Montana Fishing Guides

Easily find a Montana fishing guide that fits your needs. Confidently book your next day on the water.

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Recently Booked Fishing Guides In Montana

River Fishing Trip in Yellowstone River

Yellowstone River Float

100% (1)
1 - 2 People From $250 / person

River Fishing Trip in Big Sky

Half Day Walk And Wade

NEW
1 - 3 People From $142 / person

Lake Fishing Trip in Helena

Holter Lake Full-Day Jet Boat

100% (1)
1 - 2 People From $375 / person

River Fishing Trip in Madison River

Multi Boat Madison River Float

NEW
1 - 6 People From $325 / person
Damn Good

River Fishing Trip in Emigrant

Yellowstone River Float Trips

100% (1)
16 ft 1 - 4 People From $250 / person

River Fishing Trip in Gallatin Gateway

Full Day Float (Multiple Rivers)

100% (1)
1 - 2 People From $325 / person

Most Popular Types of Trips in Montana

“Our Damn Good Guides go above and beyond to provide you an incredible trip, and we’ve handpicked every single one. We’re passionate about the outdoors and about empowering people to find the perfect-match guide for the trip of a lifetime, every time.”

Jonathan and Attison   |   Co-founders   |   Austin, Texas

Choose your trip by skill level

More Fishing Guides In Montana

Float your way on the water with your guide and get ready for an action-packed day of Montana fishing from one of the best guides around! On this fly-fishing trip, you'll be floating down the Missouri River to target some Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout. The Missouri River is recommended for experienced fly fishers who are looking for a challenge that will pay off with some bigger fish. The upper stretch of the Missouri River (the “Mighty Mo”) from Toston, MT, to Townsend, MT, has very calm moving water with large, easily spooked Rainbow and Brown Trout. Just the sound of the line hitting the water can scare away these fish, so be prepared to make some smooth casts. Once you get down the technique, you can expect 20-plus inch Trout. Anglers looking for an even bigger challenge can target the Common Carp, which is becoming increasingly sought after in this river. On this half or full-day excursion, your guide will row you where you need to be in a maneuverable drift boat as you take in the beautiful scenery. From here, your guide will give you expert fly-fishing tips and let you try your luck. Drift boats allow anglers to cover a larger area and access places that may be unsafe for wading. Whether you're new to fly fishing or not, your guide is eager to teach and will get some fish on your line! Regardless of where you are staying – Bozeman, Ennis, Cameron, Helena, Livingston, West Yellowstone, or Fort Smith, Montana – We have you covered. Your guide(s) will be able to pick you up at your vacation rental, lodge, hotel, campsite, or the airport. If your place of lodging is out of the way, just meet your guide at a convenient location for your day(s) on the water. Your guide will provide all the rods, reels, flies, and tippet you need to get out on the water and catch some fish. They will even have a tasty lunch for all guests. Let them know when booking if you will need to rent waders and wading boots, which he will provide at an additional cost. All you need to bring is a valid Montana fishing license. A hat, sunscreen, polarized sunglasses, and a rain jacket are recommended. Enjoy your day out on the water with your guide! **We have several listings for float trips at nearby locations in the Bozeman / Yellowstone National Park area. They want you to have the best experience possible, so if the fishing is better in another lake or river, they may recommend another location. Whether you want to stick with this spot or hear about other spots, feel free to book your float trip on this listing, and they will get in contact with you about the details!** Read More

