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A friend of mine is interested in a fly fishing trip to Montana this summer with wife and two grown sons; all of which are fairly new to fly fishing. He has asked for recommendations on locations and facilities. They are not financially challenged and are interested in comfortable facilities and good fishing. I know you can look at Orvis and other places for lodges, etc., but your personal recommendations for a quality experience will be greatly appreciated.
If they are going to fish the Madison River, have them check guides out of Craig Mathews Blue Ribbon Fly Shop in West Yellowstone or Kelly Galloups Slide Inn Fly Shop for Guides which is a mile up river from the Raynolds Pass Bridge. With 4 people, they would need to hire 2 guides to float fish.
A rustic place to stay is the Campfire Lodge which is located between Hebgen and Quake Lake. They have great breakfasts. Kelly also has a few cabins. Further down the river is The West Fork Cabins. All locations fill up quickly so reservations need ot be made NOW.
Or they could make reservations at Roosevelt Lodge Cabins in Yellowstone Park and get a guide our of Parks Fly Shop in Gardiner, Mt to wade fish Slough Creek, The Lamar, etc and do some sightseeing.
http://www.yellowstonenationalparklo...-lodge-cabins/
http://www.google.com/maps/place/Roo...514160303ef2b9
Before offering advice, I would need to know where, in Montana, you plan to go, and what part of the summer.
I would second what Silver said if you plan to fish the Madison somewhere between Hebgen/Quake lakes and The Pallasaides (sp?).
For that area, you could also stay in West a yellowstone, as it isn't that far of a drive.
Even Last Chance, Idaho with lodging there and guides will transport you to the area of the Madison Silver refers to. The Trout Hunter there has great guides.
Thanks to both of you! Their request was rather vague, so I'll need to get more information. I think they want recommendations on rivers to fish as well as possible accommodations somewhere in the State. I have already told them that guides are a must. They are not tender feet, but fairly new to our sport. I have fished the rivers over in Lowell, ID, but know very little about the neighboring State. I'll get more information from them about locations and get back to you. Thanks again for your help so far. By the way Byron, that was an excellent run down on you trip to Chile. Great pictures!!
Good idea!
So many good watersheds in that state.
My personal favorite is to headquarter somewhere near the West Yellowstone town. The Henry's Fork is only about a 40 minute drive. It is a Spring Creek/tailwater, so run-off is not really a problem in early season as is the case in other rivers. The Madison, below Quake is only about a 40 minute drive. You are at the Entrance to Yellowstone Park and all its rivers and streams.
This location offers good fishing, somewhere close, regardless of the time of the summer season.
If you select the Yellowstone River area, I.e. Gardiner or Livingston, the fishing doesn't really start (except for the mostly private Spring Creeks) until later in July. And, you're probably an hour drive (due to traffic) to get to West Yellowstone from the North Park entrance.
Other good fishing in early summer and Fall, as well, is on the Missouri near Craig, Mt. Or The Big Hole.
Again, though, being there does not offer the vast selection of differing waters as the West Yellostone area does.
Good points all. I'll pass this along. Thank you!
Summer in Yellowstone is beautiful but crowded. I would look into some other famous waters, Beaverhead,big hole, Madison, Jefferson and ruby rivers are all in a short drive from Dillonor Twin Bridges, MT. I fished with an outfit called 4 Rivers http://www.4riversmontana.com/ . We had a great time; saw and fished some great country. They have accommodations at the fly shop but I would look into renting a house. Try something like this or easily search the web for more places.
http://www.vrbo.com/394951
http://www.vrbo.com/146251
Agree with rizeye on the VRBO's for accommodations; there's some nice ones out there close to good fishing (this from someone who camps at Raynolds - if you've never been there, bring you're own t.p.), some on rivers away from the crowds, of which there will be in mid-summer. As long as they're fishing from driftboats/rafts/whatever the Madison's a great place to fish, but I'd be leery of steering inexperienced waders there (don't know if they coined the phrase "greased bowling balls" there, but it definitely applies); same goes for the Big Hole, at least around Dewey and my personal nemesis, Rock Creek, near Missoula (I believe my ortho put 2 kids through college thanks to me).
Blue Ribbon, Slide Inn are good sources of info/guiding.
Regards,
Scott
Agree with the bowling balls - we came directly home after my husband fell in Rock Creek and had to repair 3 discs, and I can't even get close to the Big Hole without falling down. Beaverhead is better, as is Bitterroot.
As it has previously been stated, Montana is a big place...send them this link to add to the others to peruse. It is one of the better sites I have found for exploring the entire state:
http://www.bigskyfishing.com
PT/TB
If they want 5 star dining and accomodations in the upper Idaho/Yellowstone area, the very best place is the Henry's Fork Lodge, on the banks of the Henry's Fork in Island Park. Nelson Ishiyama, the owner, is a personal friend. Nelson has both a doctorate Law and MBA graduate degrees from Stanford; but he gave up his law carreer to follow his passion which is fly fishing. He has built one of the very best fly fishing destination lodges in the world. For those days when one of all of the family may not want to fish, Henry's Fork Lodge offers many other recreational opportunities.
http://www.henrysforklodge.com
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...ark_Idaho.html
http://www.yelp.com/biz/henrys-fork-lodge-island-park
Haven't stayed there, but have eaten there. They have world-class chefs!
There are a couple nice, less expensive alternatives right on the water in Last Chance: Trout Hunter and Angler's Lodge....both on the river bank of the Henry's Fork.
".....Parks, in Gardiner, has the Yellowstone River, and the NE end of the Park (which, if we're being technical is about 95% in Wyoming) dialed in. Walter Wiese (Longs for Cutts) is head guide and a frequent poster here; definitely worth contacting."
I wonder if it was meant to read "The Yellowstone River 'within the Park'.................?
I believe the Yellowstone from the North Entrance downstream probably is the better Yellowstone fishery (while in the state of Montana)?
Regards,
Scott[/QUOTE]
The Yellowstone is a float river downstream of the park, but we typically run most of our hike-in walk trips in the canyons inside the park. There's plenty of places to not see any other anglers if you can shed some boot leather...
I'd be pleased to help the OP's friends out, though PFS certainly isn't fancy. I've taken to letting other folks and my websites do my recommending for me, rather than tooting my own horn as much as I used to. www.parksflyshop.com and www.ycflyfishing.com.
Every chance I get.Quote:
Originally Posted by Longs for Cutts
Regards,
Scott
Walter,
Is most of your guiding float trips or wade fishing?
I personally do about 3/4 boat trips of some kind (river floats, power boat trips, and ranch lake trips, in that order), but the shop as a whole does more like 55-60% walk trips. We get so many beginners and all the little brookie creeks are perfect for them.
Gotta jump in: when we were beginners, Best Fishing Buddy and I went to Upper Canyon Outfitters on the Ruby River near Alder, MT. 10 years later we're still going there. Perfect for families with grown children, great for newbies, just as great for the rest of us. PM me with specific questions.
www.ucomontana.com
Are there still some Grayling to be caught somewhere in the park?
Lots in Grebe and Cascade Lakes, a few in the upper Gibbon River. Good numbers in Wolf Lake too, but they're harder to catch there due to the lake's layout. Reintroductions underway or planned in a few other streams. If you're here before mid-July they're really easy to catch in those lakes.
Thanks, I'll stop to see you at the end of June to say hello.
Bob Krause