Fishing paradise

Montana has more miles of wild trout rivers than any other state in the lower 48, making it an ideal location for fly fishing.

photo by Nelson Kenter Kenterphotography.com

Fishing

Depending on who you talk to, fishing – particularly fly-fishing – is the holy grail of Western Montana outdoor activities.

Immortalized in Norman Maclean’s beloved novella, “A River Runs Through It” – and later made famous in Robert Redford’s film adaptation starring Brad Pitt – fly fishing is one of this region’s most popular outdoor activities.

Montana has more miles of wild trout rivers than any other state in the lower 48, the vast majority of which are in Western Montana.

With dozen’s of outfitters and guides in the Missoula and Bitterroot valleys and 25 distinct full-day floats within one hour’s drive from town, Missoula is ground zero of trout fishing paradise.

Rainbows, browns, cutty’s, brookies, and more are alive and well—particularly in the Blackfoot river, which has made great strides in conservation within the last three decades.

Fly-fishing isn’t the only angling done around here, though. Numerous lakes in the area offer bait fishermen plentiful opportunities to land the big one. Seeley Lake and Swan Lake are popular summer vacation destinations and are both a short drive from Missoula.

During the frigid winter months, don’t expect us to simply hang up our rod n’ reel in favor of the fresh powder at Snow Bowl—ice fisherman dot the white landscape on frozen lakes all over western Montana.

If you do decide to brave the cold and wet a line, seek out a guide or knowledgeable local fisherman to take you on your first trip. Year-round, outfitter and guide information is readily available, but be sure to book your trip early because they fill up fast.

And don’t forget to capture the ‘Kodak moment’ when you land your first trout—just make sure you ask your guide how to properly hold the fish for the photo op… he or she will know what we mean.

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Hoot-Owl Restrictions Placed On Additional Rivers in Southwest Montana

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Reeling in Memories: The Joy of Family Fishing Trips

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Warm Water Prompts Full Fishing Closures and Hoot-Owl Restrictions on Some Streams

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Wildlife Officials, Blackfoot Community Work Together on Fatal Bear Attack Details and Next Steps

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4 Top Fish Finders: How To Make The Most Out Of Your Fishing Trip

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An Exceptional Clothes Guide for Fishing in the Tropics

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Live Bait Fishing Regulations Vary Across the State

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Be Bear Aware When Recreating Outdoors

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2021 Smith River Permit Drawing Results Now Available

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Hunting and Fishing License Year Begins March 1st

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The Importance of Varying Dry Fly Patterns While Fly Fishing in Missoula

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A Faster Way to Get Some Fish in the Sea

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FWP “Kids to Fish” Program Allows Anglers to Borrow Gear & Tackle For Free

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5 Insanely Creative and Fun Things to do in Missoula

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Man Injured in Grizzly Bear Attack on Sun River

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Beartooth Wildlife Management Area Opens May 15 to Day-Use Only

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FWP Announces Updates to COVID-19-Related Closures and Suspensions

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State Lands Remain Open For Day Use

Fish Wildlife and Parks adjusts facility management in response to COVID-19; and state lands remain open for day use. ... more

Teaching A Man How to Fish: Guide For Beginners

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2019 International Fly Fishing Film Festival Features Trout-To-Taimen Around the World

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Fishing Restrictions Lifted on Smith and Sun Rivers

By BRUCE AUCHLY - Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has lifted fishing restrictions on two central Montana rivers in the wake of recent cooler weather.... more

Missoula Spring Fishing Report

By TONY REINHARDT- The new Montana fishing season started in March and it was a great month to be on the water. The Skwala stonefly hatch begins in March. ... more

Is Spring Early or Late?

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Will Winter Wither?