River Fishing Trip in Craig

Missouri River Float Trip

100% (1)
1 - 2 People From $250 / person

Float your way on the water with your guide and get ready for an action-packed day of Montana fishing from one of the best guides around! On this fly-fishing trip, you'll be floating down the Bighorn River to target some Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout. Offering year-round fly fishing, the Bighorn is considered the cream of the crop, not only in Montana but in the fly fishing world! In the first 13 miles from the Afterbay to Bighorn fishing access, the fish average 14 inches, though it’s not uncommon to take Trout over 20 inches. With all this excellent fishing, it can be hard to find a time when you are the only boat on the river, especially during the summer months. To avoid the crowds, We recommend floating from November through April. The Bighorn River is a fertile tailwater fishery with a high fish-per-mile population. Using a drift boat allows you and your guide to jump from spot to spot, not only fishing from the boat but also stopping to wade fish several runs holding numerous rainbows and browns. All guided trips on the Bighorn are two-day minimums from November 1st through April. On this half or full-day excursion, Nate will row you where you need to be in a maneuverable drift boat as you take in the beautiful scenery. From here he'll give you some of his expert fly-fishing tips and let you try your luck. Drift boats allow anglers to cover a larger area and access places that may be unsafe for wading. Whether you're new to fly fishing or not, Nate is eager to teach and will get some fish on your line! Regardless of where you are staying – Bozeman, Ennis, Cameron, Helena, Livingston, West Yellowstone, or Fort Smith, Montana – We have you covered. Your guide(s) will be able to pick you up at your vacation rental, lodge, hotel, campsite, or the airport. If your place of lodging is out of the way, just meet your guide at a convenient location for your day(s) on the water. Your guide will provide all the rods, reels, flies, and tippet you need to get out on the water and catch some fish. They will even have a tasty lunch for all guests. Let them know when booking if you will need to rent waders and wading boots, which they will provide at an additional cost. All you need to bring is a valid Montana fishing license. A hat, sunscreen, polarized sunglasses, and a rain jacket are recommended. Enjoy your day out on the water with your guide! **We have several listings for float trips at nearby locations in the Bozeman / Yellowstone National Park area. They want you to have the best experience possible, so if the fishing is better in another lake or river, they may recommend another location. Whether you want to stick with this spot or hear about other spots, feel free to book your float trip on this listing, and they will get in contact with you about the details!** Read More

River Fishing Trip in Saint Xavier

Bighorn River Float Trip

NEW
1 - 2 People From $250 / person

Wade your way into the water with one of our guides and get ready for an action-packed day of Yellowstone Park fishing from one of the best guides around! On this fly-fishing trip, you'll be wading into the Madison River from the grounds within Yellowstone National Park to target some Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout. The Madison River hosts wild Rainbow and Brown trout ranging in size from 10″ to 28″ at an average length of 18″. The Fall spawning run out of Hebgen Lake will give you some of the best fish. In October through November, expect to see big Browns and Rainbows averaging 19 inches with the occasional 28″ Brown Trout. If you go fishing out here in the fall, be ready for winter conditions, where temperatures can drop below zero on any given day. The Madison River in Yellowstone National Park opens to fishing on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend each year and stays open through October 31 each year. We recommend waiting until the river clears up in early-mid June. Once the conditions are favorable, you can take advantage of the famous salmon fly hatch to catch a nice Brown Trout on a dry fly. Some other hatches that may be more productive depending on the day include Pale Morning Duns, Baetis, and Caddis. Your guide will quickly figure out which one the fish are targeting when you fish with him! On these full-day excursions, your guide will wade you into the river from one of the Yellowstone Park access points. From here, your guide will give you some expert fly-fishing tips and let you try your luck. Whether you're new to fly fishing or not, your guide is eager to teach and will get some fish on your line! Regardless of where you are staying – Bozeman, Ennis, Cameron, Helena, Livingston, West Yellowstone, or Fort Smith, Montana – We have you covered. Your guide(s) will be able to pick you up at your vacation rental, lodge, hotel, campsite, or the airport. If your place of lodging is out of the way, just meet your guide at a convenient location for your day(s) on the water. Your guide will provide all the rods, reels, flies, and tippet you need to get out on the water and catch some fish. They will even have a tasty lunch for all guests. Let them know when booking if you will need to rent waders and wading boots, which they will provide at an additional cost. You will also need to purchase a special Yellowstone National Park fishing license (no state license is required) and pay a $20 entrance fee to enter the park. A hat, sunscreen, polarized sunglasses, and a rain jacket are recommended. Enjoy your day out on the water with your guide! **We have several listings for wade fishing trips at nearby locations in the Bozeman / Yellowstone National Park area. They want you to have the best experience possible, so if the fishing is better in another lake or river, they may recommend another location. Whether you want to stick with this spot or hear about other spots, feel free to book your wade fishing trip on this listing, and they will contact you about the details!** Read More

