Bozeman Montana Fly Fishing Blog | Fins & Feathers est. 2000

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Fins and Feathers - Bozeman Fly Fishing Guides Since 2000

Established in late 2000, Fins and Feathers has been a staple for anglers fly fishing in Montana for over two decades. We began this adventure as Bozeman fly fishing guide service and specialty fly shop in the most highly competitive (even back then) market in fly fishing. We sold the shop to Yellow Dog in late 2022 to enjoy the fruits of our hard work in the retail space.

Today, the focus is on continuing Fins and Feathers' legacy of angling authenticity by sharing our passion for the sport through our fly fishing blog, Montana fishing reports, and guided Montana fly fishing trips.

Contact Toby Swank - our owner and outfitter – for more information regarding guided Montana fly fishing trips.

Category: Montana Rivers

Bighorn River June Report

Post Date: 06/16/2023

We found most of our fish in the fast, shallow water around the inside bends and ledges....

Category: News & Updates

Tarpon Time in 2023

Post Date: 06/08/2023

Clouds were gathering, the wind had turned from gusty to steady, fish had quit rolling hours ago and we had about 15 minutes to go before we had to call...

Category: News & Updates

May on the Missouri Wrap 2023

Post Date: 06/01/2023

Our “2023 Spring on the Missouri” wrapped up over Memorial Day Weekend with a couple days of heavy rains and erratic river flows. However, we still managed to find plenty...

Category: News & Updates

Missouri River Spring Fly Fishing Update

Post Date: 05/09/2023

Sunny skies and the warm breath of a Montana morning greeted me today at the boat ramp on the Missouri River, near Craig, Montana....

Product RIO Fly Lines Box Xtreme Indicator jpg 2

Category: Gear Reviews

Fly Line Choice for Indicator Nymph Fly Fishing

Post Date: 05/05/2023

Modern fly line chemistry and taper designs – when paired with the proper fly-rod and fly-fishing application – deliver more performance than ever before....

Black Czech Bomb #18

Category: News & Updates

Top 10 Missouri River Flies - Early May 2023

Post Date: 04/28/2023

Spring on the Missouri is “heating” up with warm weather in the cards for the next week. Expect water conditions to start changing daily with increasing snowmelt coming in from...

Category: News & Updates

Missouri River Montana Fly Fishing Update

Post Date: 04/26/2023

Spring has finally sprung the last few days up here in central Montana along the Missouri River. Geese are on the nests, green is starting to replace white and brown...

Category: News & Updates

And the road goes on forever...

Post Date: 04/16/2023

The last several months of life have been nothing short of spectacular for me, following the sale of Fins and Feathers of Bozeman fly shop to Yellow Dog Travel las...

Gallatin River Algal Bloom - Upper Missouri Waterkeeper photo

Category: News & Updates

Gallatin River Conservation News

Post Date: 04/15/2023

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has formally declared the middle segment of the Gallatin River 'impaired' by algal blooms under Section 303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act....

Montana snowpack map 041322

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Bozeman Fly Fishing Conditions Update

Post Date: 04/13/2023

Its winter once again here in Montana (it really hasn’t stopped yet) as we awoke to another fresh coating of snow in town and in the mountains....

Garbutt Fly Fishing in Punta Gorda Belize - Permit in hand

Category: News & Updates

Punta Gorda Permit Fly-Fishing

Post Date: 02/26/2023

I recently returned from my first trip to Punta Gorda (PG) in southern Belize where I fished with friends of mine while staying at Garbutt’s Fishing Lodge. Primarily known as...

Category: Gear Reviews

Favorite Sowbug and Scud Fly Patterns

Post Date: 02/25/2023

Scuds and Sowbugs are freshwater Crustaceans commonly found throughout lakes and reservoirs around the globe....

Montana snowpack

Category: News & Updates

Bozeman Fly-Fishing Forecast 2023 - Feb. 16

Post Date: 02/16/2023

The snowpack continues to be very strong as we head into the 2023 fly-fishing season in Southwest Montana. Earlier in the winter,...

