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When i moved to Montana and started fishing here,I discovered that the sport of fly fishing has many rewards,as it is'nt the easiest way to catch fish.

I have found streams that you can fish on all day and never see another person.It is a great place to raise a family,as there are many lakes,and rivers full of trout .The lake in the photo is one of my favorites.It is full of brook trout,which grow to around 10 inches in this lake.

The stream below this lake holds Brook trout and Cut throat trout,which I catch and release to get the population up.

I also fish the Clark Fork river for Bass and Pike.Fly fishing is fun in many ways as you can tie your own flies,which is fun especially when you catch fish on them.

Not a lot of competion in the back country,very relaxing,take your float tube out on the water kick back and drift with the wind.Take the family picknicing,and teach some one how to fish as I did with the children.

When it comes to fishing in Montana, what do you think of? Beautiful mountains, amazing scenery, wide open species, and great trout fishing, right? Well, that's about right, and in some parts of Montana, a bear attack is never out of the question as well. You know, just to keep your adrenaline pumping.

Montana is well known for all outdoor activities, including hunting, hiking, and skiing, but the great state of Montana is probably best known for fishing.

Good Luck:Learning to fly fish is no harder than any other kind of fishing if you start with the proper equipment.

Fly lines range from 1 to 12 weight. The larger the line number, the larger the line size and the larger the fly you can cast with it.

Level lines are the same diameter throughout their length and are fine for casting short distances but not delicate presentations. Double-taper lines taper at both ends, allowing for a more delicate presentation and are best for short to medium cast. Weight forward lines have larger diameters the first 30'. These cast well at all distances and cast larger, more wind-resistant flies better.

For most situations, an 8' or 9' rod with a single action reel is best. If you fish small streams, go to a 7' or 8' rod. Line weights your rod will handle will be marked on the shaft. Buy the best rod you can afford and it will result in less frustration and more fun in learning the great sport of fly-fishing.

Last year 390,000 anglers purchased fishing licenses. Residents comprise about 59 percent of the state's fishing-license buyers. About 33 percent of all adult Montana residents purchase fishing licenses annually. Nearly 82 percent of angler days are spent seeking trout and salmon. Some of the rivers that generally receive the most fishing pressure include the Madison, Missouri, Bitterroot, Clark Fork, Bighorn, Yellowstone and Gallatin rivers

Montana Rivers to Flow Free - but at What Cost?

story in the Missoulian, which I read from time to time to see how the trout fishing is up in Big Sky Country. Missoula is home to a handful of blue-ribbon trout fisheries, including nearby Rock Creek and the Bitterroot, Blackfoot (the inspiration for "A River Runs Through It") and Clark Fork rivers.

The confluence of the Blackfoot and Clark Fork, however, is anything but a fly fisher's dream getaway as the area has been converted into a construction zone of late. The good news is the construction is part of the Milltown Dam removal project, which will return the two rivers to their natural state for the for time in 100 years.

Problem is, researchers are uncertain how the dam removal will affect the Clark Fork's ecosystem. Clark Fork, for those who aren't familiar with Western Montana, is the river that runs through the heart of Missoula and is where a number of fly guides make their living. Fish kills are expected and the river could be three to five years away from returning to its natural state, so you can understand the concern in Big Sky Country as this project goes forward.

Tying the Caddis fly
Caddis emerge quite quickly once they reach the surface, often too quickly for trout to have a chance to eat them. Trout know this and often will not waste their time or energy trying to feed on adults that are not crippled or in the process of emerging. It represents those emerging and/or crippled caddis that the trout key in on. The Z-lon shuck represents the pupal shuck of the natural and the lack of hackle allows it to sit low in the water like an emerger or cripple. What is even better than how well this fly works is how easy it is to tie. It is a perfect pattern to crank out late the night before a trip. So tie some up, get a good dead drift, and hang on. Tie this pattern in sizes 12-18. Step 1 Start your thread and coat the shank of the hook back to the bend of the hook. Take a small clump of Z-lon and tie it in extending off the bend of the hook. Tie the butts of the Z-lon down about half way up the shank of the hook and tie them down to the bend of the hook. Clip the butts off. Step 2 Now clip the shuck to length, roughly 1 ½ times the gap of the hook, and thin the end of it with the tip of your scissors. You do not want to the shuck to have abrupt edges; they look unnatural on the water. Dub a tapered body up the shank of the hook, stopping just shy of the eye of the hook so there is enough room to tie in the wing. Step 3 Cut, comb and stack clump of elk or deer hair and tie it in, tips facing the bend of the hook. The wing should be tied in directly behind the eye of the hook and extend the length of the body. Cut the butts of the wing off even with the front edge of the eye of the hook and whip finish.

