests and have all the comforts that you would expect. There are also several vacation rentals on the river in the area that we use for larger groups or for folks that want to do their own meals and just have more space. Toby and the other guides stay at Cross Currents and meet up with clients at the shop every morning before the day starts. We’ve found that flying into Helena, MT. and renting a car is usually the easiest option for most folks.

These trips have long been favorites of many of our clients year after year for good reason. We typically hook and land a lot of fish everyday and they average in the 17-20” range, with some larger fish being caught most days as well.  This is a great time of year to experience some fantastic fishing on a river that is quite honestly, crowded and difficult to fish later in the year. We recommend this trip for anglers of all skill levels and feel confident in encouraging anyone to join us for what will surely be a memorable fly fishing adventure.

Toby Swank, our outfitter and owner, guides exclusively on the Missouri during this timeframe Monday – Friday. Our other core guides are up there as well and are available any day of the week. We recommend planning on fishing at least 2 days with us during this time of year and most bookings are typically for 3 Days / 4 Nights. Once you’ve decided that this sounds good to you, we’ll get you on the books and help with sorting out the lodging. Our standard guide rate of $425 a day applies to these trips and lodging is generally $100 a night per room for the motel and $275 and up a night for the vacation rentals. E-mail us or give the shop a call at 1-877-790-5303 to get started on your booking.

Fins & Feathers Fly Fishing

Spring on the MO

Join us for some fantastic early season fishing on the Missouri River this May and June.

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Out There!

We call this "Toby's rambling cruise through parts unknown guided fly fishing adventure."

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Big Horn Hoppers

Western hopper fishing at it's best and maybe a chance to see the Big Horn River in a new light.

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Western Dries

Join us late in the year around Missoula as we go head hunting into the Fall.

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Looking for some new ideas or just want to try something different with Fins & Feathers in 2012? We've now added the waters around Missoula to our base of operations and are also offering a few special trips around Montana on a limited basis. Check out the options below and keep in mind that these trips are available during limited timeframes and limited group sizes. We recommend reserving these trips as soon as you can as they will book up quickly.

Fins & Feathers Fly Fishing

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We’ve been guiding more and more around western Montana the last few years as we look to new areas to show our many returning clients. With a full time guide in the area, we are now able to offer year round guided full or multi-day fly fishing trips in this part of Montana. Rick Weisend, our longtime head guide and Bozeman fly shop manager runs our Missoula trips and guides extensively around western Montana. The Missoula area has a lot to offer in terms of wild trout waters and an abundance of diverse Montana fly fishing experiences.

The watersheds around Missoula that we guide include the Clark’s Fork, Bitterroot, and Blackfoot river drainages. Each of these large rivers is best fished from either a raft or a drift boat and each have well over 50 miles of accessible, quality trout water. Rainbows, Browns, Westslope Cutthroat, and Bull Trout are likely to be found in these waters which make for an even more unique experience.

The Missoula rivers tend to fish very well early in the year (March and April), at the tail end of the spring runoff, and late summer. Mid-summer conditions can vary with the weather and winter snow-pack, but the amount of available options makes a Montana fly fishing trip to Missoula worth a trip anytime. Anglers of all skill levels can expect to have success and a great time with any of our guides around Missoula.

Bookings for our Missoula fly fishing trips are reserved by calling our Bozeman fly shop at 1-877-790-5303, e-mail, or you can book online. Our standard guide rate for a full day of fishing is $425 and includes flies, lunches, transportation to and from the river, and non-alcoholic beverages. Licenses and gratuities for the guides are not included in this price. Waders and boots are available for rent, but the guides will provide use of rod and reel if needed. We’ll be happy to suggest lodging options for you in the Missoula area as well.

Fins & Feathers Fly Fishing

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Our central base of operation is out of our fly shop located just a few miles west of downtown Bozeman. Although we guide Montana fly fishing trips across the state, Bozeman is our home and we consider the surrounding watersheds our “Home Waters.”

There are year round fly fishing opportunities for fly fishers of all skill levels on most of our local waters. From big western rivers to the smallest of spring creeks, the various watersheds around Bozeman offer a diversity of both fisheries and landscapes that you won’t find anywhere else.

Bozeman fly fishing opportunities are best characterized by drifting or wading on large western rivers like the Gallatin, Yellowstone, Madison, and Jefferson rivers. The area attracts anglers from all over the world in search of wild trout and an amazing Montana fly fishing experience. In addition to the more well known rivers, there are dozens of small streams, spring creeks, and medium-sized rivers that often offer solitude and a more personal experience on the water.

The overwhelming abundance of quality, wild trout fly fishing waters near Bozeman makes it possible for us to guide just about every day of the year. Whether you’re a seasoned fly fisher or new to the sport, the endless opportunities that can be found near Bozeman have something to offer everyone. Come see us in Bozeman and learn firsthand what makes fly fishing in Montana something that every angler needs to experience at least once but brings many others back year after year.

Our guides fish throughout the region and know these waters as well as anyone, which when combined with their professional and friendly demeanors makes for a Montana guided fly fishing trip like you’ve never experienced before! We work hard to make sure that each of our trips focuses on our guests and ensuring that they have a great time and learn a few things while catching some wild trout. Your satisfaction and safety are our only priorities – we were awarded the “2010 Orvis Endorsed Outfitter of the Year” as a result of our ability to deliver a terrific guided fly fishing trip to hundreds of folks every year.

Fins & Feathers Fly Fishing

Our Home Waters

Bozeman, MT. is our central base of operation and a unique fly fishing destination in itslef.

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Western Montana

We also offer year round guided fly fishing trips out west in and around the city of Missoula, Mt.

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Unique Mt. Trips

Looking for something new? Join Fins and Feathers on one of these unique Montana fly fishing itineraries.

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Bozeman, Montana is  as good as it gets in terms of a premier fly fishing destination if you enjoy seeing different water every day and fishing for truly wild trout. Our Bozeman fly shop is located just a few miles west of downtown, so it's right on the way to just about everywhere you'd want to fish while in the Southwest Montana. We're open year round and offer guided trips everyday of the year! Although our Montana fly fishing guide service is centered in Bozeman, we also offer trips throughout the state so be sure to check these options out as well if your plans are taking you elsewhere this year.