This week, we’re talking about a spectacle of nature that happens every year in the Rockies in June—the salmonfly hatch. This is a giant stonefly that excites big trout and fly fishers—but it’s difficult to plan for and not as easy to fish as you might . . .
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Podcast: Protecting the Montana Headwaters, with Scott Bosse
This week, I talk with Scott Bosse of American Rivers on the Montana Headwaters Security Act, a 7-year program that will hopefully come to fruition in 2020. It’s draft legislation for new Wild and Scenic river designations on some of the best . . .
Read MoreNew Water-Management Plan Ensures Great Trout Fishing on the Bighorn
We are a few weeks into the season on the Bighorn River, excited and looking forward to a fresh start. The spring fishing has been good, and the size of trout being caught is similar to the early years, when the average size was 16 to 18 inches long. The . . .
Read MorePro Tips: 5 Keys to Fishing the Salmonfly Hatch on the Madison
Written by: Doug Casey, Montana Angler Fly Fishing
Each year, anglers from around the world head for Montana to see if they can hit the salmonfly hatch.
Photos by Doug Casey
The annual salmonfly hatch on Montana’s Madison River is one of fly fishing’s most storied and anticipated events. Salmonfly time is hands-down your best shot at landing a true trophy trout. . .
Read More5 Flies for the Mother’s Day Caddis Hatch
Each year at about this time, a great natural wonder occurs: huge clouds of small, dark caddisflies appear on most of Western rivers. Mother’s Day caddis (Brachycentrus americanus) emerge in huge numbers and are the first really big hatch of the . . .
Read MorePro Tips: Gearing Up for Early-Season Winds
Written by: Luke Lowery, The Tackle Shop
Things can get gusty in spring, which means your tackle needs to be up to snuff.
Photo courtesy The Tackle Shop
Spring is one of the best times to fish in Southwest Montana. However, with the arrival of spring come the dreaded windy days. Many anglers head out to the river to battle against gale. . .
Read MorePro Tips: Top 5 Flies for Springtime on the Madison
Written by: Kaitlin Groundwater, Madison Valley Ranch
Patrick Fulkrod of South Holston River Company shows off a springtime beauty on the Madison.
Photo by Patrick Fulkrod
In the middle of winter, many anglers find themselves longing for something that the snow and chilly weather has kept at bay–the tug of a trout at the end of their line. We find ourselves eager to . . .
Read MoreClassic Tuesday Tip: Learning to Love Ugly Flies
Written by: John McKinnie
The Madison River trout didn’t seem to mind that Elliot’s pattern wasn’t perfect.
Photo by John McKinnie
I have a problem to admit: I have become a fly snob! The more time I spend fly fishing, the more concerned I have become with the aesthetic appeal of fly patterns. I believe that I developed. . .
Read MoreTrout Bum of the Week XXXIX: Lisa Savard
A fishing guide for more than two decades, Lisa Savard now shares her knowledge with others..
Photo by Tim Savard
Lisa Savard runs Savard Hospitality Consulting, along with her husband Tim, from their home alongside Rock Creek near Clinton, Montana. Before they moved out West in 2014, Lisa and Tim owned and operated Lopstick Lodge & Cabins in Pittsburg, New Hampshire for. . .
Read MoreVote to Protect Clean Water and Ensure Responsible Mining in Montana
On Election Day, November 6, Montanans will have the opportunity to make a powerful statement in support of clean water by voting YES on I-186, known as the Requirements for Permits and Reclamation Plans of New Hard Rock Mines Initiative. If . . .
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