Non-Trout Guided Fishing Trips
Carp / Walleye, Perch and Trout on Spin Gear / Ice Fishing
You mean, there's other fish to catch than trout in Montana? You bet there is! While flyfishing for trout is certainly our focus as a guide service and the most popular form of angling here, there are many other ways to find fun fishing in Montana.
Carp
We first started intentionally fishing for carp about 15 years ago when a sustained drought regularly made our rivers too warm for trout to be happy in the late summer, but the hot water seemed to make these funny looking fish super spunky. What we found after some further research was that carp are abundant in certain waters of our state, they are fun and challenging to catch on a flyrod (arguably much more challenging than trout!), and they get really big; 5 to 15 pounds on average and up to 30+.
The best part of fishing for carp is that it's the closest we can get to saltwater flats fishing here in Montana. We sight fish for them, both wading and from boats, and often find them tailing just like a bonefish as they root on the bottom for crayfish and other tasty morsels. It takes a good presentation to fool a big carp, and it's a fun game to try if you haven't before. We also catch them on dryflies regularly, usually mayflies and grasshoppers.
Now don't get us wrong here, carp aren't going to replace trout as the Montana state fish or anything, but we think if you're into trying new things and enjoy the sight and stalk game that you should give this a try on your next Montana trip. It's a great way to tune up for your next saltwater flats excursion, that's for sure. It's what the locals are getting into, what many guides do with their days off, and has spawned at least one local tournament already.
Walleye, Perch and Trout on Spin Gear
If spin fishing is your game, and you like to fill the cooler with fillets to take home for dinner, then a lake trip to focus on walleyes is what you want. Helena has three large reservoirs that boast some of the best walleye and perch fishing in the West; Holter, Hauser and Canyon Ferry. We have guides that specialize in this approach and can provide all the gear necessary to jig the day away - great for kids and folks who think fly fishing is a bit too tricky.
Ice Fishing
If you are coming in the winter and skiing isn't your thing, then ice fishing is a great option to have some outdoor fun. We'll provide all the necessary gear, tackle and transport on the ice, you just have to dress warmly and reel in the fish.
