Montana Fly Fishing Guides

Fly Fishing In Montana

Montana is a wild, rugged state with excellent opportunities for fly fishing. The Big Sky country has numerous clear mountain lakes and the rushing waters of clear streams and rivers. When it comes to fly fishing, trout are king here, but other species can also be taken on the fly.

Montana has plenty of blue-ribbon trout streams, along with several lakes with healthy populations of trout. Species founding the state include rainbows, brookies, browns, golden trout, lake trout, tiger trout, and cutthroat trout. The state record trout are a 16-pound cutthroat from Red Eagle Lake, a 42 pound-7 ounce lake trout from Flathead Lake, a 33 pound-1.6 ounce rainbow from the Kootenai River, a 5 pound-6.88 golden trout from Cave Lake, a 29-pound brown trout from Wade Lake, a Tiger Trout from Bear Lake that weighed a little over 4 pounds, and a brook trout caught in Lower Two Medicine Lake that weighed just over 9 pounds. The state record Dolly Varden trout weighed over 25 pounds.

In addition to the home waters of all the state record holding fish, trout fishing is also excellent in several Montana lakes. These include Bull Lake, Willow Creek Reservoir, Lake Helena, Hauser Lake, Lake McDonald, Whitefish Lake, Placid Lake, Clark Canyon Reservoir, Fort Peck Lake, and Lake Francis. Some of these lakes are huge and will be difficult to fish for those unfamiliar with the local waters. You’ll have much more success with Montana fly fishing guides.

Fly Fishing In Montana

Montana is blessed with some top-notch trout streams. Some of these include Beaver Creek, Mineral Creek, Lost Horse Creek, Bear Creek, Eagle Creek, Pipe Creek, Deer Creek, Lime Creek, Duck Creek, Spring Creek, Cherry Creek, the Bull River, Meadow Creek, the Boulder River, the Little Bighorn River, the Stillwater River, the Missouri River, the Waterton River, the Yellowstone River, and scores more. Many of these streams are in deep wilderness areas and are difficult to access. Of course, these are the ones that receive the least fishing pressure, so there’s a definite upside. Find a fly fishing guide in Montana to help you get to the best trout waters.

Salmon is another top target with fly anglers in Montana, and several species are represented in good numbers. These include the kokanee, the Chinook, and the coho. The state record Chinook salmon was landed in Fort Peck Reservoir and weighed 31 pounds, 2.08 ounces, while the record coho weighed close to 5 pounds. The kokanee that took the honors in Montana weighed in at 7.5 pounds and was caught in Hauser Lake. Some of the best salmon lakes in the state are Bull Lake, Holter Lake, Placid Lake, Ashley Lake, and Whitefish Lake. For the most successful salmon fishing, utilize the services offered by Montana fly fishing guides.

Other fish species that can be caught on the fly in Montana include both largemouth and smallmouth bass, crappie, walleye, and an assortment of pan fish.