Pre-Trip FAQ's
Here are some common questions we hear, time and time again, from prospective guests during the booking process. Check them out and email us with additional questions or if you need further clarification.
Q: Are children allowed on guided fly fishing trips?
A: Yes, we welcome children on all of our guided fly fishing trips. Float trips are recommended and all ages are welcome. Youth life jackets are required to be worn by youth under 12.
Q: Can I just fish dry flies If that’s what I want to do?
A: Absolutely!
Q: Can we keep a few fish on a guided fly fishing trip?
A: No, we only practice catch and release fishing on our guided fly fishing trips.
Q: Can we request a specific river or stream?
A: Yes, be sure to let us know if you have a preference. The guides typically choose the destination based on weather, water conditions, time constraints, and crowds so be sure to let the guide know if there is someplace that you prefer or would like to avoid as well!
Q: Can we use spin tackle on a guided trip?
A: Yes, spin fishing with a single hook, the barbless lure is allowed on our trips. We do not provide gear or lures for spin fishing.
Q: Do you cancel trips because of weather?
A: Generally speaking, we do not cancel trips due to weather. Sometimes, days are cut short due to afternoon thunderstorms due to safety but we do not offer partial refunds or credits in those situations. View our deposit policy.
Q: How long are guided fly fishing trips around Bozeman?
A: The length of the day depends on the fishing destination, water conditions, fish activity, and angler requests. The standard full day guide trip is usually a 7-9-hour experience with 5-7 hours on the water. Half-day trips are 4 hours in duration from start to finish at our Bozeman fly shop. We can accommodate any time restraints on your end with advance notice.
Q: I have never fished before in my life; can I do this?
A: Absolutely!
Q: Should I book a wade or float trip in the Bozeman area?
A: We recommend float trips as this is the best way to fish around Bozeman. There are wade fishing opportunities, but they are best in private waters and small streams.
Q: We have a group of 3 and we would all like to fish together, how does that work?
A: Our guide service is designed to accommodate 1-2 anglers per guide, so we do not offer an option for 3 people with one guide. After 20 years in the fly-fishing outfitting business, we have found that trying to put three people with one guide is just not a good experience for our guests or our staff. We do host plenty of groups of 3 (or any odd number) guests every year, guests will simply book 2 guides for groups of 3.
Q: What do I need to bring with me?
A: Check our gear list and generally bring personal gear like a raincoat, sunglasses, warm layer, hat, some snacks, and any special medications (epi-pen, insulin, etc.) that you may require.
Q: What is included in the guided fly fishing rates?
A: Use of all gear (waders, boots, rods, reels, terminal tackle, and flies), drinks, transfer to and from the fishing destination, and lunches on full-day trips. Fishing license and private water fees are not included in the standard rates.
Q: What is the per-person price of guided fly-fishing trips in Bozeman?
A: The daily ($595) and half-day ($525) apply to groups of 1 or 2 anglers per guide.
Q: What is the standard gratuity for a Bozeman fly fishing guide?
A: Guides cover their own expenses such as gas, shuttles, lunches, drinks, ice, flies, boats, insurance, and equipment. The standard gratuity is $125-$150 per day/per guide (1-2 anglers) for a job well done. Cash paid directly to the guide at the end of your trip is the standard practice.
Q: What kind of boats do we fish from?
A: Specially designed drift boats are 16’ long fiberglass with one seat in the front and one in the back. The guide rows the boat from a seat in the middle of the boat. We also use rafts with similar custom-built frames with similar layouts to out drift boats.
Q: What should my fitness level be in order to participate on a guided fly fishing trip?
A: Wade fishing requires that angler is in good condition with excellent balance. Float trips are less demanding physically, but anglers need to be able to sit comfortably for several hours and to be able to stand up/sit down without assistance. We are able to accommodate anglers with disabilities and poor mobility with advance notice.
Additional Information
2020 Trip Promo
2020 is just around the corner and we are excited to share an exclusive offer for our returning guests this Holiday Season.
Learn More2021 Early Booking for Bozeman Guide Trips
I’ve never been so excited to move onto the new year as I am today – I know everyone else feels the same way too! I wish that I could have gone through 2020 in the same way I went through 1990..
