The Complete Fly Fisher

The Complete Fly Fisher is ideally located on the finest section of the Big Hole River, the Complete Fly Fisher is a Montana legacy lodge. Originally built in 1968, guests from all over the world have traveled here, to the beautiful banks of the Big Hole River to experience the magic of Montana.

The lodge is a world-class destination that offers a wonderful level of rustic and relaxed luxury. Set in the heart of the greatest collection of trout fishing waters found in North America, the Complete Fly Fisher is the ideal place to escape from the intensity and pace of life found outside of the Big Hole Valley.

Their talented culinary team embraces the opportunity to serve dishes that will stay in your hearts and minds long after you’ve left the Big Hole Valley. There is a reason guests return year after year and not just for the fishing. Experience a world-class dining experience at the Complete Fly Fisher.

You have three unique choices for lodging options at The Complete Fly Fisher. Three guest suites in the main lodge, six stand-alone cabins, and a newly renovated historic barn house, all together accommodating 16-18 guests. Each room has high-speed internet, custom furniture and décor that is uniquely Montanan. All of their rooms are designed to make your stay on the banks of the Big Hole as comfortable and relaxing as any place you’ve ever stayed.

The list of incredible fisheries in this area of Montana is remarkable. You could choose to fish the Big Hole for your entire stay or venture to some of the nearby watersheds with amazing pedigrees. Within a short drive are the Beaverhead, Jefferson, Rock Creek, the Bitterroot and the Clark Fork. Just to name a few…

Headed out on your next adventure with us? The Fly ShopⓇ has you covered. As a thank you to our travel guests, enjoy 15% off all retail purchases for a year! — the perfect chance to gear up before your trip.

Whether it’s flies, leaders, apparel or a new rod and reel outfit, we’ve got everything you need to make your journey more comfortable, more successful, and more fun. (some exclusions apply)

Seasons

May:
Springtime is a great time to be fly fishing in Montana. The rivers are less crowded, the fish are hungry from a long winter fast, and bugs are starting to hatch as the days get longer and the water temperatures start to warm. Midges begin hatching on warm sunny afternoons and once the river hits that magic lower 40-degrees mark, matched with overcast skies, the first big hatch of the year, Blue Wing Olives (BWO’s), happens. This is the first hatch where fish start coming up consistently and in Montana can happen anytime from March to the beginning of May. The other magical hatch in Montana that has swarms of bugs that blanket the rivers, typically before run-off in early May, is the Mother’s Day Caddis. It is something to see during its peak- the sheer number of bugs in the air is astonishing. Once you see this hatch, you will view all others differently. Montana weather can be unpredictable in the spring and you just have to be prepared for anything and everything. But for those not afraid to endure a little “weather”, the payoffs can be well worth the effort.

June:
Depending on the year, June is typically run-off in Montana. Many freestone rivers become unfishable for a couple of weeks as they are running high and off-colored during this time. But that doesn’t mean you need to throw in the towel for June, as there is a hatch that lots of people plan trips around and can keep you coming back for more, year after year. We are talking about Pteronarcys Californica, The Salmonfly (Giant Stonefly). Hatch timing varies from river to river - it starts in Yellowstone National Park as early as late May and can run all the way into early August…and usually happens mid-June into July on the Big Hole River. Because Montana weather and run-off can vary each season, hitting it just right can prove difficult. Nymphing big stonefly nymphs is always productive, especially at this time of year, because even though the adult bugs aren’t always on the water, the nymphs are stirring on the bottom, waiting for their temperature cue to tell them to crawl ashore and morph into big orange flying bombers. If you are there at the right time and can get in on this hatch, it is something you won’t soon forget. The sheer size of this bug brings all the big fish up to the surface for a chance to gorge on this flying feast. The Big Hole River has a healthy, annual salmonfly hatch that every serious dry fly enthusiast should experience.

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Runoff Season

Getting There

Getting to The Complete Fly Fisher is easy. There are direct flights from both Salt Lake City and Denver international airports into nearby Bert Mooney Airport in Butte, Montana. Rental car options are numerous and the drive from Butte to the lodge is around 35 min. Alternately, you may choose to fly into Bozeman and make the longer scenic drive of 1 hour 50 min.

Lodging

The lodge has three guest suites in the main lodge, six stand-alone cabins, and a newly-renovated historic barn house, all together accommodating 16-18 guests. Each room has high-speed internet, custom furniture and décor that is uniquely Montanan. All of the rooms are designed to make your stay on the banks of the Big Hole as comfortable and relaxing as any place you’ve ever stayed.

Lodge Suites:
The lodge suites are well-appointed rooms within the main lodge. They all have comfortable beds with walk-in showers and you will be close to the action for the incredible meals that are part of the experience at The Complete Fly Fisher.

The Cabins:
Each of the 6 cabins are standalone buildings ensuring that your nights rest is quiet and peaceful. They all have a screened-in porch perfect for enjoying your morning coffee, or a cigar and beverage after a day on the water. One of the cabins has a ramp entrance to the building as well as in the shower for accessibility. Cabin #6 is a double suite with two separate rooms perfect for two couples traveling together. Each bedroom has its own bath and there is a sitting area in-between to tell fishing stories in the afternoon.

Fishing

The Big Hole:
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, churns through rugged canyons, and slides beneath 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.

The pin-ball boulders in stretches of this magnificent river provide for fantastic wading at times. And the shaded banks of cottonwood trees create ideal habitat for fish to comfortably take up feeding lies, sipping the river’s myriad hatches. Their guides love to watch our guests fall in love with the river they know and love so much!

Cutthroat trout are native on the spring creeks and feeder streams of the Big Hole and anglers commonly find cutbows down below. Neighboring rivers like the Bitterroot and Clark Fork have famously active rainbows. The fish that surround Complete Fly Fisher in the Big Hole valley are incredible.

Rates

7 night 6 day - $6,825.00
6 night, 5day - $6,195.00
5 night, 4 day - $5,460.00
4 night, 3 day - $4,620.00
3 night, 2 day - $3,465.00

All rates are per person based on double occupancy. Single guide days are available at an additional $300/day. Single occupancy rooms are available at an additional $200/night.

Inclusions:

Included in your package at The Complete Fly Fisher are meals, accommodations, fully stocked bar, and guided fishing. Rods and reels, waders, flies and terminal tackle are all provided if necessary.

Non-Inclusions:

Not included in your package at The Complete Fly Fisher are fishing licenses, transportation to and from the lodge, Montana state taxes, gratuities for guides and a 10% hospitality fee paid to lodge at checkout.

Travel Insurance:

The Fly Shop® is not in the insurance business, but we recommend Travel Guard (AIG) and Global Rescue (IMG) coverage as a service with a desire to see your best interests protected. It is impossible to know when an unfortunate situation (loss of luggage, fly rods, illness in the family, or an accident) may occur. However, such things can and do happen, and this insurance can provide a means of recourse against non-refundable financial losses.
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The Complete Fly Fisher

Seasons Details

Seasons

Getting There Details

Getting There

Lodging Details

Lodging

Angling Details

Fishing

Inclusions Details

Rates

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