The family that fly fishes together has a lot more fun together. When planning the next great family vacation, making the trip to Montana to fly fish as a family could check a lot of the "vacation super-hero" boxes. It is well-known that Montana is home to some of the best fly fishing rivers, spring creeks, and lakes on the planet. With such amazing diversity in one state it makes sense there is also just as much variety of trip options for the angling family. Additionally, many families have a wide array of fishing skills and trip expectations. When it comes to providing something for everyone in the family, Montana's massive amount of fly fishing waters, trip options, and lodges all rise to the top of the list for the ultimate destination for the best family fishing trip. Here are some of the Best Family Fishing Trips in Montana.
Smith River Fishing and Camping Trip
This 5-day overnight camping and fishing trip is a family favorite. The Smith River is a specially permitted river with carefully managed access and camping regulations to ensure the beauty of the canyon and river corridor. This creates a unique experience for angling families who want a multi-day trip that is sure to make memories. After days on the water with our professional, experienced, and safe guides enjoy appetizers and tasty food followed by a campfire as the sun sets on the limestone cliffs of the canyon walls--some rising for nearly 1,000 feet. Approximately half-way through the float there's even a guest ranch with ice cream sandwiches and, for a small price, a hot shower. Montana's Smith River is one of the West's legendary fly fishing trips and is on the bucket list of many anglers world wide. Despite the high quality of the trout fishery, the fishing often takes a back seat to the amazing beauty of the river and the enjoyment of spending several days camping at truly amazing remote riverside campsites.
Watch our video on a Smith River Fly Fishing and Camping Trip
Custom Bozeman Montana Hotel Fly Fishing Vacations
Montana Angler offers a variety of guided fishing and hotel package stays in the heart of some of the West's best fly fishing waters. With special rates at numerous hotels in the Bozeman area, families wanting to create a fly fishing vacation that caters to all interests should consider a custom hotel package. By choosing a custom hotel fly fishing package trip for the family, that allows for ultimate flexibility for all interests. The Bozeman, Montana area has easy access to abundant fly fishing waters, hiking, rafting, horseback riding, and many other non-angling activities. A hotel-based fly fishing package allows the anglers to fish as much as they want and the non-anglers to explore the activities and amenities of one of the West's most unique towns. These hotel packages include some of the nicest and newest hotels in Bozeman, historic hotels like the Murray in Livingston and small cabins in small Western towns such as Ennis. Many of our guests enjoy the freedom that hotels offer for dining out in the evenings at local restaurants. Hotel fly-fishing packages are the most economical of the various family fishing vacations in Montana.
Similar to the ease and enjoyment of a Smith River trip where all the details are taken care-of, choosing an all-inclusive fishing lodge combines the abundant fishing options in Montana with well-appointed rooms and amenities, meals prepared by professional chefs, and lodge staff trained and ready to help you enjoy your time together as a family. With these all-inclusive fishing lodges also come professionally guided fishing with some of Montana's best fly fishing guides. Staying at one of these lodges brings a Montana fishing trip to an entirely new level, allowing the focus to be on fishing as a family.
Montana is home to some world-class fishing lodges that can be a great fit for the discerning family. From the Boulder River Outpost near the northern border of Yellowstone National Park to the Madison River Lodge on the world-famous Madison River to the Missouri Cliffs Lodge on the trout-filled tailwater Missouri River and many waters and lodges in between, booking a family fishing trip at an all-inclusive fishing lodge in Montana.
The Boulder River Outpost could quite possibly offer the best location in all of Montana for diversity of fishing options. From there anglers can access multiple ranches and are far from other lodges and fly shops so they see very little fishing pressure. The fishing options are extensive and include a wide variety of small stream fishing on both public waters and on several private ranches and float fishing on the Boulder, Stillwater, and Yellowstone rivers. The accommodations are in two rustic but very comfortable cabins located directly on the East Boulder River and just a few hundred yards from the main Boulder. The Boulder River Outpost is in a very private location surrounded by mature cottonwoods, spruce, and willows with the East Boulder on one side and a massive ranch with sweeping vistas of the mountains on the other. The two cabins offer a combined five bedrooms and three baths. Our chef and host stays on site with our guests so staff is available. In the morning you can often enjoy a spectacular float on the Boulder with the put in just down the gravel road from the Outpost - or maybe we drive to one of the private ranches that we lease in the shadows of the Crazy Mountains.
Watch our Video of the Boulder River Outpost Fly Fishing Trip
There is no better location on the legendary Madison River than this lodge. It is a very cool traditional lodge right on the most productive section of the Madison River. The lodge is all about the fishing and the lodge schedule revolves around conditions and the best fishing at the best times. The lodge is on one of the most prolific stretches of the river with over 5,000 trout per mile right off the decks. It is the only all-inclusive lodge directly on the famous 50 mile riffle section of the Upper Madison and is centrally located to maximize diversity of both floating and wading. Yellowstone Park is just a short drive away with lots of smaller famous fisheries and several other rivers can be accessed in the other direction. The Madison is an incredibly consistent fishery over most periods of our fishing season. Everything is included in this package so you just show up, eat, fish and relax and let us take care of the rest.