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Ducks Unlimited Dumps Access Advocate

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Fishing Moose

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Early Season Hunters: Make Fire Safety A Top Priority

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Dry Rot in the Bitterroot

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Missoula – A River Runs Through It

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Tips for Fishing Through the Hoot Owl Restrictions

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Becoming an Outdoors Woman Summer Workshop August 7-9

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Trout in Hot Water

By TRISTAN SCOTT - Historic stream temperature highs, low flows threaten Northwest Montana's cold-water fish.... more

Dry Rot in the Bitterroot

By ROB BREEDING- The 10th percentile in June means most rivers will be nearly bone dry in August.... more

Psychedelic Trout

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Summer Forecast has FWP Keeping Close Watch on Streams

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Manners Matter – How to Share Western Montana Rivers

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Motorists Hauling Watercraft Must Stop at AIS Inspection Stations

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Of River Bondage

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Salmonfly Mania in Missoula

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Summer Season Begins in Glacier National Park

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March Madness: Fly Fishing in Missoula, Montana (VIDEO)

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Missoula River Etiquette

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Tales and Trails: Love in the Time of Cold

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Blue-Winged is the New Black

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Early Start to the Fishing Season

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My Most Spectacular Failure Was a Gift

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Ice Fishing Safety Reminders

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New Year for Hunting & Fishing Licenses Begins March 1

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Fall Days on the Radar

By ROB BREEDING - The fishing has grown increasingly good as the leaves succumb to gravity.... more

Milestone Season Comes to a Close

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Fall Fly Fishing in Missoula–The Anglers’ Time

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Warm Flows Prompt “Hoot-Owl” Fishing On Dearborn, Smith and Sun Rivers

Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks has advised anglers on three central Montana rivers that all fishing will close daily from 2 p.m. to midnight until conditions improve; effective Aug. 8th.... more

What Do Ants Taste Like?

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Mid Summer Missoula Fishing Report

By TONY REINHARDT -The season is flying by! The fishing has been great in Missoula so far this year, and with plenty of water still in our rivers that should continue through the rest of the season. ... more

Going Home Again

By ROB BREEDING - I went back to one former home recently, my old stomping grounds in the Bitterroot Valley.... more

Do the Right Thing

By ROB BREEDING - The fish that were in Montana first are worthy of our best conservation efforts.... more

Summer Dry Fly Season in Missoula

By TONY REINHARDT - It seems that we have gone from spring to summer overnight in Missoula and the fly fishing transition has happened just as quickly--now is the time to get into the river.... more

FWP, Anglers Work Together to End Illegal fish Introductions

Montana fisheries officials and major statewide angling groups signed an agreement recently aimed at curbing the spread of illegal fish introductions into state waters.... more

Becoming an Outdoors Woman Summer Workshop August 1-3

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks' popular Becoming an Outdoors-Woman summer workshop is set for August 1-3 at Boulder Hot Springs near Boulder.... more

The Next Generation–Take a Kid Fishing!

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Meat in Tube Form

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High Water Fishing Options in Western Montana

By TONY REINHARDT -Got the fishing bug? Wonder where can you scratch the itch in the middle of run-off season? The key to success this time of year lies more in your computer or smart phone than in your fly bo... more

Entirely Genetic Bliss

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Time to Catch a Rainbow

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Skwala Season Has Arrived in Western Montana

By TONY REINHARDT -Skwalamania has arrived in full force in western Montana. This much anticipated event of the fishing season was delayed by record snow and cold in February, but it is finally upon us. ... more

February Blues

By ROB BREEDING - February is the lousiest month on the calendar. It might not be so if I were an ice fisherman or a hockey player. But I’m neither, so my options are limited.... more

Love in the Winter

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Winter Survival

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Fly Tying Season

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Montana Riffraff Win Again

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Christmas Shopping Suggestions for the Outdoor-Type

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Trout Numbers Remain High in Missouri River

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Late Season Solitude

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Agencies Advise Limited Consumption of Some Fish Species Below Mill Site on Clark Fork River

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The Third Week in September

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The Best Season of All

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Fishing Restrictions Lifted on Dearborn, Smith and Sun Rivers

By BRUCE AUCHLY - Fishing restrictions have been lifted on the Dearborn, Smith and Sun rivers in north central Montana, state officials say.... more

Complete Fishing Closure Begins Thursday on Blackfoot River and Tributaries

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Dog Days of Summer Fishing Tips

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Comment Sought on Fishing Regulations Changes

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Somewhere in the Middle of Montana

By ROB BREEDING. I didn’t toss it all to move to Montana two decades ago because of a song. My primary affliction was trout, and there’s a lot of trout-rich habitat in the Northern Rockies. ... more