Category: Gear Reviews

Dry Fly Bozeman Fly Rods

Post Date: 02/09/2023

“After 23 years of guiding and owning a fly shop in Bozeman, there are very few fly rods that I haven’t at least given a good cast at one point...

Fly shop tour banner

Category: News & Updates

Featured on Fly Lords Fly Shop Tour

Post Date: 02/02/2023

Check out this series of videos from Fly Lords that features the staff and myself at Fins & Feathers of Bozeman last fall.....

Category: Gear Reviews

Versatile Bozeman Fly Rods

Post Date: 01/31/2023

“After 23 years of guiding and owning a fly shop in Bozeman, there are very few fly rods that I haven’t at least given a good cast at one point...

Category: News & Updates

Denver Fly-Fishing Show

Post Date: 01/29/2023

Are you on the Colorado front-range or planning to attend the Fly-Fishing Show in Denver on Feb 17-19? If so, please stop by the Yellow Dog Fly-Fishing.....

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Conservation Updates

Post Date: 01/28/2023

Upper Missouri Waterkeeper is a local conservation group that closely monitors pollution and development across SW Montana with the intent of keeping our rivers filled with clean, cold water....

Missouri River fihsing trip success with Fins and Feathers

Category: Missouri River Information

Missouri River Fly Fishing Trips

Post Date: 01/26/2023

Missouri River Fishing Trip Details If you're interested in guided Missouri River fishing trips, our Bozeman Montana guide service can help. We have over 20 years of experience guiding Missouri...

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G. Loomis NRX+ 595 is my preferred Strike Indicator Nymphing fly rod

Post Date: 01/24/2023

The G. Loomis NRX+ 595is my “go-to” fly rod for most of the indicator nymphing style of fly-fishing that is a constant part of most of days on the water...

Skwala modulead

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Skwala Fishing Gear in my Kit

Post Date: 01/22/2023

I’ve been home for a little over a week now and yes, I am growing restless. Thankfully, I got the call that there is an opening on a trip to...

Upper Madison River Fly Fishing Guide Trip

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Spring Special : Madison River Guide Trips

Post Date: 01/21/2023

The Madison River - between Ennis Lake and Hebgen Dam – is commonly referred to as the “Upper Madison” by anglers around the world. This year-round fishery has long been...

Screen Shot 2023 01 20 at 6 05 09 AM

Category: News & Updates

MGTU Annual Banquet

Post Date: 01/20/2023

Madison Gallatin Trout Unlimited's 51st Annual TroutFest Banquet will be held on Saturday, February 25th, 2023 at 5:00 PM at the Best Western Gran Tree Inn in Bozeman....

Sage ENFORCER Reel stopped this 50 pound Black Drum, no problem.

Category: Gear Reviews

Sage ENFORCER Reels

Post Date: 01/19/2023

Also new this year from Sage is their latest series of high-performance fly reels in the ENFORCER series. I fished this reel in the 9/10 size on my several trips...

Mini Zirdle and Frenchie

Category: Montana Rivers

Lower Madison Fly-Fishing Outing

Post Date: 01/14/2023

I made a quick run out to the lower Madison River today to make some casts with one of my newer and yet to be fished rods – a Winston...

Lower madison rainbow

Category: Montana Rivers

Lower Madison River Fly-Fishing

Post Date: 01/13/2023

The Lower Madison River is considered to be the stretches of the Madison River, below or downstream of Ennis Lake. Ennis Lake was formed in 1901 by the creation of...

Saltr8candycane

Category: Gear Reviews

Sage SALT R8 Fly Rod Review

Post Date: 01/12/2023

The new flagship saltwater fly rod from SAGE will be out and for sale on January 17!...

D Midge D Miller Red 08778

Category: Education

Top Midge Fly Patterns for Bozeman Fly-Fishing

Post Date: 01/11/2023

Matching the hatch is a key aspect in finding success when fly-fishing for Trout – if success is measured by bringing fish to the net, that is....

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