Montana Road Trip Update 2

Hello from Big Sky country!

After spending our first few days on the legendary Madison river, the group headed over to spend some time on some smaller tailwaters. Although the water may be small, the fish grow very large due to the superb insect life that fattens up the fish! The past few days we’ve camped on Ruby Reservoir, in the heart of Big Sky country. Our campsite was on top of a hill looking over the picturesque lake surrounded by high desert plains and vast snow-capped mountains ranges in the distance. 

The fishing the past few days has been some of the best of the trip with multiple fish landed over twenty inches and everyone in the group landing a fish over eighteen inches, which is considered a trophy. In addition, we’ve had some much-needed rain every afternoon that has cooled down the river and has the trout feeding on all sorts of insects including hoppers, which happens to be some of the most visual and entertaining fishing anyone can encounter. There’s nothing quite like a big fish slapping a hopper along a grassy bank! 

In the coming days, we will once again fish the upper Madison river in search of that elusive two-foot trout and enjoy some of the most famous water-to trout fish in the world. Afterward, we plan on moving back over towards the Bozeman area to finish out our trip with a float trip on the Yellowstone or Madison rivers with one of Bozeman's top fly shops, Montana Troutfitters. After the float, we will enjoy a banquet dinner at one of Bozeman's tasty restaurants then head to the Bozeman Hot Springs for an evening soak in the outdoor pools. The trip has absolutely flown by! 


 

Tight lines, Pat, Yantis, Jeff, and Crew. 

 

Lillard Fly Fishing Expeditions was started in 2010 as a graduate thesis for my Master's Degree in Environmental Conservation Education at NYU. The operating premise was simple - by coupling amazing wilderness fly fishing camps for teens with environmental education and service learning we can help inspire future generations of fly fishing conservationists. We have been growing our unique list of trips and experiences ever since.

When it comes to choosing a summer program for your teen the options are endless. For the teen who loves to fish, be outside, and has a strong sense of adventure we have made the choice easy. We are the leader in teen fly fishing adventures and are dedicated to providing the best backcountry fly fishing experience with opportunities for teens to engage in leadership training, community service, and backcountry camping.

Sincerely,

Will Lillard signature

Will Lillard, Founder/Director/Guide

Contact Us

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Lillard Fly Fishing Expeditions
2540 King Road
Pisgah Forest, NC 28768

(828) 577-8204