Bozeman Fly Fishing Guide Nick Bacon

Nick grew up in Minnesota, where he chased the typical Midwest species on the many lakes. His father introduced him to fly fishing at an early age, and he fell in love with the sport. He moved to Montana in 2015 for college. While attending Montana State University, he worked at the Fins & Feathers fly shop and explored the many rivers and creeks Montana offers when he wasn't studying. After graduating, he started guiding with Fins & Feathers, and says his favorite part about what he does is creating connections with people on the water and watching the excitement when someone catches their first fish on a fly rod.

Coming from a long line of family members involved in education, he is a natural instructor who works well with anglers of all skill levels. He is very adaptable when it comes to fishing different conditions, rivers, and methods, often stating, "Even big fish eat small flies." He never gets discouraged and shows great patience while working with clients and targeting picky fish.

FAQ's of our Bozeman Fly Fishing Guides

What’s your favorite summertime hatch to fish on the rivers around Bozeman?

Brown Drakes on the lower Madison are tough to beat. They’re massive and hatch late evening, so it offers something a little different than what you think of for a traditional dry fly hatch. Half the time you are listening for an eat instead of looking for one because you can fish well into the dark.

What’s one tip that you find yourself offering guests to help improve their casting during the day?

You can’t cast slack. You want to make sure your line is tight before you go to pick up and start a back cast. It makes it a lot easier once you get into the habit of starting with a taut line before each cast.

If you could only fish with one fly rod on the rivers around Bozeman, which length and line weight would you pick?

For practicality, I’d fish with a 9-foot 6-weight rod because it works well in a lot of conditions that we can see year-round. You can fish heavy setups in the wind a bit easier, but still be able to cast a smaller mayfly pattern if need be. I would never feel undergunned with a 6-weight when fishing around Bozeman.

What’s your favorite fly fishing method to employ during guide trips? Nymphing, streamer fishing, dries, dry/dropper?

Dry-dropper setups are the best of both worlds. Specifically, large foam patterns because they can hold a variety of droppers. Watching fish rise to a dry fly while also being able to fish a shallow nymph along a bank and through riffles can be so much fun.

What are your 3 favorite Bozeman fly fishing river sections to guide?

Ennis to the lake is some of my favorite water to guide. It's mainly all walk-and-wade, so you have to anchor and get out of the boat to fish, but the braided structure creates amazing trout habitat. Feels like there are endless places to explore on that stretch, which always keeps it entertaining.

Below Livingston on the Yellowstone can be some of my favorite water for streamer and hopper fishing. I really like the structure of Bratten to Twin.

Early am trips on the Gallatin, Logan down to the headwaters, are pretty special. You can take your time and test different patterns through runs; the river is quite a bit smaller than some of the others, and it can feel pretty intimate

Additional Bozeman Fly Fishing Trip Resources

From The Montana Fly Fishing Blog