FLY FISHING
Whenever we’re asked to describe the fly fishing in our part ofMontana the words varied, famous, or within a stones throw; immediately come to mind. Pick up a any map of southwest Montana showing Bozeman, BigSky, Ennis, Livingston, and Yellowstone National Park and you’ll find Big River Lodge right smack in the middle of the map. Now look at all the blue lines and you’ll get an idea for the vast amount of fishable water surrounding us. It is a veritable who’s who of Montana trout streams. The Gallatin, Yellowstone, Upper & Lower Madison rivers combined with the infamous Nelson’s, De Puy’s and Armstrong’s spring creeks along with our own secret spots are just waiting for you and your fly rod. The point of all this is, when you come to stay with us at Big River Lodge the toughest decision of the stay is where to go first.

Just about all of our larger rivers remain open to fishing on a year round basis. If you’re ever out here in the winter on a ski vacation and the weather climbs into the 40’s you can rent some gear, hire a guide, and go fishing for the day. Since those situations are unpredictable, it’s not until the first of April before we encourage visiting the Lodge on a fly fishing vacation. Between the first of April and the end of October, we have some of the finest trout fishing in the Lower 48 States. Here’s a month by month, river by river overview of a full season of fishing from the Big River Lodge.

Some of our guests have never fly fished before and that is fine. If this describes your level of experience there’s no need to worry. Our team of veteran guides are patient and pleasant instructors who can work with any skill level. Having said that, there is one thing, above everything else, that you can do to get ready for your visit. If you’ve never cast a fly line before, we encourage you to hire an instructor and learn the basics of fly casting. That does not mean you have to be good at it, however, if you have an idea of the mechanics of a good cast your day will be just that much more exciting and enhance your overall trip. A local fly shop can help you find an instructor and so can the nice folks at the Federation of Fly Fishers. Check out their web site at www.fedflyfishers.org. Click on the Certified Casting Instructors link about half way down the home page on the right and follow the prompts for an instructor near you.

As you start packing, here’s a list of things you’ll want for your trip. If you’re renting equipment when you get here don’t worry about items #1& #2.

1. Rod and Reel
2. Waders and Wading Shoes
3. Rain Jacket
4. Polarized Sun Glasses
5. Flies and Leaders
6. Broad Brimmed Hat
7. Sunscreen
8. Camera and Batteries
9. Map or Guidebook
10. Jacket and Sweater
11. Clippers, Tippets, and Split Shot
12. Long Sleeve Shirt and Long Pants

When trying to decide what flies to bring, I suggest you call our fly fishing outfitter Dave Corcoran at 406-223-1920 or e-mail him at davecorcoran@earthlink.net. He can make suggestions based on the time of the year you’ll be here as well as the current conditions. If you don’t have any flies of your own, please wait until you’re actually here to make your fly tackle purchases. Our guides will know exactly what you need so you won’t be buying anything you won’t find necessary. The same can be said for leaders and tippets.

Clothing will also vary with the time of the year. Early April and late October mean clothing you can layer on and off as conditions dictate. In August you’ll want the sun protection long shirts and pants will afford. A rain jacket is a must any time of the year. We have a really short insect season which is usually the month of July and then it’s over. If you’ll be here in July have insect repellent with you.

You can either purchase a Montana fishing license online at www.fwp.mt.gov/fishing following the licensing prompts, or just wait until you get here and visit any of our top fly shops and they’ll have everything you need. Keep in mind that if you’re planning on fishing in Yellowstone National Park, that requires a different license. They can be obtained at most area fly shops or at the entrance to the Park. All our licenses are available either short or long term based on how long you’ll be here. Remember if there’s a chance you might come back again within the same calendar year, a season license is often more economical.

If you feel the overwhelming urge to bring flies with you, the following list will get you through most situations just fine. You can always fill in the gaps with guide favorites when you get here.

Dry Flies:
Royal Wulff #12 - #16
Royal Trude #12 - #16
Elk Hair Caddis # 12 - #16
Stimulator #8 - #14
Parachute Adams #12 - #18
Midges #18-#20
Pale Morning Duns #12 - #16
Hoppers #8 (late July till early September)

Nymphs:
Beadhead Prince #12- #18
Beadhead Hares Ear #12- #18
Beadhead Pheasant Tail #12- #18
Beadhead Lightning Bug #12- #18
Beadhead Copper John #12- #18
Black Stonefly Nymph # 6
Caddis Pupa #14-#18
Standard Flashback Hares Ear #14-#18
Standard Flashback Pheasant Tail #14 - #18
Red San Juan Worm Beaded #8
Any Small Metallic green or Metallic Pearl Mayfly Nymph #18- #20
Streamers:
Olive Wooly Bugger #6-#8
Black Wooly Bugger #6-#8
Olive Bow River Bugger #6
Clousers Crayfish #6
Natural Zonker (copper body) #6-#8
White Zonker (copper body) #6-#8

Once again we’re delighted to have Dave Corcoran returning as our fly fishing outfitter. Dave and his staff of seasoned, knowledgable guides bring a lifetime of fly fishing experience to our Lodge program. This year marks Dave’s 30th anniversary as a Montana fly fishing guide and as such you might say he’s the Dean of Montana fly fishing. Dave has learned the craft from one of the true legends of western fly fishing, Bud Lilly. Working out of Bud’s fly shop in West Yellowstone, Dave guided for many years in Montana, Idaho, and Yellowstone National Park. In 1983 Dave moved to Bozeman and opened The River’s Edge Fly Fishing Center which soon became a first stop for visiting anglers coming to Montana in need of advice, equipment, or just a welcome smile and a glad you’re here attitude. Dave was a member of Team Sage in ESPN’s world fly fishing competition just missing first place by a short 10”. If you’d like to talk with Dave about your trip he encourages you to call him at his Montana home 406-587-7214.

When you hire the services of a professional guide make sure you talk to them. Now I know that sounds obvious but what I’m saying is talk to them about what you’d like to experience during your time together. Be honest about your level of experience and where you’d like to take it. We want the time you spend with us on the water to exceed your expectations and the more we know about you the easier this is to accomplish.