Big Sky Backpacking-Small Trout, Big Rewards!

Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks estimates that anglers spend just a skosh over $900 million annually fishing in the Treasure State. That seems hard to fathom, until you pull into one of the boat ramps on the Bitterroot in March, or the Madison in June. An oft-repeated motivation for participation in fly fishing is the “get away from it all” aspect. To my way of thinking, waiting in line to launch my boat is contrary to this, and I’m always searching for ways to dodge dudes and find fish. There are plenty of ways to do this; fish early, fish late, fish on weekdays, or simply fish further away from creature comforts than most folks are willing to go.

Backpack flyfishing is extremely simple; locate a trailhead that leads to water with a simple selection of attractor dry flies, basic nymphs, and a few buggers. Forget about matching the hatch, magnified lenses, and gossamer tippets, high-country trout are generally hungry and voracious.

Enjoy the solitude, fresh air, and the simple pleasure of sizzling onions, garlic, and fresh mountain trout over an open fire. This is flyfishing at its most basic and satisfying, and an ICT 3 or 4 weight is a perfectly smooth casting tool for the job!