Fly Fishing in Montana Offers Numerous Choices of Style

Montana may be thought of for many things considered part of the early west, as well as being one of five states to house the Rocky Mountains. However, fly fishing in Montana is legendary among devoted anglers. With the Yellowstone River winding through the south central part of the state, its clear and often cold waters are home to some of the largest trophy trout in the state. Additionally, passing through Hayden Valley, the river's scenery can sometimes make people forget that they are fly fishing in Montana.

Fantastic fishing is also reported in the Gallatin River and the Madison River as well as in many of the clear, crisp mountain lakes that are filled with the melted snow runoff from the mountains. The scenery invites the tourists but the trout fishing lures the angler to try their hand at fly fishing in Montana. With the availability of various fishing expeditions, folks can have their choice of how they want to approach their experience.

While many will remain on the banks of rivers such as the Big Horn River or even the tumultuous waters of the Missouri River, others may choose to wade in closer to the fish. As the rivers course through the valleys, their depth often changes suddenly and the river bottom they were standing on while fly fishing in Montana is suddenly neck deep or over their head. Many choose to use kayaks or rubber rafts as they fish the waters.

Higher Mountain Lakes Offer Different Challenges

When fly fishing in Montana the lakes in the upper elevations, above 9,000 feet offer some of the clearest waters for sight casting, but the trout in those areas are generally under a foot long. Most areas in these lakes are catch and release only and for catching trophies while fly fishing in Montana lakes at lower elevations or the major rivers offer a better opportunity.

Those who are unfamiliar with fly fishing in Montana will be better served by hiring a guide for their first outing or so, especially when fishing in unknown territories. As they follow the fish up or down a river, it may be easy to become disoriented and quickly lose their way back to the starting point on the river.

The state may also be known for many forms of outdoor sports such as big game hunting, but fly fishing in Montana is a well-known pastime for anglers around the country. In late spring the rush will be on to hook onto the trophy that they can brag about for years to come.