Good news folks, with the expiration of Governor Bullock’s
Stay At Home Directive, We are able to open our shop up for business starting
Friday, May 1st. This is exciting and we are looking forward to seeing you back
in the shop. We will be open everyday of the week from 9-5.
We are
taking safety very SERIOUSLY and we will be adhering to strict social
distancing guidelines wherever possible. Our number one goal is to protect our
staff and amazing customers. Here is a partial list of things we will be doing
as we all move forward with this new normal:
– We will be cleaning and sanitizing ALL surfaces after each
customer.
– We will only allow 4 people in the shop at any one time
and we ask that these folks please adhere to the six foot distancing guideline
whenever possible.
– We ask that ANYONE who feels remotely ill to please
refrain from coming in the shop and ask that you take advantage of our free mailing
service or curbside pick-up program when possible.
Please
know that we strive to provide you with the best in fishing gear and angling
advice and the best way we can continue to do this is by following these
guidelines and keeping our community safe! We will be diligent in enforcing
these new changes and look forward to having you back in the shop.
Again, we want to thank you for
your patience this past month and we want you to know that as we move in to
this ‘new normal’ our goal is to keep our community safe and continue to
provide you with the highest quality fishing gear and information to help make
your Montana fly fishing experience one to remember.
As a way
of thanking you, we will be offering 20% off the entire store from May 1st
to May 5th. Thanks for your continued support and we will see you
Monday!
The new normal is here, and with it comes time, time on our hands. The standard daily tasks have been up-ended, and we find ourselves home with much less to do and more time to do it. Think of Henry Ford, and his statement, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re probably correct.” It’s our choice, to wilt away our time wondering about what we could be doing, or we can use the time to actually do things that may have been put off for a little bit too long. Will make the time pay.
Ask yourself a simple question. When was the last time you
cleaned your fly reel? And we don’t mean falling in last year, when everything
got a pretty good dunking. How about the last time you took it apart, cleaned
the frame and spool with some soapy water, and then re-lubricated it? If you’re
like most anglers, the answer varies from never to a while ago. Well, you might
have the time to do it now. Don’t completely disassemble the drag, (unless you
still have the instructions!) just get
the spindle clean, and a little fresh grease on it. If you can, stay away from
WD-40, as it gets gummy over time. Simple 3-in-1 Oil does the trick. You’ll be
stunned how much smoother everything works when there’s fresh lubricant on the
reel.
Since you have your reel out, clean your fly line. It’s not
tricky. Fill a sink with water and a little dishwashing soap, and then stick
the last 30-40 feet of line in the soapy water. Use a couple of glasses filled
with water to keep it submerged. Swish your hand around (double duty, cleans
your fly line and washes your hands at the same time!), and if you get
ambitious, run the line through a soapy sponge. You’ll watch the dirt come off.
That’s all you need to do if your line is fairly new. If the line is a bit
older, dry it and head out to the garage to get your bottle of Armor All for
the car. Dab a little on a rag or paper towel, and run the line through it a
couple of times. LET IT DRY! Drape it over something and let the Armor All dry.
It forms a slick, protective shield over the plastic coating of the fly line,
and gives that older line a lot more life.
Grab your vest. Or fanny pack. Or Sling pack. Or boat bag. Whatever! Pull your fly boxes out and do a
little sorting. You probably don’t need
the Purple Haze that lost its hackle. The rusty McGinty that your nephew bought
at a gas station for you, well, it might be time to move that along as well.
You might have grasshoppers in 4 different boxes, not to mention the 3 plastic
cups you got at different fly shops last year? It’s a good time to consolidate
and organize. You might find a few glaring holes that need to be filled, or
learn that you have enough PMD’s to last the next 4 seasons. Either way, you’re
going to have a better handle on what’s what and where it is after a little
organization.
If you’re a fly tyer, the options are endless. The first is
easy. Fill those glaring holes! The reason you don’t have any size 16 Pheasant Tails
is because you used them all. Get some hooks out, and start filling them. But
that might get old fairly soon, knocking out the same fly in the same size for
hours on end. Useful, but tedious. So now you have the time, let’s do something
new and different.
