Top 5 Must-Have Flies For Summer Fly Fishing

Mid-summer is here and there are plenty of fly fishing opportunities available to angler across the west and more. While the most notable hatches like salmonflies, drakes, and skwalas have passed, it doesn't mean that the fish stop eating. In fact, mid-to-late summer can be one of our favorite times to fish! One of our favorite things about peak summer is the huge variety of different places to go fly fishing in Montana. From the local go-to's like the Bitterroot...

Montana Fly Fishing Trip Packing List

Montana Fly Fishing Trip Packing List Looking for advice on packing for a Montana fly fishing trip? Or maybe you’re wanting to prepare for a Missoula guided fly fishing trip? Make sure you’re packing the proper gear so you can make the most of your experience. As one of Montana’s best fly shops and fly fishing outfitters, we’ve learned a lot over the years and know exactly what will keep you comfortable while you’re here. Our Montana fly fishing trip…

Best New Products of 2024

2024 has been the year of new products in our online fly shop from some of our favorite vendors like Simms, Winston, Scott, Orvis, and more. With all of the new trends in fly fishing and the latest and greatest technology hitting the market, we want to share our top new products for 2024 plus a look at new products that we brought into our Missoula fly shop that’s not necessarily new for this year, but recently became available in...

2023 Fly Fishing Holiday Gift Guide

Giving holiday gifts can be a drag, and searching for the right fly fishing gift for the angler in your life can be more than confusing. To make gift shopping easier for you, we created our 2023 fly fishing gift guide that highlights our favorite new fly fishing gear. Stop stressing about getting it right and shop from our list of stocking stuffers and under the tree fly fishing gift ideas. Shop at our Missoula fly shop for our 12 Days...

5 Reasons Why You SHOULDN’T Go on a Montana Fly Fishing Trip

To many, a Montana fly fishing trip is the pinnacle of outdoor adventure. However, fly fishing trips in Montana are far from what you’d expect. It’s true, you’ll experience unforgettable scenery, wildlife, and fishing. Instead, most are left with many unwanted, and unfortunate, side effects.  Sure, your father’s, cousin’s, sister-in-law might have gone on a Montana fly fishing trip and raved about it. But did they mention the awe, jealousy, or unquantifiable fun that would haunt them for years following...

Top 5 Hopper Fly Patterns

Written by Aidan Morton To most, the dry, pale shade of yellow that overcomes our lawns, fields, and hillsides is a sign that the dog days of summer are upon us. To fly fishermen, however, late summer in Montana is synonymous with low water and big hopper fly patterns.   While our beloved summer stonefly and mayfly hatches hold a special place in our hearts and minds, I long for those warm afternoons throwing hopper fly patterns to the bank: ...

Top 5 Skwala Stonefly Fly Patterns – Montana Skwala Hatch

On a warm, overcast afternoon in April, our local rivers are home to some of the most spectacular Montana fly fishing during the annual skwala stonefly hatch. As winter recedes, the skwala stonefly hatch signals the start of an electrifying new Missoula fly fishing season. The sight of trout voraciously leaping out of the water to snatch a skwala fly pattern off the surface is a heart-pumping moment that will leave any angler trembling with excitement. As the days get...

Saltwater Fly Fishing Gear Essentials: Q&A with Grizzly Hackle’s Brendan Bannigan

For many anglers, the appeal of a saltwater fly fishing trip is too much to ignore. Your daydreams of rising trout are replaced with sight fly fishing for permit and rolling tarpon. You long for cool beverages and smoldering sun. And, before you know it, your next saltwater fly fishing trip is a matter of “when” not “if.” Our Missoula fly shop owner and saltwater fly fishing fanatic, Brendan Bannigan, is one of these people. Brendan draws on years of...

2022 Fly Fishing Holiday Gift Guide

It’s that time of the year, and we’re all searching for the perfect fly fishing gifts to give this year. And if one thing’s for sure, anglers are particular about their fly fishing gear. To make gift shopping easier for you, we created our 2022 fly fishing gift guide that highlights our favorite fly fishing gift ideas. Stop stressing about getting it right and shop from our list of stocking stuffers and under the tree fly fishing gift ideas. Shop...

Beginning Fly Fishing: What You Need To Get Started

If you’re beginning fly fishing but just don’t know where to start, trust us– you’re not the only one. Like any sport, starting out in fly fishing requires a dash of patience and a heaping dollop of practice. However, the right setup and the right gear to accompany it is crucial for saving money, time, and the hair on your head. From rods and reels to flies and tippets, this is our guide to beginning fly fishing for trout and...