Happy new year everyone from Troutzoola. This will be my 25th year rowing a drift boat as a guide and or outfitter in Montana. I was a younger man back in 2000, not so much anymore but I’m still willing and able to pull on the sticks with guests while looking for hungry trout, I might not stay out until dark like I used to but I have younger guides that will!

2024 started out pretty well with excellent fishing on the Missouri, Bitterroot, Blackfoot and the Clark Fork but the drought was tough, July, Aug, and Sept were not the greatest for fishing on many of our rivers.

2025 looks much better already. Most of our drainages are at or near 100% of snowpack/ precipitation for the time.  Snow/precip is looking pretty good, 10 times better than last year on this date. https://wcc.sc.egov.usda.gov/reports/UpdateReport.html?report=Montana

We have booked some trips and our Spring to early Summer schedule is filling in nicely.  We haven’t raised our rates in a couple of years but depending on the economy, expenses, etc. we might make a mid season price hike to accommodate for inflation.  (If guests book now, they are locked in on current rates).

We are running a 3 day guide special on the Missouri in March, April, and May. If you book 3 consecutive days it’s $1800.00 per boat/ full day trip including your guide/ flies/shuttle/lunch/ beverages, one or two anglers per boat.

My late friend Patch and I used to head over to Idaho in Jan/ February and fish steelhead. We made that pilgrimage for 10 maybe 15 years. I haven’t been over there since Patch was taken from us by cancer.  It looks as if the runs are pretty solid this season so my family and I are headed over there shortly to hopefully hook onto some of those B run goliaths in the Clearwater. I think Patch would smile hugely  if he could see my son or daughter hooked up on one  those crazy fish that kept him going. I know I’ll be smiling, this trip will be good for all of us.

My boy has been doing some winter fishing and doing  pretty well on brown trout.  He and I also made it over to Georgetown lake in November and caught some really colored up brook trout.

The days are getting longer and it won’t be too long, a couple of months before we are netting fish here on the Bitterroot

Special thanks again all of our friends and guests that keep our business rolling.