Fishing the South Fork of the Flathead River

Western rivers are becoming so crowded that some anglers

consider casing the long rods for good. Others are

disappointed by the size of the fish they're catching and

blame increased pressure and catch-and-release mortality

on the decline. Unfortunately, if you listen to those anglers,

you could overlook opportunities that provide lifetime

memories.

That's what I've learned during my forays to northwest

Montana's South Fork of the Flathead River--a wild cutthroat

fishery that flows through the largest chunk of designated

wilderness in the Lower 48. If I listened to the pessimists

about how angling pressure on that stream is unbearable

and that the fish aren't what they used to be, I would have

missed one of the most quintessential camping and fly-fishing

experiences an angler can find in Montana.

On the South Fork of the Flathead, I am pleased to report,

enterprising anglers can find remote campsites, solitude,

and scads of native westslope cutthroat. It's a river offering

a return to our fly-fishing infancies when camping and

camaraderie, incredible scenery and seclusion, and

catching naïve trout on bushy

dry flies was more paramount than the opportunity for a

20-incher. You place worth on the experience in its

entirety--from blistered feet on the hikes in and out of the

wilderness, to passing a flask around the campfire, to the

daily duties of filtering water and cleaning the camp dishes.

The fishing is frosting on an already tasty cake.

The River

The South Fork of the Flathead begins deep in the

Bob Marshall Wilderness at the confluence of

Danaher Creek and Youngs Creek. It gains volume with

the contributions of the White River, Big and Little Salmon

creeks, Black Bear Creek, and other small tributaries.

Overall, the South Fork flows more than 60 miles through

designated wilderness and National Forest lands before

emptying into Hungry Horse Reservoir.

Some anglers who have fished the South Fork for 30 years

complain it isn't as good today as it once was.

They say anglers used to catch nearly 30 cutthroats a day

between 15 and 20 inches. I believe those reports, but today

fish average between 8 and 14 inches with an occasional

17- to 20-inch fish.

Most people credit the river's decline to increased pressure,

and they are probably correct. The South Fork of the

Flathead is no different from other Western rivers, and

you should expect to encounter other anglers and campers

and be passed by pack trains--but it's not the end of the

world. Those willing to venture away from the beaten path

will find refuge from people, especially in late June and early

July when high water recedes and again during fall as

visiting anglers head home.

To help boost the average size of fish, the portion of the

South Fork inside the wilderness boundary is strictly

regulated and anglers may keep up to three trout a day

smaller than 12 inches. The stretch between the Meadow

Creek footbridge and the Spotted Bear footbridge is

catch-and-release only.