So many people say they can’t spin deer hair. When the
pressure is on, and the boxes need to be filled, you don’t want to stumble
about on the vise, struggling for one fly when you need 6. Now you have a
little time. Grab that piece of deer hair, the one that has three snips cut out
of it, and stick a hook in the vise. Find a YouTube video, and start spinning.
No, it won’t be any easier! But you also won’t have the pressure of needing
flies NOW. Spin the hair on, give it a trim, and slice it off with a razor. Do
it again. And again. If you start to feel frustrated, stop. Go back to filling
holes. Come back to the deer hair later. Rinse and repeat. You’ll be astonished
how quickly a skill you never thought you could master becomes yours. The same
goes for setting dry wings or using a dubbing loop. Branch out. Tie some
Deceivers for trout. Whip up a spey fly, or go tiny. For good or not, the time
is there. Make it count! You’ll only get better, you’ll have more flies, and
learn skills that will help you for as long as you tie.
Knowledge is power. Remember when that bug floated by and you had no idea what it was. And couldn’t ID because it got eaten? Well, now’s a good time to do a little honing up on your bug and hatch skills. Not to toot our own horn, but if you go to https://www.missoulianangler.com/resources/ you will find a wealth of material about Western Montana Hatches, the best flies for Montana hatches and the best tips to fish those flies. The tips have been garnered from some of the best fly fishing guides in Missoula Montana, and are useful to anglers both novice and experienced. If you want to be better informed and more effective on the water, make sure you give our Resources page a hard look.
Unfortunately, many aren’t in a position to put that new knowledge to the test. But there are other ways to experience the joys of being on the water. Fly fishing is blessed with some of the most interesting and arresting authors in any sport. People like John Geirach, Sparse Gray Hackle, Steve Raymond and so many more can bring the joys of fly fishing past the page and into your marrow. We all have treasured memories of time on the water. As these authors share their stories, yours will rise to the surface like a Mahogany on a crisp Fall day. There’s time to read a page and then pause, sitting pretty as we read about our passion, communing with all the fishermen who’ve gone before and will come again. Because it’s going to come again. You can’t keep ‘em down on the farm forever! It’s why we’re cleaning lines and lubing reels, sorting flies and stretching our tying abilities. So when the bell sounds and we emerge from our shelters, we can hit the water running hard, with more flies, knowledge and a sense of why we fish than we ever had before.
Because whether you think you can, or you think you can’t,
you’re probably right!
Blake Hasquet enjoying some Montana spring fly fishing.
One week the fishing will be incredible with bugs, stable flows and beautiful weather and the next week you’re dealing with rising water, snow/rain and frozen guides. Like the saying goes “if you don’t like the weather in Montana, wait 10 minues” the same goes for Montana spring fly fishing.
We are dealing with this issue right now. Just when things started warming up and the rivers started to fish really well, we get hammered by rain after a brief warm up and the the rivers start to bump in flows. The last few weeks have been amazing fishing, big fish on big dries all day long. The good news is the flows will level off again and the fishing should continue to be productive after these daily bumps in flow. The bad news is that this weekend isn’t looking great for fly fishing Missoula rivers with rising flows, wind and cold nights.
We are hoping by next week the Bitterroot river and Blackfoot river should level off and begin to clear unless the weather man changes his/her thoughts. Rock creek is also seeing a bump but fishing is typically less effected on this stream then the rest of the Missoula rivers when flows bump due to spring conditions. The Clark Fork river is always a bit behind the other rivers to clear up and hopefully it comes back into shape by the end of next week because it was fishing really well on top for the last week or so.
Your best options for fishing right now are the Bitterroot and Rock Creek if you do plan to go fishing this week. To be honest, it might be a better weekend to tie, organize fly boxes, study entomology and check out our online menu and give us a call or email to put in an order for needed supplies for better fishing next week. Skwala, March Brown, Neumora and BWO are the primary insects that will be hatching for the rest of April, so focus on tying these or loading your fly box for some of the best Montana spring fishing of the year coming,
Many of us have a lot of extra time on our hands lately and fishing is a great way to pass the time. The inconsistency of spring fly fishing in Montana is something we live with every year and those who prepare now will maximize their fishing time when rivers stabilize. The last thing that you want to happen is getting out on the river and realize that you’re out of 3x tippet or the right pattern and fish are feeding in front of you. We are more then happy to put together a variety of flies that will work this time of year for you if you would like. A dozen professionally picked flies will go a long ways for your Missoula fly fishing adventure. Our doors may be shut but we are still open to call in or email orders and are here to help like we always have. Don’t hesitate to reach out for an order or just some needed advice. We miss seeing everyone come into our Missoula fly shop and at the very least, we would still love to hear your voices.