River Fishing Trip in West Yellowstone

Madison River Walk-n-Wade In Yellowstone

NEW
1 - 2 People From $250 / person

Wade your way into the water with one of our guides and get ready for an action-packed day of Yellowstone Park fishing from one of the best guides around! On this fly-fishing trip you'll be wading into the Gallatin River from the grounds within Yellowstone National Park to target some Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout. Open to fishing from Saturday of Memorial Day weekend through October 31st, the Gallatin River is a cold, high-elevation, freestone river with grassy meadows, thick willow banks, pocket water, healthy trout, and little to no crowds. This section won't have as many fish per mile as other rivers closer to Bozeman, but it makes up for this with fish size, incredible scenery, and low fishing traffic. Bears and moose have been spotted around here, so be sure to bring some bear spray! On these full-day excursions, your guide(s) will wade you into the river from one of the Yellowstone Park access points. From here, your guides will give you some expert fly-fishing tips and let you try your luck. Whether you're new to fly fishing or not, your guide is eager to teach and will get some fish on your line! Regardless of where you are staying – Bozeman, Ennis, Cameron, Helena, Livingston, West Yellowstone, or Fort Smith, Montana – We have you covered. Your guide(s) will be able to pick you up at your vacation rental, lodge, hotel, campsite, or the airport. If your place of lodging is out of the way, just meet your guide at a convenient location for your day(s) on the water. Your guide will provide all the rods, reels, flies, and tippet you need to get out on the water and catch some fish. They will even have a tasty lunch for all guests. Let them know when booking if you will need to rent waders and wading boots, which they will provide at an additional cost. You will also need to purchase a Yellowstone National Park fishing license (no state license is required) and pay a $20 entrance fee to enter the park. A hat, sunscreen, polarized sunglasses, and a rain jacket are recommended. Enjoy your day out on the water with your guide! **We have several listings for wade fishing trips at nearby locations in the Bozeman / Yellowstone National Park area. They want you to have the best experience possible, so if the fishing is better in another lake or river, they may recommend another location. Whether you want to stick with this spot or hear about other spots, feel free to book your wade fishing trip on this listing, and they will get in contact with you about the details!** Read More