Fly Fishing The Madison River

Madison River After crossing into Montana from Idaho's Highwat 20 you hit Montana 287 and follow it along the Madison River for some 30miles until you hit Ennis,Mt.You can camp and fish from the bankalong most of this stretch of River.It runs wide and shallowand about 5 miles an hour.Nice big Rainbows can be caught along thisstretch of River. Overview: The Madison is, in many people's opinion, Montana's river of superlatives, with a list including highest trout density, most consistent action, best dry fly fishing, and the most spectacular scenery. Not surprisingly, this southwestern Montana jewel is also the second most heavily used river fishery in the state, growing more popular annually. Key species: Rainbow trout, brown trout, Yellowstone cutthroat trout, whitefish, and Arctic grayling. Use: The section from Hebgen Dam to Ennis Lake ranks 4th statewide and only the Missouri River below Holter Dam receives more river fishing pressure. From Ennis Lake down to the mouth it ranks 18th statewide for angling pressure. The Upper section gets the least pressure but is still heavily used by Montana standards, ranking 35th statewide. Key flies and lures: Flies-Bitch Creek Nymphs, Girdle Bugs, Yuk Bugs, Parachute Adams, bead-head Pheasant Tail, Sofa Pillow, Bird's Stonefly, Elk Hair Caddis, Royal Wulffs, hoppers, Woolly Buggers, and Marabou Streamers. Lures-Rooster Tail Spinners; gold, silver and black lures; and black Daredevles. Bait-hoppers and worms. Be sure to check current regulations on bait restrictions.

The Clark Fork River

I fish the Clark Fork more than any other river in Montana,because

it is close to where I live,.It has an enormous amount of different

species of fish to catch,My favorite fish to catch is the Northern Pike.

It also has Trout,Burbot,Bass,Whitefish to name a few species.

The Clark Fork River has its headwaters in the Silver Bow

(or Highland) Mountains, originating at the confluence of

Silver Bow and Warm Springs creeks near Anaconda, Montana.

The river flows north and west 350 miles through broad,

semi-arid valleys, high mountain ranges, and steep-sided

valleys and terminates in Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho.

The Upper Clark Fork, bordered on the north by the

Garnet Range and on the south by the Flint Creek Range,

meanders most of its first 38 miles through the flat plains

of the Deer Lodge Valley. Vegetation is sparse, due partly

to the effects of the mining boom, the greatest historical

influence in the Upper Basin. Downstream from the mouth

of the Little Blackfoot River, the river flows through a steep,

narrow canyon. Between Garrison and Jens the river

channel has been shortened by highway and railroad

construction activities, but past Jens the Clark Fork

meanders away from the transportation corridor and

native trees and shrubs appear along its banks.

From below Flint Creek the river runs 26 miles through

Bearmouth Canyon to emerge and widen to 150 feet for its

final miles to Milltown Reservoir. The Middle Clark Fork

River extends about 115 river miles from Milltown Dam to its

confluence with the Flathead River and is entirely free

flowing. Its drainage is mountainous and covered with large

forested tracts, broken by grazing and cropland areas in the

lower valleys. From Thompson Falls Dam, its upper

boundary, the Lower Clark Fork River flows through

sedimentary formations and a landscape sculptured by the

massive outflows of glacial Lake Missoula. It runs into

Cabinet Gorge Dam, just outside the Montana border.

Between the backwaters of Cabinet Gorge and the

tailwaters of Thompson Falls Dam the river is inundated

by Noxon Rapids Dam. When the Clark Fork crosses the

Idaho border, it is Montana's largest river, carrying an

average 22,060 cubic feet of water per second.

Stillwater River

The Stillwater River begins high in the mountains of the

Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness area. The river flows for

more than twenty miles through the wilderness area before

leaving the mountains behind and spilling out into the rolling

prairie and canyons that lie outside the wilderness area.

Once it leaves the wilderness area, the Stillwater River flows

for another 45 miles through a mix of canyons, prairie and

forest until meeting up with the Yellowstone River near the

town of Columbus, Montana - which is about 45 miles from

Billings,Montana

The Stillwater River is an absolutely beautiful and wild river.

The Absaroka-Beartooth Mountains provide a stunning

backdrop to any fishing or float trip. Fishing pressure on

the Stillwater River is moderate - most out of state anglers

venture to the much more popular and well known nearby

rivers such as the Yellowstone River. That said, lots of

locals ply the waters of the Stillwater in search of the

plentiful rainbow, brown and cutthroat trout that are found

in the river.

Since the first twenty miles of the Stillwater River are in the

wilderness area, access is excellent, although it requires a

hike or horseback ride in to reach it. Once the Stillwater River

leaves the wilderness, access for most of its length is good

due to numerous road, bridge and designated fishing access

sites.

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