Miracle Fish

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A Midsummer Night’s Stream

By MATT DEVLIN - Picture the river as it lays in wait. In perfect veiled darkness, our finned friends hold like sails in the wind, controlling with every pitch and pull, their own place in the world.... more

Warm Flows Prompt “Hoot-Owl” Fishing on Dearborn, Smith and Sun Rivers

By BRUCE AUCHLY: Montana FWP has advised anglers on three central Montana rivers that all fishing will close daily from 2 pm to midnight until conditions improve.... more

Summer Heat Has FWP Watching Conditions For Possible Fishing Restrictions

With recent temperatures leaping into the 90s throughout Montana, state fishery officials are gearing up now should the need arise to protect wild fish. ... more

Summer Solstice: Paint it Black

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Take Her Fishing

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Epic Salmonfly Hatch Predicted for Western Montana Rivers

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Montana’s Clark Fork River: A Return to Glory

By BRYCE MCLEAN - As most of you probably already know, they opened up the Clark Fork from Turah to Sharon last week. Just like the rest of Missoula I couldn't wait to fish it...and it didn't disappoint.... more

In Love with a River: Montana’s Bitterroot River

By MATT DEVLIN - (VIDEO) I'm frequently asked which of Montana's rivers is my favorite. My answer: the Bitterroot River--why? Because she's the hardest to catch fish out of. ... more

Back to Missoula and Back to Montana Fly Fishing

By MATT DEVLIN - I've been gone for the past 6 months working in Key West. But the pull of river currents and drifts undisturbed except by eager fish brought me home. God Bless Montana! .... more

Early Runoff: Is the Skwala Hatch Finished? A Rundown of Area Rivers

By BRYCE MCLEAN - Here's a complete run down of the areas rivers so you can make an educated decision on where you want to fish this week.... more

The Mighty Missouri: My All Time Favorite Trout River

By BRYCE MCLEAN - As much as I love the movie "A River Runs Through it" and as amazing as the fishing on the Blackfoot can be, my all-time favorite trout stream Has to be the Missouri.... more

The Elusive Skwala Hatch

By BRYCE MCLEAN - I have been fishing the skwala hatch since I was 10 years old. And after all that time I've learned: If you think you "definitely" know when it's going to happen, you are most certainly going ... more

The Fish It Guide to Fall Flies

By MATT DEVLIN - The pigskin is flying, the leaves are a’changing, the trout aren’t so willing in the morning. Fall's arrived. Here are the best flies for the season.... more

The Year of the Big Blackfoot

By BRYCE MCLEAN - The Blackfoot River has once again risen to the top of many anglers' lists of the greatest trout streams in North America, and it has been sweet.... more

The Perfect Pair: Montana Craft Beers & Fly Fishing

By MATT DEVLIN & BRYCE MCLEAN - There's no better way to beat the heat than enjoying a cold beer while flyfishing. Here are our favorite local beer and river pairings.... more

Missouri River Fly Fishing, the Best in America

By BRYCE MCLEAN - I'm lucky to say I learned to fly fish on the mighty Missouri River. Last weekend, I was reminded why the river is the best dry fly fishing in America.... more

Exploring the Teller National Wildlife Refuge

By BRIAN D'AMBROSIO - Teller National Wildlife Refuge, with its 1,200 acres of tranquil beauty in the Bitterroot Valley near Corvallis, is Montana’s only private refuge. ... more

One of Those Flyfishing Days

By MATT DEVLIN Well, I’ve thought for a while now that a flyfisher gets around five perfect days of fishing the Salmonfly hatch in his or her entire life. I’ve got three left now by those calculations... more

A Flyfishing Dream Fulfilled

By BRYCE MCLEAN - Take it from me, go to Belize with a fly rod. There's no place like it. And there are few things like seeing 100 bonefish feeding 60 feet off your boat.... more

Spring Flyfishing Highlights and the Pursuit of a Dream

By BRYCE MCLEAN - (VIDEO) My dad, brother, and I have long dreamt of catching some big 'uns on a salt water fishing trip. The dream will soon be reality.... more

Spring Runoff: Big Wheels Keep on Turnin’

By MATT DEVLIN - When the rivers are blown and life is playing like a bad country song, there's only one thing to do: Ride it out in hope of clear, trout-filled waters.... more