Get out and go fish, enjoy the time to yourself or family and enjoy Montana spring fly fishing.
Well so far 2020 has been an interesting year to say the least. With restrictions in Montana and the rest of the Country, there are few things that we have control over right now. Just like fly fishing in Montana, things can change very quickly and we all hope things turn for the better.
The one thing that has changed in Montana spring fishing is the guides are off the river and most of the college students have gone back home, which leaves the rivers with a little less company. For our Missoula fly fishing guides it has been a tough spring and we’re not really sure what the summer has in store for us. While this is a tough spring to swallow for all Montana fishing guides and outfitters, it’s leaving the rivers to the rest of the Missoula anglers to enjoy. Our Missoula fly shop staff have talked to lots of folks who have had stretches to themselves on some of the most beautiful days.
You would be amazed to see how many college students come into our shop to gear up to go fly fishing and as a business we do miss them but as anglers, we like seeing the rivers a little less crowded and less fishing pressure means uneducated fish which we also like.
If your one of those anglers that doesn’t dust off your rod until the Salmon flies hit the Missoula rivers in June then maybe this is the time to explore the best spring fly fishing in Montana. From throwing big bugs like Skwala’s to tiny mayflies like BWO’s, the spring has a little bit for everyone’s taste. Not to mention some of the best streamer fishing can be had on the rivers around Missoula in the spring.
Let’s face it, the world is a different place then it was last year, many of us are out of work for the time being, we’re being told to shelter in place UNLESS it’s for essential travel or outdoor recreation like fishing. Why sit at home and watch the doom and gloom news all day worrying about the same thing you did the day before. It’s not only important to get physical exercise in these times but it is even more important to stay sane and mentally healthy. What better way to get away from this stressful situation we are all in then to get out and enjoy some of the best Montana fly fishing of the year.
Take the family out, go enjoy the river on your own, just don’t get caught up in the doom and gloom mindset that many have right now. It’s not healthy for you or your family. 2020 doesn’t seem like it can get much worse so the only way is up from here. Go catch a few fish and enjoy the wonders of Montana and all the things that make life so special. After all life is to short and as my grandma use to say “this to shall pass”.
We get it, there’s a huge problem out there, and we’re all
feeling a bit nervous, a bit helpless and buffeted about things we can’t see or
control. How tired are you of hearing about the new normal?!?!?!?
The old normal is out there- it’s on the Clark Fork River,
Bitterroot River, Blackfoot River and Rock Creek. The bugs have no clue.
Neither do the trout. It’s spring, the trees are budding, and it’s snowing in
the mountains. You can get knee deep in a river and feel the water wash around
you. You can gaze at the mountains, snow capped and magisterial as they watch
over the valley in their slow, patient way. You can marvel at the rising trout,
the sly underwater wink that could be Mr. Big, or just a whitey. But that’s why
we fly fish, for the fascination, for the chance at Brother Two Foot, to catch
and release to be there again.
The cold nights have the Missoula rivers in perfect shape. They’re lower than normal, which means the fish are where they should be. The Blackfoot River is actually getting a bit warm and fishing. The WMB’s are coming off on Rock Creek, along the edges just where you expect them. The Clark Fork is fishing great, and the Skwalas and WMB’s are making their presence felt. And of course, Skwalas on the Bitterroot river. The conditions are a clarion call to listen to Governor Bullock- social distancing is protocol, but let’s not forget to recreate, let’s not forget to take advantage of what surrounds us.
There are a lot of places not as well off as Montana when it
comes to the issues we face today. If you’re there, and not in Montana, you’re
on our minds. We hope the social distancing is working as well where you are as
it is in Montana. That means you’ll be here sooner than you think for some Missoula
fly fishing. Don’t worry! The rivers will still be here, that favorite bend in
the river, or that awesome bucket where you hooked one you never even saw, that
you think about even today. That trout is still there, and will be when we get
back to the old normal.