River Fishing Trip in Gallatin Gateway

Gallatin River Walk-n-Wade In Yellowstone

100% (1)
1 - 2 People From $250 / person

Jet your way on the water with your guide and get ready for an action-packed day of Montana fishing from one of the best guides around! On this fly-fishing trip, you'll be propelling your way up and down the Missouri River to target some Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout. The Missouri River is recommended for experienced fly fishers who are looking for a challenge that will pay off with some bigger fish. The upper stretch of the Missouri River (the “Mighty Mo”) from Toston, MT to Townsend, MT, has very calm moving water with large, easily spooked Rainbow and Brown Trout. Just the sound of the line hitting the water can scare away these fish, so be prepared to make some smooth casts. Once you get down the technique you can expect 20-plus inch Trout. Anglers looking for an even bigger challenge can target the Common Carp, which is becoming increasingly sought after in this river. On this full-day excursion, your U.S. Coast Guard-certified guide will use the jet boat to motor upriver, shut down the motor, and row you through the premium runs over and over again. This technique will allow you to access water that is too deep or dangerous to wade fish. From here, your guide will give you some expert fly-fishing tips and let you try your luck. Whether you're new to fly fishing or not, your guide is eager to teach and will get some fish on your line! Regardless of where you are staying – Bozeman, Ennis, Cameron, Helena, Livingston, West Yellowstone, or Fort Smith, Montana – Nate has you covered. He or another one of his guides will be able to pick you up at your vacation rental, lodge, hotel, campsite, or the airport. If your place of lodging is out of the way, just meet your guide at a convenient location for your day(s) on the water. Your guide will provide all the rods, reels, flies, and tippet you need to get out on the water and catch some fish. They will even have a tasty lunch for all guests. Let them know when booking if you will need to rent waders and wading boots, which they will provide at an additional cost. All you need to bring is a valid Montana Fishing license. A hat, sunscreen, polarized sunglasses, and a rain jacket are recommended. Enjoy your day out on the water with your guide! **We have several listings for jet boat trips at nearby locations in the Bozeman / Yellowstone National Park area. They want you to have the best experience possible, so if the fishing is better in another lake or river, they may recommend another location. Whether you want to stick with this spot or hear about other spots, feel free to book your jet boat trip on this listing, and they will get in contact with you about the details!** Read More

River Fishing Trip in Helena

Missouri River Full-Day Jet Boat

NEW
16 ft 1 - 2 People From $375 / person

Jet your way on the water with your guide and get ready for an action-packed day of Montana fishing from one of the best guides around! On this fly-fishing trip, you'll be propelling yourself around Hebgen Lake to target some Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout. Fishing Hebgen Lake can be challenging, but the rewards can be large. Its calm waters are renowned for its Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout, which average 19″ in length. Using flies like Callibaetis, Trico’s and Spruce Moths are sure to get you some catches here. If you're an avid fly fisher who enjoys a dry-fly challenge, Hebgen Lake is a perfect spot on your fishing vacation! On this full-day excursion, our U.S. Coast Guard-certified crew members will use the jet boat to motor you around Hebgen Lake and find where the fish are biting. This technique will allow you to access water that is too deep or dangerous to wade fish. From here, your guide will give you some expert fly-fishing tips and let you try your luck. Whether you're new to fly fishing or not, we are eager to teach and will get some fish on your line! Regardless of where you are staying – Bozeman, Ennis, Cameron, Helena, Livingston, West Yellowstone or Fort Smith, Montana – Nate has you covered. He or another one of his guides will be able to pick you up at your vacation rental, lodge, hotel, campsite, or the airport. If your place of lodging is out of the way, just meet your guide at a convenient location for your day(s) on the water. Your guide will provide all the rods, reels, flies and tippet you need to get out on the water and catch some fish. They will even have a tasty lunch for all guests. Let us know when booking if you will need to rent waders and wading boots, which they will provide at an additional cost. All you need to bring is a valid Montana Fishing license. A hat, sunscreen, polarized sunglasses, and a rain jacket are recommended. Enjoy your day out on the water with one of our guides! **We have several listings for jet boat trips at nearby locations in the Bozeman / Yellowstone National Park area. They want you to have the best experience possible, so if the fishing is better in another lake or river, they may recommend another location. Whether you want to stick with this spot or hear about other spots, feel free to book your jet boat trip on this listing, and they will get in contact with you about the details!** Read More

Lake Fishing Trip in Hebgen Lake

Hebgen Lake Full-Day Jet Boat

NEW
1 - 2 People From $375 / person
See All Trips in Montana

Everything to Know About Booking a Fishing Guide in Montana

What are the best fishing trips in Montana?

Our Damn Good Guides currently offer 36 trips in Montana, and the most popular trips in the area are Yellowstone River Float guided by Nate, Multi Boat Madison River Float guided by Nate, and Holter Lake Full-Day Jet Boat guided by Nate.

Our guides in Montana are rated a 5 out of 5 based on 2402 verified reviews on Captain Experiences.

All guides on Captain Experiences are licensed, insured, and vetted by our team. You can access their reviews, click through trip photos, read bios to get to know them, and preview trip details like species, techniques, group sizes, boat specs and more.

