The waters we fish
Missoula Rivers We Guide
Western Montana’s blue-ribbon trout water: three freestone rivers within an hour of town and a famous tailwater.
Four rivers
Where Tom fishes
Missoula sits where three great trout rivers meet. The Blackfoot joins the Clark Fork at Bonner, the Bitterroot joins it just west of town, and the Missouri is an easy day trip away.
The Bitterroot
Montana’s best dry-fly river and a real shot at a big brown. Skwalas in March, PMDs and drakes in summer, streamers in fall.
Fish this river
The Blackfoot
Cutthroat and rainbows in the canyon country made famous by A River Runs Through It. Big stoneflies and hoppers.
Fish this river
The Clark Fork
The hardest-fighting rainbows in the area, big summer dry-fly days, and pike on the fly when the mood strikes.
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The Missouri
A fish factory below Holter Dam. Consistent flows, thick bug life, and dialed-in dry-fly and nymph fishing almost all year.
Fish this riverCompare the rivers
Which river is right for your trip?
| River | Best for | Main fish | Peak months | From Missoula |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bitterroot | Dry flies, big browns | Browns, rainbows, cutthroat | Mar–Apr, Jul–Oct | 20–45 min |
| Blackfoot | Scenery, big stoneflies | Cutthroat, rainbows | Jun–Sep | 30–45 min |
| Clark Fork | Strong rainbows, pike | Rainbows, browns, pike | Jul–Oct | In town |
| Missouri | Numbers, consistency | Rainbows, browns | Most of the year | About 2.5 hrs |
Never enough days on the water.
Pick a full or half day, choose your date and lock in the boat. Or call or text Tom to talk through the best river for your week.