10 Best Spots For Fly Fishing in Montana (Local Fly Guide's Tips)

[@flyfishingguide1991]

Local here too and really trying to bring more and more people to Montana so I can have fishing buddies on every corner. Thanks for promoting our natural resources.

[@morganboggs9558]

That kinda sucks because that causes more hassle for the actual locals.

[@flyfishingguide1991]

@@morganboggs9558 I know, was being maybe not sarcastic enough

[@PROCOTRDOCTOR123]

I smell transplant, you’re not from Montana

[@flyfishingguide1991]

@@PROCOTRDOCTOR123 your sniffer was wrong. The comment was sarcastic. These types of videos are bullshit.

[@jrcll7856]

love the PMD hatch on the Clark

[@artvandelay5749]

Thanks for the video!

[@gp4708]

Awesome information. Thanks for sharing.

[@jf6395]

The Big Hole isnt the river it used to be tragically ....and as a fellow native Montanan I also think outfitting is out of control and really has over crowded the Madison and the upper Yellowstone among others to the detriment of our recreational....non commercial fishing experience

[@johnperryflyfishing]

Great informative video!

[@BradleyLee-dm4zb]

Thanks mentioning the Kootenai. I love that I get to guide and fish that river anything want.

[@ryantherock7664]

Great video Nic…this will certainly help me plan a trip to Montana.What I’m looking for is small freestone rivers/streams I can just wade.Im not into float fishing.Also I hate crowds.Where would you recommend?

[@nicjovanovich6885]

Check out Rock Creek for wade fishing. There are a thousand small streams to hit all over the state though. It's a big state so it would def. depend on the area you plan on visiting. The western half of the state is filled with small mountain streams everywhere. The Beartooth area as well.

[@lincolnprojectnemesis3253]

If you hate crowds, you won't be fishing any of the rivers he's named. There are a lot of smaller streams that don't endure the crowds of the better known ones named. Something to consider, no matter where you go, you will be adding to the crowd. Crowding is a thing, no doubt, but what really pisses locals off is inconsiderate fishermen that lack common sense and etiquette. Enjoy your stay and hope you have a great experience and cooperative trout!

[@jacobcaniglia5351]

Headed towards Silver Star for work. Any locals know about the Jefferson River? I'm wondering if I'll be able to wade. Won't have a lot of time so drifting isn't really an option.

[@Shiftin_]

Haven't got over there this year, yet. If you have Trout Routes, it shows the flows. You can also look up the USGS flow meters, or just call a local shop.

[@Surfnsnowboard3]

No Bitterroot? Why?

[@TheEzzieboy]

Back when they first required guides to put their guide sticker on their boat, 3-digit numbers were common. I know guides whose guide numbers are in the 700s. The other day, I saw a sticker that was over 50,000!!. Does this tell you something? If your number is over 5,000, YOU ARE THE PROBLEM!!! Too many outfitters, WAY too many guides. Quit it!!!

[@ccsocal768]

Your top 10 was super depressing. Basically what you said was you have to be a millionaire to fly fish Montana now💵. Almost every single river you listed you stated you NEED a drift boat due to increasing private property. I remember fly fishing Montana as a kid back in the 70s and you could walk in ANYWHERE with Ranchers ok. Now you have to bring a drift boat or pay one of your buddy guides 800 a day to just do some simple fly fishing? WTF, access sounds like nightmare Wyoming now? No average person is that rich if you want to fish everyday. The few walk-in spots you mentioned you stated are so crowded it is not even worth it. I would suggest you write a guide for walk-in fishing for Montana for the middle class fishermen, not mega rich drift boat fishermen. I was going to do a fall trip to Montana, but you changed my mind. Will probably go to Colorado high country which is mostly uncrowded walk-in fishing.

[@janphillips1093]

I agree , I fish in the U.K., i Wade 99% of the time not drift.

[@nicjovanovich6885]

I understand your sentiment but your statement isn't actually true. In fact, every place I listed has loads of public access. We're not WY or CO where it's trespassing to touch the riverbed. Also, guides around here don't cost $800 so that's good.

[@chriswgates7000]

I've got a drift boat for sale for $8,000. You don't need to be a millionaire to fish these waters.

[@tristenh2728]

You can float most of these spots on a tube and fish if you really wanted to. Been doing it since I was a kid.

[@Shiftin_]

Aside from the Koot, clark canyon (cause it's a lake) and Bighorn, I've waded in all of these rivers successfully. You just have to drive around and look for access points. Hope that helps

[@jasonerickson947]

Trying to figure out if you are trying to get everyone to fish not where you are, or just trying to ruin the fishing worse than the yuppies have already done it. Get off KZbin

[@Bigfishfun333]

No, stay on KZbin! I don't have time to fish every water in this huge state, so I value his opinion.

[@TheEzzieboy]

First reaction is, "I hope he mentions MY favorite river". Then you realize that that is NOT a good thing. Then you think, "Sure glad he didn't mention My favorite river". Good news is, he didn't say anything that most fishermen don't already know. His favorite rivers are EVERYBODY'S favorite rivers. Did you think you were going to hear some secrets? Guys like this have ruined fly fishing. You can't sell solitude, DA.

[@nookymonster1]

Thanks for screwing up our rivers.

[@Bigfishfun333]

America is a free country, pal, with a 1st Amendment, so he has every right to give us his opinion. Stop being so selfish.

[@alex-inthearctic6826]

I hate these videos because it makes fishing sound like a video game where the meta is always changing and the fishing will be different the next year. Instead why don’t you just promote people getting out and finding their own fishing spots for themselves and the sake of the fish

[@intoflyfishing]

We do that too.

[@Bigfishfun333]

"why don’t you just promote people getting out and finding their own fishing spots for themselves"......you're not serious, are you!? Most of us don't have the time to do that. I love this video. Stop being so selfish.

[@marktunstill9076]

He called it “bobber fishing”, I thought it was called “nymph” fishing😎

[@beckyfrogers]

Using bobber or indicator is a type of nymph, there's also tight lining...Etc! Some people will skip the indicator and use a hopper and do a dropper. There seems to be no end to possibilities.

[@TheEzzieboy]

Sugar coat it any way you want. An "indicator" is just an avoidance word for BOBBER. In fact, modern-day indicators are so much like a bobber, it is hard to call it anything else. Nymph fishing, especially from a boat, is for novices, in most instances.

[@brianshaheen1138]

All those rivers have been known forever. Don't even bother stream trout fishing anymore. Its over. Too bad you were born too late to be there during the days before the "movie" when you could fish those rivers and many others and never see another person. And who told people that they could make a living from fly fishing? Thats what killed trout stream fishing. People who thought it was a good idea to make fly fishing a business. Too bad you missed the better times. Its not even worth it anymore. Who spends $12,000 on a fuckin row boat then joins the flotilla of drift boats desperately trying to put "clients" on fish, if you can find one.