Our licensed Montana fishing Outfitter at the Grizzly Hackle, Drew Miller, is a rare gem. Not only a great man, husband and now father, Drew Miller is as fine an Outfitter as exists in Montana. Now I know we are partial, but for anyone who has fished in Drew’s boat, they know what I am writing is absolutely true. Drew is also a licensed Captain and because he is, he can take his clients on a unique float/motorized trip (where motors are legally allowed) down the rivers of Montana. Imagine covering 20 plus miles of river in a day and only fishing the best holes and water. I snapped this picture of him last spring on his Boulder Boat, which he professionally modified so he can use a 7 hp motor, a platform to pole across fish filled sloughs, or row and hold you quietly on a pod of rising fish. Last spring we motored off the boat ramp and hit pike and trout filled sloughs all morning. He put me on pike all morning and I landed 7 nice pike. Once the day warmed a bit, Drew put on his Simm’s Solar-flex hoody and Buff, then had me fish a dry fly on his new prototype ‘Thomas and Thomas’ rod. Drew is an ambassador and Pro-Staffer for the new owner/CEO of Thomas and Thomas, Neville Orsmond. The rod is soon available through our shop and it is called the “Spire”. It casts as well as any rod I have ever handled. It is dreamy for sure.
This beauty of a trip was late April and the famous Skwala stonefly hatch had finally made it’s way down (yes, down!) the lower Clark Fork river. Once fish started to eat on the surface, Drew put me an 18 inch bow that softly sipped Drew’s Skwala imitation and it was then off to the races. In softer water the fish sipped the bugs and in runs that were 5 to 6 feet deep, the fish were simply crushing the fly. This was a magic afternoon where we traded fishing chances and we hooked and landed some great fish. The spring Skwala hatch is something everyone should experience. This pre-runoff hatch brings big fish to the surface of not only the Clark Fork but also the Bitterroot.
Drew’s knowledge of our fabled rivers is beyond intimate and just to show you why you need to book a trip with Drew Miller, I will tease you with a picture of my last fish of the afternoon. After that fish, which we watched rise 4 feet from the bottom, it seemed wrong to be greedy, so we fired up the 7hp motor and slid down the middle of the river to the takeout, happily ignoring other rising fish. The day had been perfect. Here is a promise: A trip with Montana fishing Outfitter Drew Miller will change the way you see guides and the way you see fly fishing!
