Bozeman Fly Fishing Guide Sam Hunter

Sam Hunter

Originally from Virginia, I spent a lot of time fishing small mountain streams around the state. He moved out to the Bozeman area in 2018 to start working as a fly fishing guide on a guest ranch in Paradise and fell in love with the Big Sky state and fly fishing in Montana.

When he's not on the river, he loves to spend time backpacking in the high country with friends.

Sam spends the winter playing in the snow in the Big Sky Resort area.

Common Bozeman Fly Fishing Guide FAQ's

Favorite summertime hatch to fly fish near Bozeman:

I love when hoppers are around, throwing big bugs is always a ton of fun. It’s great to see fish rise and hit a hopper off the bank. It’s a great time of year and the fishing is a blast.

One tip to help anglers improve their casting:

Slow down, pause on your backcast, let the line do the work and give it time to get back in order to cast accurately.

Top fly rod configuration for Bozeman fly fishing:

I usually fish with a 9 ft 5-weight for dry, but if I’m fishing with a streamer or nymph setup, I will opt for a 9 ft 6-weight instead.

Preferred method of fly fishing during the summer:

A dry dropper setup is my favorite way to fish in the summer. It allows you to target rising fish while also catching some on the nymph.

Favorite river sections as a Bozeman Mt fly fishing guide:

I love getting out on the Yellowstone River; some of my favorite sections to float are around Emigrant and Pine Creek. I also really enjoy getting out on the Upper Madison and floating from Varney downstream to Ennis.

We’re really lucky to have such phenomenal wild trout fisheries in Southwest Montana; there's not a “bad” section of river around.

Additional Bozeman Fly Fishing Guide Resources

From The Montana Fly Fishing Blog