The most popular cities to book a charter in Montana are Ennis, Helena and Twin Bridges.

Looking for kid friendly guides in Montana? Check out our beginner and family friendly guides in Montana.

What types of fishing trips are common in Montana?

River fishing is the most popular in Montana as well as lake fishing.

The most commonly sought after species in Montana are: 1. brown trout, 2. rainbow trout, 3. cutthroat trout, and 4. brook trout.

The most common fishing techniques in Montana are fly fishing, drift fishing, and wading but topwater fishing and ice fishing are popular as well.

How much does a Montana fishing trip cost?

in Montana prices can range anywhere from an affordable $230 to $3,000 and up, but the average price for a half day trip in Montana is $532. The average price for a full day trip in Montana is $1,185.

What month is best for fishing in Montana?

The most popular season for fishing in Montana is summer, and most anglers book their trips 8 days in advance.

Do I need a Montana fishing license and what are the bag limits in Montana?

See here for more information on fishing licenses in Montana, bag limits for target species, and fishing season regulations in Montana. When in doubt, your fishing guide will always know the right rules and regulations in Montana.

Recent Reviews of Captain Experiences

  • ★★★★★
    Jordan is an absolute Master of his craft. His understanding of fish is unparralled. Honestly its like he is one. The yellowstone was blown out due to heavy rains so we audibled to a 17 mile float on the Lower Madison. We fished a new and totally unique set of techniques fishing indicators with crayfish pattern followed by a nymph. He told me exactly when to mend, when to let the flies drag a hair, and when to re adjust with a new cast to get the perfect action on the flies. I missed a lot of big eats and landed some beautiful (and fat) rainbows and browns! Back at the ramp no one had the succes we did. I learn so much from Jordan everytime im out there. Can’t reccomend booking a trip with him enough.

    David I. with Jordan G. of Emigrant, Montana

  • ★★★★★
    We had an awesome trip with Trout on the Fly guide Matt!

    Trenay H. with Nate S. of Helena, Montana

  • ★★★★★
    The trip was great, from beginning to end. Ian was very helpful on the phone booking the trip, especially since we only booked it the night before. Nate and his team were helpful, and Matt was particularly generous with his time. His enthusiasm for his job and for our trip were contagious. We had a beautiful day on the water and had some success with the fishing, but the trip would have been great even if they weren’t biting that day.

    Danny O. with Nate S. of Gallatin Gateway, Montana

  • ★★★★★
    Had a great trip on the Missouri River drift boat fishing with Shelly. Extreamly knowledgable & helpful for a couple of first time fly fishermen. Caught my first Rainbow off of a fly rod. Highly recommend for the beginner or veteran fisherman.