Watch our Video of the Madison River Lodge Fly Fishing Trip
The Missouri Cliffs Lodge is perched atop a cliff with sweeping views of the Missouri River. The lodge is centrally located in the canyon section of the Missouri River tailwater. The Missouri is known for high trout counts, large average size fish, and consistent water temperatures due to the chain of lakes and dams upstream. After a day on the water, return to the lodge to enjoy incredible hors d'oeuvres, a stocked bar in our saloon, and then and a multi-course dinner overlooking the Madison River. After dinner get in plenty of quality time re-living the day on the massive wrap around deck. The lodge has 6 guest rooms, each with 2 beds and an en suite bathroom. The Missouri River is Montana's largest tailwater fishery. Anglers will encounter some of the most productive hatches in the Northern Rockies, high fish counts, and the prospects for larger fish. The productive nature of the river allows trout to grow fast with an average size around 16" and larger fish common.
Watch our Video of the Missouri Cliffs Lodge Fly Fishing Trip
The Ultimate Fly Fishing Road Trip
On Montana Angler's Ultimate Road Trip load up the family and explore some of the best angling opportunities like never before--blending RV camping and fishing into one unique itinerary. There is no better way to sample a variety of the 170,000 river miles in Montana than The Ultimate Road Trip. By combining the state’s legendary public waters along with our special permits and exclusive private leases, our road trip program provides the flexibility for our guests to always be fishing the right spot at the right time, often on lightly pressured waters far from population centers. Guests will enjoy deluxe camp accommodations including high clearance No Boundaries campers, large outfitter tents or wing tarps for our outdoor kitchen, and fantastic stream side meals. Our camp chefs will move our camp, campers and mobile kitchen as we progressively fish our way across the Big Sky state. With our travelling armada of diesel trucks, No Boundaries campers, wall tents, a mobile kitchen, rafts, drift boats, chefs and first class fishing guides, guests will sample the best water Montana has to offer. Each camper houses two guests and offers two beds, a hot shower, USB charging stations, heat and air conditioning and a propane refrigerator.
Watch our Video of the Ultimate Montana Fly Fishing Road Trip
Custom Overnight Camping and Fly Fishing Trip
With their overnight camping and fishing program, Montana Angler can custom tailor a multi-day itinerary to suit any adventuresome families angling tastes. These custom overnight camping and fishing trips have a team of personable and highly trained guides specialized in overnight trips. On these trips you will camp and fish like you have never dreamed possible. Montana Angler takes care of all of the cooking and break down camp while you relax and enjoy the camping and fishing. Each evening you can enjoy camping at its finest with great meals, beverages, and the best company possible--your family. Wake up to the smell of hot coffee and the sound of a sizzling breakfast. Trip lengths are flexible and can last 2 days with 1 night camping to 5 days with 4 nights camping.
Watch our Video on our Custom Overnight Camping and Fly Fishing Trips
Montana and Yellowstone Park Area Wilderness Horse Pack and Fishing Trips
A fly fishing and horseback riding trip is a special way to spend time with the family and get away from the hustle and bustle of every day life. These are for a range of horseback riding abilities and are an ideal trip for any level of angler. With your family you will ride deep into the backcountry in the Yellowstone National Park into the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. There you will spend six days on a horsepacking, camping, and fishing adventure. Accommodations are in wall tent camps and guests are accompanied by expert horseman as well as fishing guides. The area offers excellent small stream, attractor dry fly fishing for native Yellowstone cutthroat trout. Several high mountain lakes are also accessible from camp, adding variety to your fishing experience. In addition to fishing, this is major wildlife country, giving guests a chance to view the same animals seen in Yellowstone Park without the crowds.
Bob Marshall Wilderness Horse Pack and Float Fishing Trips
The Bob Marshall Wilderness complex near Glacier National Park is the largest collection of wilderness in the lower 48 states. The fisheries in the Bob Marshall are just as pristine and prolific as they were in the days of the Lewis and Clark expedition and provide an unequaled opportunity to target the native west slope cutthroat trout and the bull trout. The South Fork of the Flathead is known in the fly fishing world as the mecca for dry-fly cutthroat trout fishing, and a guided pack trip and float in the Bob Marshall Wilderness is the best way to experience it. This 6 or 7 day adventure is mix of backcountry fly fishing and horseback riding. A Bob Marshall and South Fork of the Flathead horseback riding and fly fishing trip is an ideal trip for a family that loves adventure as much as they do spending time together.
Planning a family fishing trip to Montana is made a lot easier with the numerous options available with Montana Angler. From all-inclusive lodges to secluded camping adventures to backcountry wilderness experiences to hotel packages, there is a Montana fly fishing trip for a variety of families and interests.