The 2026 SeaSon: More than just catching Fish
12 Years old Victor with one of his trophy from this season
If you would have asked me back in May how I thought this season would unfold, I would’ve told you I was cautiously optimistic. Fortunately, July reminded us all why we live for Montana summers.
Early July was everything we could’ve hoped for. Plenty of water in the rivers, healthy flows, cool mornings, eager trout, and enough bug activity to keep everyone smiling. We had some incredible days on the water, and watching clients connect with fish on dry flies never gets old. Those are the days that keep you excited to set the alarm before daylight.
But one trip this summer stood out more than all the others.
Last summer I spent two days with an 11-year-old angler who had very little experience with a fly rod. Like every new fisherman, we didn’t start with hero casts and giant trout. We started with the basics.
How to hold a rod.
How to mend.
How to get a good drift.
How to fight a fish.
Most importantly, how to enjoy every fish instead of worrying about the next one.
Fast forward one year.
He climbed back into the boat this July as a 12-year-old with a whole different level of confidence. The first morning was exactly what I expected after a long winter. We knocked the rust off, caught a handful of trout, worked on timing, and got comfortable again.
Then something happened that made me smile.
For day two he looked at me and said he wanted to hunt big fish.
He was willing to clip off the dropper.
He wanted to cast dry flies.
He wanted to leave the “numbers game” behind.
Now we’re talking.
Anyone can fish a two-fly rig and count fish. But learning to fool quality trout on a dry fly is a completely different challenge. It’s slower. It’s more technical. Sometimes it’s frustrating.
But it’s also the type of fishing that creates anglers for life.
We didn’t catch as many fish as I secretly hoped we would. That’s fishing.
What we did catch were some beautiful trout that had to be earned.
He learned to present a dry fly with confidence, watched fish rise to eat it, and understood that sometimes one memorable trout is worth more than twenty easy ones.
That’s the lesson I hope every young angler learns.
Managing expectations is one of the biggest parts of guiding. It’s easy to become obsessed with numbers. Social media doesn’t help. But success isn’t always measured by the clicker in the boat.
Sometimes success is learning something new.
Sometimes it’s making a better cast than you made yesterday.
Sometimes it’s sticking with a challenging technique until it finally comes together.
Those lessons last a lot longer than a fish count.
The best part?
Next summer his twin sisters, both 10 years old, will be joining us.
I’m excited to start that same process all over again. We’ll build the foundation first, teach them the right way to approach fly fishing, and hopefully create two more lifelong anglers who understand that attitude, patience, and respect for the resource matter far more than filling up an Instagram highlight reel.
That’s what this job is really about.
The Reality of August
As incredible as July was, August has reminded us that Mother Nature always has the final say.
We’re sitting in one of the hottest stretches of weather we’ve seen in years. Water temperatures are climbing, river flows continue dropping, and our trout are feeling every bit of it. Hoot owl restrictions are now in place on many western Montana rivers, and local reports continue to emphasize getting on the water early, targeting cooler water, and ending the day before afternoon temperatures spike.
Long before mandatory restrictions arrived, I made the decision to switch my guide calendar to half-day morning trips.
Not because I had to.
Because it was the right thing to do.
The fish don’t know what the regulations say.
They only know the water is getting warmer.
As guides and anglers, we have a responsibility to think beyond today’s trip. We all want these fisheries to be healthy years from now, and that means making smart decisions even when nobody is forcing us to.
I also have concerns about what we’re seeing throughout the Bitterroot drainage. Between an exceptionally hot summer, declining flows, ongoing debates over water use, and larger conservation issues facing our watersheds—including concerns surrounding the proposed Sheep Creek Mine—our rivers need thoughtful stewardship from everyone who enjoys them. Healthy fisheries don’t happen by accident; they require good decisions from anglers, landowners, agencies, and communities alike.
There Is Still Great Fishing
That doesn’t mean fishing is over.
Far from it.
Morning fishing has still been excellent if you’re willing to set the alarm clock early. Hoppers, ants, beetles, and attractor dries continue producing opportunities during the coolest hours, and anglers who adapt their schedules are still finding quality trout.
And if you’re willing to expand your horizons a little…
The bass fishing has been absolutely explosive.
Smallmouth don’t mind the warm water nearly as much as trout do, and they provide some of the most aggressive eats you’ll find all summer. Mixing a morning trout trip with an afternoon chasing bass is an incredible way to experience everything our local fisheries have to offer while reducing pressure on stressed trout.
Sometimes the best fishing isn’t about sticking to one species.
It’s about enjoying everything Montana has to offer.
Looking Ahead
I’m still optimistic.
A little rain during the second half of August could change things quickly. Even our smoky days can help by knocking down direct sunlight and acting like a blanket of cloud cover. Hopper season is far from over, and historically some outstanding dry fly fishing can happen late in the month if temperatures cooperate.
Then comes September.
Cool nights.
Longer mornings.
Happy trout.
Streamer season starts creeping closer, hoppers keep producing, and our rivers begin to breathe again.
For me, September also means another season I’ve been looking forward to all year.
Elk season.
The fly rod gets leaned in the corner a little more often, bugles replace rising trout, and another Montana tradition begins.
Every season brings something different.
That’s one of the reasons I love living here.
Whether you’re joining me this fall, planning a trip next season, or simply following along, thank you for supporting a small outfitting business that believes great guiding is about more than catching fish.
It’s about building anglers.
Protecting the resource.
And making memories that last long after the last cast.
My youngest with his first Bass on his own
My oldest with one of his many big bass