    Bob F. with Nate S. of Craig, Montana

  • ★★★★★
    One of the things I wanted to be dang sure I did while I was there was fish the Yellowstone in a drift boat, and was lucky enough to get it done. With lots of fishing travel under my belt you never know how it will go and in this case the plan came together and it was a good day to be alive. The Boss and I met our guide Nathan at the ramp at 8:00 and it was not long before we were on the water. The Boss and I are really fly fishing neophytes with lots to learn and Nathan was a perfect guide and teacher for our day on the water. He has fished those rivers for 35 years, was patient, technically proficient, and just an overall good guy to spend the day with. As I noticed in the park there were lots of grasshoppers and it turned out to be our plan for the day. In my case catching any particular fish on topwater is the bomb, and we spent most of the day fishing larger hoppers with a smaller floating “something or other” on a dropper around 8″ behind. And it was so interesting to see the fish react. A few smashed it, (At least for a trout.) most barely slurped it under, and others could not resist rolling on it, or just taking a look. It took me a bit to get the hang of setting the hook like you need to and after a while I managed to toss a couple of small rainbows completely over the boat. It really was a new way to fish for us and it took a while to get the hang of it but I intend to put those lessons to work in Colorado when I head there this fall. Since this was our 5 or 6th run at it the Boss commented that each place and method was different, it is all part of the learning process. I probably went about 10 for 20 with one whitefish, the Boss struggled. So late in the day Nathan put us on a nymph rig with an indicator. (Or as we regular folks call it, a bobber.) He wanted to be sure the Boss caught a fish and she finally boated a rainbow and a native whitefish. But the Boss was happy just sitting in the back and enjoying the day and the view, but I give her credit, she kept casting like a trooper. He was so patient as we tangled, crossed, casted like the rookies we are, and he just continued to act like the professional he is. (Except we all laughed like crazy when at one point when we were thrashing multiple messes he said; “Stop casting!”) Of course I told him I would trash him here so let me do it now – One of the best guides to spend the day with I have had the pleasure to fish with. So take that homie. From the Great Barrier reef, Belize, Colorado we have fished with our share and today was one of the best all around experiences we have ever had. The fishing was not fast by any means, but the bite was consistent. I was not surprised by the number of refusals with the traffic and it being late in the season. Nathan made several fly changes during the day until we finished the day with the nymph rig and put the last couple in the boat. He worked hard to put me on a little bigger fish and his efforts were appreciated. Probably if I would have bullshitted less and fished harder I might have boated one of the better fish I missed, but I could have cared less as numbers were not the reason for the day. Being a Saturday there was quite a bit of traffic, but it is a big river, and when compared to Froggie’s on the weekend no big deal. Of course we had a few incidents where both guides and the public cut us off, or were just plain were clueless. (Sound familiar you coastal boys?) As you know one of my rules to live by on our busy waterways – Be nice, be the bigger man, and just because you have the right of way let them go. Nathan naturally lives and practices that making our day on the water pleasant and fun and he is a credit to the profession. I can be pretty hard on guides. It really was comfortable fishing from the drift boat. The Boss loved the safe manner he operated and being able to stand up and cast from the leaning post, or whatever it is called. I learned a lot about the drift boat and how it preforms on the water. As we accelerate our search for our place in the mountains Montana has made the list. Of all the places I have fished Montana gets an A+ for the access available to the public. (So thanks Nathan for offering to be my new best friend and take me fishing all the time if we end up in the area. At least I thought I heard him say that!) And a big thanks to Jonathan of Captain Experiences, https://captainexperiences.com/ , for booking and following up on our trip. The home of Damn Good Fishing Guides, this site has guides all over the country and they lived up to their name when they hooked us up with Nathan. Nathan guides out of Bozeman, Montana, fishing the Yellowstone, Madison, and a couple of other great Montana rivers. Nate, the owner, kept us informed with a full written itinerary, with constant follow up both before and after the trip. It was a professional job all the way around. So if you are looking for a guide anywhere, or wanting to fish the Yellowstone area, give Jonathan a call and he will put you with the best. Overall a first class trip. So when it is all said and done it was a great way to spend a day along with our park expedition. And here is a taste of what is next, as soon as I organize all of the park stuff. We saw almost everything we wanted to this trip and were so fortunate to see the wolves everyday along with enough wildlife to keep us happy. (For a while!) And to Nathan, I have added the Madison to my bucket list. Thanks for reading my stuff.

    Doug C. with Nate S. of Yellowstone River, Montana

  • ★★★★★
    Had a really great time fishing the Yellowstone, Upper Madison on drift boats. Caught nice browns and rainbows. Wades the Gallatin and caught nice fish on dry flies. Our guide was Matt and he was great to work with not to mention he’s a trained chef so the lunches were fantastic. Highly recommend these trips. The booking process was simple and effective thanks to Captain Experiences.

    Jay W. with Ennion W. of Gallatin Gateway, Montana

Top Types of Fishing in Montana

How are fishing conditions in Montana?

View Montana Fishing Reports from our damn good guides.

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