With the weather we’re having right now, it feels like run-off, when it comes, is going to come hard and fast. The rivers are in perfect wading shape (Drift boats are finding the bottom closer to their hull than usual!) and the fish are willing and healthy. No need to be on the water as the sun appears, it’s just a tad cold still. Sleep in, fish the middle of the day. If it’s cloudy, have your BWO’s with you, and of course Skwalas, WMB’s and Nemouras. If you’re a streamer guy, then you do want to be on the water a bit earlier, to take advantage of the bite before the hatches.
Missoula spring fishing is here. Maybe it’s difficult to
pick up on, as we don’t bustle through our normal day. But it’s here, and it’s
happening. Remember to take a little time out, remember to do things for you.
As Han said to Chewee, “Keep your distance, but don’t look like you’re trying
to keep your distance.” You know, fish
casual! The rivers are there, they will be there and they will do their job as
they always do. Because when you’re fishing, the cares of the world go washing
away with the water that passes between your feet. Let the water work it’s
wizardry, allow yourself to experience river magic and lose yourself for just a
bit in the old normal . . . . . still found below the high water mark on every
river!
If you’re here to find secret Missoula fishing spots, you can stop reading! Not that we won’t be talking about plenty of different spots to fish near Missoula. Don’t get us wrong, we are more than happy to share some of our favorite spots in person, but the internet is not the place to do that. We’ve seen it happen. Publish a spot, and 30 anglers descend on it. When you visit our Missoula Fly shop, we can spread the love around the area, not send every angler to the same rock in the Bitterroot River.
Here’s the thing about finding fly fishing spots in Missoula- there are 340 floatable miles of river within an hour’s drive of Missoula. If you’re a wading angler, there’s a lot more! Of course, some spots are more popular than others, but with very little work you can separate yourself from other fishermen. Because of the massive amounts of river mileage, anglers spread out and often you’ll have a section of river or stream completely to yourself.
An absolutely amazing thing about Missoula area fishing,
and throughout Montana, is our river access laws. We feel they are the best in
the country. Simply stated, if you access a river legally, and stay below the
established high water mark, you may travel up or downstream as far as you
would like. Unlike other states, where the water is public but the streambed is
owned by the landowner, below the high water mark is public land in Montana.
Legal accesses are from other public lands, including bridge abutments or
highway crossings. When you see the T-Shirts all over Missoula that say Public
Land Owner, this is one of the reasons! Private water? Not really in this
state.
Before we get into some of the best fly fishing near Missoula, MT, let’s take a minute to talk about places you might not want to wade. First is the lower Clark Fork River, which we classify as below Missoula where the Bitterroot River enters. While there are some wading opportunities west on the Clark Fork, much of it is too big to effectively wade fish. The banks are steep, the water fast and deep six feet from shore. On foot, you can get into a lot of trouble in a hurry on the lower Clark Fork River. If you have a boat, that’s a whole different story!
The Blackfoot River is another one that has some very tricky wading situations. I know, I know, Brad Pitt waded it in the River Runs Through It. It’s a movie, not a documentary! It’s wonderfully dramatic to float down the river while fighting a fish, but truthfully, it might not be your best move. Don’t be a hero like Brad! While the Blackfoot is one of our favorite rivers in the Missoula area and Western Montana to float, wading is tough sledding. The banks are steep, the river deepens rapidly, high gradient means it’s quite fast and if you’re not paying attention, you can make one step and go from knee deep to over your head. When you do find a place to access and wade, it’s often very limited. Just like the Clark Fork River, there are spots where you can wade but they are few and far between.
Now that we’ve saved you a bit of time on places that may
be less productive to explore as a wade fisherman, let’s touch on a few
Missoula fishing spots to get you started catching trout. Again, these places
that we are about to mention are no secrets and more often than not, you will
have some company. But all of these streams we talk about have plenty of room
to spread out and you shouldn’t have a problem finding a spot all to yourself.