Learn MoreA Few Words on Montana Crowds
Crowding is a big concern to everybody these days. As more and more people move to the region and competition for our water resources grows, we have become increasingly sensitive to this “hot topic.”
Learn MoreBozeman Information
Bozeman is a small, college town situated in the Gallatin Valley of southwest Montana.
Learn MoreBozeman Rental Fly Fishing Gear
Rental gear selection from Fins & Feathers includes rods, reels, waders, and wading boots - all rentals are booked online, in advance and then we have them ready to go when you are ready to pick them up.
Learn MoreCustomer Service
Customer service is the “Great Equalizer” when it comes to deciding on where to make your next fly-fishing or fly-tying purchase these days. Fins & Feathers of Bozeman is a “real-life” brick and mortar specialty fly shop that has been in business for 20 years.
Learn MoreDrift Boat Fishing
Drift boats are a very effective way to cover a large amount of water that is oftentimes inaccessible to wading fishermen.
Learn MoreFall Fly Fishing
Fall Fishing Fall is a great time to fish here in Montana. Summer tourist season winds down and gone are the crowds of summer. Brown Trout become aggressive, and fall Baetis hatches bring fish to the surface.
Learn MoreFins & Feathers Drops ELOG
After nearly 20 years of participating in the Orvis Endorsed Lodges, Outfitters, and Guides program (known as ELOG), Fins & Feathers has declined to renew membership as of 01/10/2020.
Learn MoreFly Fishing Guide School Sample Itinerary
If you are interested in starting down the path of a professional fly-fishing guide career, we believe that we have a unique and compelling path to entry into the industry. The 4 ½ day class focuses on education through classroom and “on the water” settings ...
Learn MoreFly Fishing: The Seasons
Brief overviews of what fly fishing are like during the four seasons in Montana.
Learn MoreGeneral Fishing Information - South Western Montana
Montana fly fishing is world renowned because of the overwhelming abundance of quality, wild trout rivers, lakes, and streams.
Learn MoreGeneral Stream Access Laws
Montana has a great stream access law that allows recreationists to access most streams in the state. Where streams or rivers flow through private land you are allowed to be fishing in the stream as long as you enter through a legal access point and stay within the ordinary high-water mark.
Learn MoreGeneral Techniques
Fly-fishers are more experienced today than ever before and this allows our guides to make attempts to provide each angler with an experience that is unique to their own expectations.
Learn MoreGuide Trip FAQs
We recommend that you touch base at 877-790-5303 or email us one week prior to your scheduled trip departure.
Learn MoreMontana Fishing License Information
We sell Montana Fishing/Hunting Licenses here in the shop.
Learn MorePrivacy Policy
This privacy policy sets out how uses and protects any information that you give when you use this website.
Learn MoreRecommended Gear
To help you get the most out of your trip to Bozeman, here is a list of recommended gear. This is by no means and complete list but covers most of the bases.
Learn MoreReturns: Your Satisfaction is Guaranteed
We have a carefully curated selection of gear and accessories from the fly-fishing world from some of the best manufacturers and distributors in the industry.
Learn MoreRod Fees for Private Water
All private waters are catch and release only Reservations Required Limited Rods
Learn MoreSpring Creek Infomation
Local spring creeks are well known for producing reliable hatches and surface-feeding fish for most of the year.
Learn MoreThree-Person Guided Fly Fishing Trips
We often get asked about adding a third person to a guided trip with one of our Bozeman fly fishing guides.
Learn MoreTypes of Fisheries in Montana
The topography and geology of Southwest Montana have created a wide range of fisheries ranging from tiny alpine lakes to the vast western rivers like the Missouri and Yellowstone.
Learn MoreWinter Fishing
Winter can offer good fly fishing without the crowds or selective trout of summer. Fishing can be really good when the weather warms up enough to melt off the ice and slush.
Learn MoreYellowstone National Park Fishing Information
Yellowstone National Park is a Mecca of fly-fishing in the Rocky Mountains. The waters that leave the park form the nation's most famous trout rivers.
Learn More
