Swing Season in Montana
Troutspey techniques are as popular as any during the winter or “Swing” season as we refer to it here in Craiglandia. It not uncommon to see rig with magnetic rod holders sporting two-handed gear cruising up and down the recreation road looking for a big greasy slick to slowly swing a leech pattern through.
What Will 2025 Bring?
El Niño was supposed to bring western Montana ample precipitation and colder than normal temperatures. Thus far, it’s kind of been a dud. Snowpack is less than normal, and we’re just now getting our first real cold weather of the year. Fishing traffic has been a bit slow as well, though it is starting to pick up.
When To Use Deep Tips?
You would think that it’s pretty easy to determine when to and when to not to use full sinking “deep” Skagit tips, but it ain’t. Some guys will tell you that you never need to go deep, and other will say you’ll always catch more if you’re on the bottom. The truth lies somewhere in between, and tends to be related to water temperatures… on both sides of the spectrum.
What We Do.
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Guided Fly Fishing
Guiding is our foundation, and owners Mark Raisler and John Arnold have decades of experience guiding, and are committed to providing our customers with great guides and experiences.
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Fly Shop
Our small and funky shop has everything you need for a day on the water. More importantly, our knowledgeable staff will answer your questions and get you headed out in the right direction.
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Lodging
There are plenty of trout in the Missouri River, but not nearly enough accommodations for all of the anglers here to catch them. Let Julie help you find the right accommodations for you or your group.
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Shuttles
Our shuttle service will move your vehicle from put-in to take-out while you’re floating and fishing the Missouri River. We operate the largest shuttle service on the river, and will help make your float easy.
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Rental Boats
We rent Adipose Drift boats built locally in Helena, MT, and designed for big rivers like the Missouri. Rental boats often get booked well in advance during the summer, so make plans ahead of time.
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About Us
We don’t judge our shop by the products we carry. And we definitely don’t judge it by size. Our shop staff and guides are what makes us, along with the community of anglers that make Headhunters their base.
EXCLUSIVELY AT HEADHUNTERS
Our in-house designed fly lines are designed to cover most of the situations we find on the Montana Rivers, from targeting risers and making delicate presentations with the HEADHUNTER 2, to chasing that bobber down the center of the river, or probing rip-rap banks with a dry dropper rig with our all new BOAT LINE.