Big Sky Fly Fishing Festival **July 5**

For those Montana followers of the Virtual Fly Guides, the Big Sky Fly Fishing Festival will be held on Monday, July 5. For more information, visit this link:

Big Sky Fly Fishing Festival

Bud Lilly's Trout Shop

Back in October of 2005, we spent a week in West Yellowstone and fished throughout the park. Since we had not fished the area in a very long time, we hired a guide for our first day of the trip. We hired a guide from Bud Lilly's Trout Shop by the name of Brian Berry. Brian took us to the Madison in Yellowstone and quickly got us into fish. It is always a good idea to hire a guide for areas you are unfamiliar with. It can jump start your success with getting into fish. Visit Bud Lilly's Trout Shop website for more information and if you are planning a trip to the Yellowstone area we recommend Bud Lilly's amongst all the other fly shops.

As side note, if you have not read "A Trout's Best Friend" by Bud Lilly it is a great read and provides a interesting glimpse into one of the most influential fly fishers and fly shop owners in western fly fishing. Click on the Amazon ad on the right of this page to get your own copy.

Bighorn River Fly Fishing Report 11/18/09

Winter weather doesn't stop us. Out here in Montana, we just put on warm clothes, and fish all year round.

Streamer fishing is starting to be the preference for the anglers this week.

Casting toward the bank and stripping it back 20 feet or so. Out in the deeper pools can be exciting letting your streamer sink near the bottom before starting to strip. A light sink tip line is ideal for this style of fishing. There are some blue winged olives starting to appear and the fish are on them through out the day. The bottom tributaries are starting to clear up so the lower river is getting better.


Nick Forresters
Owner of Forrester's Bighorn River Resort

Bitterroot River, MT Fly Fishing Report *New*

Bennett Miller

Morgantown, WV

West and East Fork of the Bitterroot River past Darby

June 28th thru July 2nd

Flies Used: Black Rogue Salmon Fly, Orange Stimmy's, Purple Haze, Elk Hair Caddis

Other Details: The Cutthroat's are eatin it up on the Bitterroot. Landed two 20"!! In the morning start throwing a salmon fly pattern, with a dark body, and you have it made. We probably turned 50 fish before lunch with that. After about 2, the Caddis flies are hittin the water everywhere. A dark Brown bodied Elk Hair worked great for that time of the day. The monsters were eating the Purple Haze Mayfly as well. Great fishing here right now!