How far in advance do we need to make reservations for our guided fishing trip?
Madison River Outfitters is often fully booked during the busy fishing season between June and the end of September. The best advice we can give for making reservations is to call and book your trip as soon as you know the exact date or dates you would like to fish. This is doubly true if you would like to request a particular guide or if you are making reservations for a large party. There is no penalty for booking early and you are guaranteed to have the dates and guide that you want to have.
What do I need to do to make a reservation?
Please give us a call at 800-646-9644 to make your reservation. We are happy to answer your questions by email, but we would prefer to speak with you when it comes to scheduling guide days and the details of your trip. When inquiring please let us know the number of people in your party, what date or dates you would like to fish with us, if you have a particular guide in mind for the day, and if you would like to float or wade (or possibly keep your options open if you prefer to “play it by ear”). If you have a specific goal for the day such as concentrating on instruction or fishing a particular river, this would be a perfect time to let us know.
Is there a deposit required to make a reservation?
Madison River Outfitters does require a $150.00 deposit per guide day to hold your reservation. This deposit in fully refundable up to a week before the date of your trip.
What is included in the guide fees?
Our daily fee includes guide service, with a ratio of 1 guide per 2 guests (up to 3 guests per guide on walk and wade trips), local transportation to and from your fishing destination, beverages and lunch (on full day trips). Half-day trips do not include lunches.
What’s not included?
Not included in the guide fee are flies, leaders, Montana or Yellowstone fishing licenses, personal equipment such as raingear, rods, reels, waders and boots, tax and a gratuity for your guide(s). While many of our clients choose to bring their own equipment, we do have rental equipment available. A full set including rod, reel, waders and wading boots is $25.00 per day. A Montana nonresident fishing license is currently $25.00 for two days, $40.00 for four, $53.50 for ten days, and $70.00 for the season. Yellowstone National Park licenses are $15.00 for three days, $20.00 for seven days, and $35.00 for the season.
What about flies?
You are certainly welcome to bring your favorite patterns, and can call the shop in advance to see what may be working for your trip. However, all Madison River Outfitters guides will carry a full selection of the best flies for the water you will fish, as well as leaders. At the end of the day, you are responsible to pay for only the flies that you have used. In this way way you are not required to purchase flies that never see the water and you will be sure to have all of the patterns that you need for the day.
What does a full day trip with a guide entail?
Most of our guide trips begin at our shop in West Yellowstone at 8:00 am. Here our shop staff will issue your fishing license, make sure you have everything you need for your trip, and introduce you to your guide. Driving time to most of our float destinations is about 45 minutes. Driving times to Yellowstone National Park destinations vary, from about 30 - 45 minutes for the Madison and Firehole, and up to 1.5 - 2 hours for Slough Creek and the Lamar. On a float trip you will usually be rigging by about 9 - 9:30. You will fish throughout the day with a break mid-day for lunch. Float or walk trips end around 5 - 5:30 pm. We’ll see you back at Madison River Outfitters between 6:00 and 6:30 pm. Of course we can tailor a trip to your needs, starting later and ending later if you have a long drive into town or wish to concentrate on the evening hatch, or ending earlier in the day if you need to be elsewhere at an earlier time. We can also arrange a local pick up if accommodations are in town or on the way to the fishing destination.
I am new to fly-fishing. Can I still go on a guided trip?
We take out a lot of beginner anglers and each member of our guide staff is an excellent instructor who makes it fun for even first timers to enjoy a day on the water. A beginner may not catch quite as many fish as someone with a lot of experience, but they can certainly do catch fish and have a great time learning to fly fish.
What is the best time to fish Yellowstone National Park and Southwest Montana?
Located in West Yellowstone, Madison River Outfitters offers guided fishing on a number of world class streams and lakes. The advantage of this is that something is always fishing well. If you would like to concentrate on a particular fishery, or a specific type of fishing then there are obvious peak times. Feel free to contact us to discuss your options. If a good day on the water is all you need, we can find some great fishing anytime of the year. Take a look here for a more detailed look at the varied fishing opportunities throughout the year.
What do I need to bring on a guided trip?
Anglers heading out on a guided trip need a few basic essentials. If you are bringing your own equipment, a 9 foot 5 or 6 weight fly rod and reel equipped with a floating line is ideal in most places. Waders and wading boots are necessary on walk and wade trips during the cooler times of the year. In July and August, guard socks and wading boots, along with a pair of quick dry pants or shorts are perfect for wet wading. On float trips during mid-summer, waders aren’t necessary, but a good idea to bring along in case some wade fishing is called for, or the weather brings some rain. Speaking of rain, a packable rain jacket is always a good insurance policy anytime of year. A brimmed hat, polarized sunglasses and sunscreen offer protection from the sun and make fishing more enjoyable. Dress for cool mornings and warm to hot weather in the afternoons during the summer. Anglers headed this way in the spring and fall should be prepared to encounter freezing weather - fingerless gloves, fleece pants, long underwear, and a warm hat are good items to carry along, even if you never need them. You are welcome to bring any flies you would like to fish and accessories such as nippers, hemostats, floatant and dry shake, and a net, although your guide will have these and everything else needed for your trip. Many of our guests also find a wading staff and a small day pack or vest useful for walk trips.
What can I do to prepare for my guide trip?
There is not much you need to do to be ready to go on a guided trip, but a few things can make the day more enjoyable and productive. Take a quick look at your equipment to make sure it is in proper working order before you head out to fish. For example, replace old, worn out lines (or have us do it here at the shop the night before your trip) and fix those old leaks in your waders. Spending a bit of time casting the rod and reel that you plan on fishing with before a trip is also a great idea. Even expert casters can improve their accuracy and confidence with a little practice to get the rust off.
How do we get to the shop?
Madison River Outfitters is located on the east side of Canyon Street (Main Street) in West Yellowstone, three blocks north from the West Entrance to Yellowstone National Park and 1/2 block south of the US 20 intersection. We are ninety miles south of Bozeman on HWY 191 and 115 miles northeast of Idaho Falls on US 20.