The Big Hole River
Where Montana's Magic Flows
The Big Hole, known as "The Last Best River," a fly-fishing paradise whispering with the spirit of the Wild West. Here, in the heart of the Big Hole Valley, the possibilities for anglers are as boundless as the Montana sky. Dry flies dance on the surface, tempting a symphony of trout unlike any other river in the lower 48.
Born high in the Beaverhead Mountains, the Big Hole carves a legendary path through a landscape sculpted by time. From its mountain beginnings, it winds through lush meadows, whispering past rugged canyons, and slides under the shade of cottonwood sentinels. Its journey ends as it joins the Ruby and Beaverhead, forging the mighty Jefferson River. This is Montana in its purest form: untamed, breathtaking, and teeming with life. It’s also a river that will provide all anglers with the purest fly fishing experience found anywhere – an opportunity to cast to wild trout on a western freestone stream in one of the most beautiful valleys on Earth.
It's been said there is no heaven on Earth, but in Montana you can find pieces of it every day.
Our Home Water
The Big Hole River
John Barrett, who has spent his life fishing every famous fly fishing river in the world and filming them for decades, believes this is one of the top three fly fishing rivers in the entire world! And the other two are on other continents.
We believe we are blessed to be perched on the banks of this glorious river. And to have guides who know it’s every swing and pocket. The fishing here is epic. The hatches are many. And the scenery is unmatched anywhere. Our canyons provide their own ecosystems perfect for trout.
The pin-ball boulders in stretches of this magnificent river provide for fantastic wading at times. And the shaded banks of cottonwood trees create shadows of sipping noses that are both gentle and giant. We love to watch our guests fall in love with the river we know and love so much!
Our Other Waters
Although we could fish all of the various stretches of the Big Hole every single fishing day and never tire of it, we often take a short drive to a nearby river just for a change of pace. We will work with you before your trip based on your goals and the way you like to fish, but your guides will also suggest the best strategy for hunting down the perfect drift for you. Sometimes the flow of the rivers or the activity of the hatches will shout out clearly that it is time to try one of the many other rivers in our area. But other times the nudge to wander on down the road is only a whisper or a hunch. With some exceptions, most of these fishing options happen very easily within the hours of a normal fishing day - in other words, we can have you back for the dinners that are not ever to be missed! But we also are willing to travel to the nearby Missouri River or to the other rivers in our area that might require missing dinner.
The fish in our rivers
The rivers in our area of Montana are filled primarily with rainbow trout and brown trout. A typical day on the Big Hole will most likely also include a brook trout and it is not unusual at all to land an arctic grayling - one of the last places on Earth to do so.
Incredibly large brown trout can be found in the modestly meandering Beaverhead.
This huge rainbow was landed on the Big Hole in 2023 by angler guided by Kelly Kimzey!
Cutthroat trout are native on the spring creeks and feeder streams of the Big Hole and we commonly find cut bows down below. Neighboring rivers like the Bitterroot and Clark Fork have famously active rainbows. The fish that surround us here in the Big Hole Valley are incredible.
The Salmon Fly Hatch
Huge stone flies land on the water like plump Thanksgiving feasts for the trout in our rivers. During this time, mid June through early July, we throw big orange attractors to rising fish and the fun that ensues cannot be matched by anything else we know of.
As with any region, the hatches are seasonal and ever-changing. But when the salmon fly hatch starts, it is good to be on the Big Hole. We can talk to you about booking so that you have a good chance to be in a boat when it happens. Give us a call today - those dates book up fast.
Our back porch is perched on the banks.
You just can’t get any closer to the fishing that brought you here. Breakfast & dinner are served in the River Room and often times you’ll see our Osprey fishing in the Big Hole, just outside the window, for his meals too.
Float it.
During the fishing season the river changes size in a dramatic fashion. In an average year it will peak at 8,000 cubic feet a second during the spring and drop to 400 cfs by late summer. When the river is big, floating is a must, and covering as much as 25 miles a day is possible. As flows drop during the season the opportunity for wading increases.
