Streamer Brown Trout
Fly Fishing Hot Topics

Quarantine Checklist

by MAngler

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!

Flies and Fly Tying

Use The Bump Time To Prepare For Montana Spring Fishing

by MAngler
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.

Fly Fishing Hot Topics

2020 Missoula Spring Fly Fishing

by MAngler

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”.

Mangler Shenanigans

The River Rant

by MAngler

Brought To You By The Beef Stick Eating Brown Trout

Well it’s official, the first Skwala sighting appears and we can’t stay off the water now. To early? Yes. Good Fishing? No. Good beer and Company? You Know it.

Every year it happens to our crew, we start fishing hard in February with streamers and nymphs and by the time we see the first Skwala in March, we prematurely throw a single dry on. There’s always a few of us that go dry or die way to early. If you put a dry on your nymph rig, it might make you feel better but we all know that dropper is going to catch the majority of the fish and the dry will lull you to sleep just to be woken up by one big rainbow smashing the dry which you miss. Yes, a few fish will come up and smash the big bug but this is our way of pretending not to nymph.

What ever floats your boat right? Or in this scenario, what ever floats your nymph.

Many of you have been pretty excited coming into our Missoula fly shop after hearing that Skwala’s started too hatch. We’re excited too but I hate to tell you that the weather forecast doesn’t look pretty for Skwala adults. This upcoming weekend weather is looking a little chilly for the big bugs and even a few nights of single digits. So turn that energy into streamers, nymphs and your tying bench for the time being.

This time of year is when Missoula fly fishing guides start scouting the river for new changes in the streams from last fall, make sure their boat and gear is in working order, and buy a new cooler because the lunch from the last trip hasn’t been cleaned out since October.

Missoula Fly Shops are constantly getting shipments of flies in and stocking up for the anticipation for a good Skwala hatch. But after a lousy spring fishing season in Misssoula last year, there’s a lot less stocking to do this year.

For us at the Missoulian Angler Fly Shop, we’ve been dedicating a lot of our time in preparing for our first annual Skwala Fest. We’ve been constantly getting shipments in of donations from our vendors in the form of product to raffle off. At this point we are pretty sure we’ve annoyed just about everyone of our facebook followers with constant shout outs for the Skwala Fest. Don’t worry though, we are less then a month away from the event and then we’ll give you a rest until the second annual event.

March fly fishing in Missoula can be hit and miss with the weather and often fluctuating water but it is one of our favorite times of year on the river and in the shop. On the river big fish chase streamers and more often then not you will find yourself on a stretch of water all to yourself with some of your best friends. Being the largest fly selection and fly tying selection in Western Montana, most Missoula fly fishing guides shop at our fly shop and they are some of our favorite people. They’re patient demeanor means they can deal with Georges rants and bubbly attitude, they are excited for the upcoming season and they get just as excited about our new patterns for the season as us. Missoula fly shops get a little lonely in the winter and seeing familiar faces like the guides who often stop in the shop every day from June until October brings the life back into our shop.

Fly Fishing Montana
Fly Fishing Hot Topics

Missoula Fishing Spots

by MAngler

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 Salmonflies

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.

Clark Fork Rainbow Trout Downtown Missoula
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.

Learn More
Montana Guided Fly Fishing Float Trip
Montana Fly Fishing Guides
Missoula Fly Fishing Guide

Best Fly Fishing Guides In Missoula Montana

by MAngler

If you’ve gotten to this far in your research, you may have decided to come to Missoula for your fly fishing vacation. With that decision, your next question is where do I find the best fly fishing guides in Missoula Montana? That’s a seriously loaded question, and it may in fact be the wrong question. Here’s why.

The Missoulian Angler fly Shop been outfitting guided fly fishing trips in Missoula for over 30 years. Our shop staff has a combined 110 years of fly shop and industry experience. The owner and outfitter of The Missoulian Angler Fly Shop is a fifth generation Missoulian, with a family history of over 100 years fly fishing in the Missoula Valley. We have literally seen it all. Not only do we hand pick the very best fly fishing guides Missoula has to offer, but we also make it a point to handpick the right guide for our guests. It’s our goal to make you want to come back to Missoula year after year, and that starts with the best guide….. for you.

When you book with us, we ask you a series of questions, ranging from how much do you fish to dietary restrictions.  These questions may not mean much to you, but they are critical to us. It allows us to match you with the best possible fly fishing guide for your needs. We have guides who’ve fished the Missoula rivers their entire life, and guided for 20+ years. We have guides who are just starting out in their careers. Believe us, it’s not always as simple as “I want the best fishing guide”.

As an example, we have many guests just starting their fly-fishing journey, and while they want to catch fish, they also want what we refer to as FlyFishing 101. These guests may not be the best match for that intense guide who is consistently catching the biggest and most trout in Missoula, but has been there and done that with beginners. It takes a lot of patience and teaching ability to put a beginner on trout. The Missoulian Angler has many guides who love teaching beginners, love seeing the look on their face as they catch their first Montana trout.

That intense guide, however, may be just perfect for the seasoned fly fisher. Experienced anglers know what they’re doing. They know how to fish, and how they want to fish, be it streamers, nymphs or dries. They’ve gotten a guide to put them on the best fish at the opportune moment. The fishing experience they’re looking for is completely different from the novice angler, so their guide is chosen completely differently.

We excel at booking multi-boat trips for people with widely divergent skill levels and interest. When a family makes a booking, we know there’s usually one or two serious fishermen and then those who will fish but aren’t going to put 8 hours in, which are usually the kids. We put the less intense fishers with our most fun, most talkative guides! We have guides who school teach in the winter, then guide in the summer. They know kids. They bring squirt guns, extra cookies and all kinds of things that will be of interest to those who might be floating, but not fishing full time. Want to jump off the raft into deep water? Go for it! At the end of the day, the less interested fisherman has had an amazing experience. They want to go “fishing” again. 

At this point, we hope you’ve realized asking for the best fly fishing guides in Missoula Montana may not be the best question.  Instead, what fly fishing guide will fit your specific needs, and make the most of your Montana fly fishing trip. Many of the shop’s staff have guided the Missoula area for years, so we know what goes into making your float or wade fishing trip memorable. That’s what we love to do, and we take tremendous pride in doing it. Our goal is to give you the experience of a lifetime fishing our beloved Missoula Rivers like the Bitterroot River, Blackfoot River, Clark Fork River, Rock Creek and Missouri River.

When you call to book your guided fly fishing trip, let us know exactly what you want out of your day on the river, and give us as many details as possible. The more you chat, the more we understand what you’re looking for. While you chat, we’re taking notes! After all, the day is yours and we’re here to help you, and your guide, get the most out of your day on the water. If you want to maximize your fish count, you need to tell us. If you want to learn new techniques like streamer fishing or nymphing then we’ll match you with the appropriate teaching guide. If you want one big fish, again we need to know. And if you just want to go float some of Montana’s best rivers and enjoy the scenery with a little bit of fishing in the mix then we will make that happen for you.

Missoula Montana is blessed with some amazing fishing guides. We hire from a pool of over 50 Missoula guides, so there is a match for everyone, whether you’re wading or floating. We’re here to make sure the guide you get is the best guide in Missoula……. for you.