...This list isn’t intended to be definitive by any means, it is simply a point of reference based on my experience over the years. I rarely come across a fly rod that I don’t like – these are some of my favorites to recommend as they are easy to cast and versatile for anglers of varied skill levels in a wide range of situations. Always show up with fly rods that you are comfortable with and enjoy fishing!” – Toby Swank

Fly fishing in the Bozeman area offers a wide variety of opportunities on waters of all sizes, using just about any fly-fishing technique imaginable. Our guided trips focus on drift-boat fly-fishing as this allows us to get away from popular access points while also covering a wide range of water throughout the day. The variety of water types covered each day call for a multi-purpose fly rod that can handle a strike indicator nymph rig while also accurately delivering a small dry fly at 25 feet, or even handle a streamer when called upon. Modern fly rods are designed to be “purpose-built”, which means that there are some that do everything alright while there are others that are exceptional for specialty uses.

When suggesting fly rods for our clients to bring on their Bozeman fly-fishing trips, we suggest focusing on well-rounded rod choice for novices and beginners such as a 9 foot 5-weight for everyday use. Specialty fly rods designed for dry fly fishing, strike-indicator rigs, or streamers are highly recommended for experienced angler that would like to improve their skills or experience a wider range of fly-fishing opportunities on their guided trip. There are dozens of great choices in all these categories – bring whatever you feel comfortable with or enjoy fishing – here are a few of our suggestion based on our preferences and the typical demands of fly-fishing the waters around Bozeman.

Recommended Dry Fly Rods

Premium Dry Fly Rod Category

A “purpose-built” dry fly rod will have a moderate action that enables an easier delivery of small to medium-sized dry flies with an accurate and delicate presentation. These fly rods perform very well in the 15-40’ range and are well-suited for “matching the hatch” scenarios where anglers find themselves fishing to a specific, rising trout. Here in the Bozeman area, we encounter these situations commonly in the Spring and Fall with year-round opportunities when conditions are appropriate. Although, not essential for success on out guided fly-fishing trips, we recommend bringing one of your favorites along if dry-fly fishing is your passion or a technique that you would like to improve your skills around.

Lighter line weights are typically appropriate for this category; however, windy days are quite common in Southwest Montana and we do have opportunities at relatively large trout on all of our local fisheries. A “softer” 5 weight gives the angler the advantages of a more delicate presentation with the” backbone’ needed to deliver in the wind or to turn a heavy fish in mid-current as well.

The Sage TROUT LL 590 is an all-around fly rod that stands out as an exceptional choice for the dry-fly angler. This smooth-loading rod features Sage’s KonneticHD Technology which utilizes advanced resins and graphite blank designs to make casting more intuitive and accurate. Equally at home throwing size 18 BWO dries in the spring or Hopper/Dropper rigs mid-summer on the upper Madison River, the Sage TROUT LL 590 is a highly recommended addition to anyone’s fly rod quiver as a dry-fly specific tool.

There are many great choices in this category of “presentation” or “dry-fly” rod choices and we have fished with a vast majority of them over the years. Some other fly rods that we highly recommend considering in this category for use on our guided fly-fishing trips in the Bozeman area include the Orvis Helios 3 905 F, G. Loomis NRX+ LP 590, or the Scott G Series 905.

The benefits of a “high-end” fly rod include versatile actions, lightweight, and advanced graphite/resin technology. They are generally easy to cast and handle a wide range of techniques much better than fly rods built on older graphite technology. No, you don’t have to buy a premium fly rod – but a premium fly rod generally enables an angler to focus more on the fishing and less on the casting mechanics, especially in demanding conditions.

Mid-Range Dry Fly Rod Category

If you are looking for a versatile fly rod at a lower price-point, there are dozens and dozens to choose from here as well. In our experience, there are very few rod models that will “do everything” well in the lower price ranges. They all feel good in a parking lot or local pond on a warm sunny day with no wind and flies on the line – but their performance often diminishes quickly in a breeze and some weight on the end of the line.

The Waterworks-Lamson Radius or Orvis Clearwater - both in a 9 foot, 5-weight configurations – fly rods are nice “dry-fly” choices at a lower price point. They are often thought of as less expensive all-around fly rod choices, but in our experience, they lack the “backbone” needed for consideration as everyday use with nymph rigs and streamers (in the 5-wieght and lighter options).