Rock Creek
Our most popular blue ribbon stream in Montana for wade fishing is Rock Creek. If you know anything about Missoula area fishing, then you’ve probably heard of Rock Creek. There’s good reason, as Rock Creek is a wade fishing paradise filled with naive Cutthroats, big Brown Trout and feisty Rainbows. While there is a short season for boats during higher water, the wade fisherman has Rock Creek to themselves for most of the season. We usually tell people that the first of many streams you should explore in Missoula is Rock Creek. Rock Creek Road parallels the Creek for over 50 miles, with multiple access points along the length. With 3,000 fish per mile, it doesn’t really matter what access point you choose. Figuring out where to fish on Rock Creek is as simple as driving up the road and picking a spot that makes you happy. It’s the smallest river in the Missoula area, which means wading opportunities abound. Honestly, the whole stream fishes great during all seasons from the bottom all the way to the top. The lower 11 miles is a paved road and after that it turns into a dirt road (sometimes it feels more like on continuous pothole!) with access points along the whole way. With Moose, Deer, Bighorn Sheep and thousands of trout per mile, there’s no wonder why Rock Creek in Montana is a destination for fisherman all over the world.
Bitterroot River
Another river to explore is the upper Bitterroot River.
The main stem of the Bitterroot can be heavily used (at least by Montana
standards) by boats, and can be a less than spectacular wade fishing experience.
You can make your main stem wading experience better with this simple trick.
When you get to an access point in the morning, head upstream. All the boats
are going downstream, and the boats from the next access point above haven’t
gotten that far. About lunch time, head back to the access point and go
downstream. Most of the boats have passed, and you’ll miss the boats coming
downstream. If you have a raft, there are many stretches of the Bitterrroot
River you can get to with very few anglers. While there are wade fishing spots
throughout the main stem that fish very well for the angler on foot, it is the
upper stretches, into the East and Westfork of the Bitterroot River. Typically
the West Fork of the Bitterroot holds bigger fish and takes a little more
pressure, while the East Fork of the Bitterroot holds smaller fish with a bit
less pressure. If neither of these are your jam, then explore one of the many
great tributaries that drain into the mainstem as you drive toward the East and
West Forks.
Clark Fork River Through Town
Some of the best fly fishing near Missoula, Mt is found
in downtown Missoula. Urban fishing is often ignored when talking about fly fishing
spots in Missoula. Many of our guides float this stretch to get away from other
boats, and are often rewarded with some of the best fly fishing in Missoula.
From East Missoula all the way down to Kona Bridge, the town section of the
Clark Fork can offer some great fishing for the angler with a time budget, and
College students without a car and fishing between classes. With plenty of
breweries and restaurants nearby, it’s easy to take a break and catch a quick
meal or beverage, and then get right back at it! Some of the biggest trout
we’ve seen come out of the Clark Fork in Missoula. Just because the
surroundings are more urban than expected, the fishing in town can be
absolutely exceptional.
Missoulian Angler Fly Shop owner Taylor Scott with a big Rainbow Trout in downtown Missoula
Many of our Missoula fly shop staff have fished these streams their whole lives, and know Missoula rivers like the back of their hand. Ron, our longest tenured employee, has worked in the shop since the late 80’s and has fished Montana for over 40 years. He spent many summers when he made it a point to fish a new stream every week, and he is the most knowledgeable person you will find on the local waters. He’s a walking encyclopedia of Western Montana fly fishing. We encourage you to explore in the same manner. Grab a map, pick a stream around Missoula and go. You would be hard pressed to find a strem in Western Montana that doesn’t hold trout and you may just find your own secret spot, where you never see another angler, or even footprints.
We said we weren’t going to get specific on a lot of streams on the internet. That being said, we love sharing some of our favorite fishing spots when you stop by our fly shop in Missoula . We’re more than happy to help you find a great fishing spot, even if you don’t need to purchase anything. Advice is always free at the Missoulian Angler and we love meeting new people who have the passion to explore Missoula fishing spots.
Missoula Montana Guided Fly Fishing Trip
Come enjoy a day on the river with Missoula’s best fly fishing guides. We float the Bitterroot River, Blackfoot River and the Clark Fork River. All gear, lunch and transportation provided.
