Soft Heckle
by Jeff Beyl
My father drew a picture and mailed it to me a couple weeks prior to one of our frequent fly-fishing trips to Montana. A couple days later I got an email:
“I understand you are going fly … Read more...
Author: Outside Media
Call of the Wild
by Jamie Rankin
Montana’s meandering, scenic rivers are known around the globe for their access to wild trout. Fly-fishers come from far and wide to chase browns, rainbows, and even the elusive cutthroat, all of which are born, and grow … Read more...
Don’t Move a Mussel
by Eli Fournier
What’s the best way to visualize the number one million? Abstractly, it’s about the population of Montana. In more relative terms, it’s the maximum capacity of 13 NFL stadiums put together, or approximately 40 Montana Griz stadiums … Read more...
Community, Conservation, & Education
by Peter Moreno
The crystal-clear alpine lake boiled with rings as the sun set; hungry trout feasted on surface bugs after their long winter dormancy. My first backcast caught on the small spruce behind me. It took me 30 minutes … Read more...
Connected by Water
by Kurt Dehmer, artwork by Monte Dolack
Angling art is a niche genre. Those folks who enjoy, purchase, or collect it are most likely anglers, or at least fish enthusiasts. However, there is one “angling artist” that everyone in Montana … Read more...
Chasing the Beast
by Pat Straub
Big trout—the monsters of Montana’s rivers, creeks, and lakes—lurk in lairs of undercut banks, deep drop-offs, and driftwood snags. They hold in those places where a good cast is earned and where small trout dare not swim. … Read more...
Big-Fish Tips & Techniques
Learn a reach cast and access more water.
When targeting big fish, a reach cast is helpful because it keeps the line from floating downstream before the fly. It allows a streamer to land tight to the … Read more...
Warm Spell
by E. Donnall Thomas Jr.
Since the afternoon heat had approached the frankly oppressive level, I was working the bank from the water wearing cut-offs and running shoes rather than the expensive chest waders that have become socially obligatory farther … Read more...
Top Flies for Big Fall Trout
by Pat Straub
Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow. Few flies look as realistic as this when stripped through the water. With ice dubbing in flashy colors and a conehead, the Sparkle Minnow is akin to a Woolly Bugger on a Vegas binge.
Lady of the Line
by Dave Hemphill
It all started in 1952, when Bud Lilly, Montana’s father of fly fishing and often referred to as “a trout’s best friend,” bought his fishing shop in West Yellowstone. Two years later, his wife Pat delivered their … Read more...