Stillwater River | Montana
Montana Fly Fishing Lodge
Season
April through NovemberOffset Partner
No
Overview
In southern Montana, at the foot the storied Beartooth and Absoroka mountain ranges, a verdant river valley catches snowmelt from the high peaks, creating a handful of cold, productive trout rivers that eventually find their way into the fabled Yellowstone. But here, away from the chaos of the Yellowstone National Park gateway region to the west, wild trout swim largely unmolested, and wise anglers are discovering this unique and underutilized swath of wild Montana, where anglers can catch a variety of wild trout. From the luxurious confines of Montana Fly Fishing Lodge, avid anglers will not only have some of wildest waters in Montana choose from, they'll have access to miles of private trout water, rarely fished spring creeks, and some of the renowned rivers that make the Treasure State famous.
The Fishing
The Beartooths and Absorokas are the highest peaks in Montana, and their winter snows make for ideal spring, summer, and fall trout water in this little-visited corner of southern Montana. Here, rivers like the Stillwater and the Boulder offer stellar trophy trout angling, and smaller waters, like West Rosebud and East Rosebud creeks flow out of the mountains and offer fantastic fly fishing and, better yet, relative solitude in a state that's clearly been "discovered" for it's fish resources. These waters, because they're fed by ample snowmelt, rarely have to face the specter or "hoot owl" closures in high summer, and they fish well from pre-runoff in April through the middle of November. And, during every month of the season, anglers can hang their waders at Montana Fly Fishing Lodge just outside the tiny town of Absorkee, Montana, and be within striking distance of hundreds or miles of incredible wild-trout fly fishing.
While fly fishing is the primary draw at Montana Fly Fishing Lodge, there are lots of things to do for non-anglers accompanying an angling partner or spouse. The lodge is ideally situated near millions of acres of public lands, from the wilds of the Custer-Gallatin National Forest to the West and the Shoshone National Forest to the south, just across the Wyoming border. This means there are hundreds of miles of available hiking trails, and the lodge can arrange for horseback rides, nature tours, and visits to nearby Yellowstone National Park, which is a gorgeous drive over the Beartooth Highway to the stunning gateway community of Cooke City, Montana.
Accomodations
LODGING: Montana Fly Fishing Lodge is a classic log-constructed lodge situated in the Rosebud Creek bottoms, surrounded by a cottonwood forest and ringed by mountains in every direction. Inside, guests will find ideally appointed rooms with big, comfortable beds, ensuite bathrooms, and thoughtful features, like a walk-in closet for clothes and luggage storage, and spacious baths with walk-in showers and lots of room to spread out. The lodge also offers several "tent suites," which are a bit more rustic, yet unbelievably comfortable, with plenty of room to spread out and wood stoves for those chilly Montana nights. The lodge features two spacious living areas, a beautiful indoor dining room, a full and always-open bar, a gorgeous back patio for outdoor dining (with real Columbia hops growing on the lattice work), and stunning grounds frequented by wild turkeys, white-tail deer, black bears, moose, and more. For anglers, gear storage is on the lodge's front porch in an assigned cubby.
FOOD AND DRINK: Meals at Montana Fly Fishing Lodge are top-notch, and prepared in the lodge's own industrial-grade kitchen by a trained chef. Hearty and traditional breakfasts are followed by delicious riverside lunches that include homemade soups, sandwiches on fresh bread with fresh ingredients, and thoughtful servings sizes. Dinner each night is an event, and features mouthwatering pork, chicken, and fish options. At least once during every guests stay, the lodge's chef will serve perfectly prepared "tomahawk" rib steaks accompanied by fresh sides, soup, salad, and desserts that will surprise and delight.
CONNECTIVITY: Cell service in this remote corner of Montana is spotty, but the lodge offer high-speed internet throughout the property.
Sample Itinerary
You'll pull into the lodge's spacious and well-manicured grounds at about 4 p.m. on your scheduled arrival day. The lodge's team will help you with your luggage and a valet will park your vehicle. You'll be shown to your room, and given a quick tour of the lodge and the grounds. You'll be assigned a cubby on the front porch — this is where you should stow your waders, boots, and fishing gear — feel free to put rods and reels together at your leisure, perhaps after a grabbing a cold craft beer from the open refrigerator in the lodges spacious basement. You'll enjoy at appetizer, and dinner is served between 6 and 6:30 p.m. Partake in the lodge's full bar, featuring an impressive spirits collection, or, better, yet, ask for a private tour of the lodge's 1,800-bottle wine cellar — it'll knock your socks off. After dinner, you'll plan your first day on the water, and your choices are impressive.
You'll start your Montana adventure on the Stillwater River, a dependably cold freestone river that flows off the high peaks of the Beartooth Mountains from the Custer-Gallatin National Forest. The Stillwater offers an excellent float-fishing experience with lots of options to get out of the boat and walk and wade while you cast to rainbow and brown trout that often exceed 20 inches in length. It's a remote float for most outfitters and guides, meaning you'll likely find plenty of solitude, and plenty of Montana's wild trout on your first day on the water.
The verdant valley above Montana Fly Fishing Lodge is home to some serious trout water, including five private miles of West Rosebud Creek, a signature Montana freestone stream. Here, you'll have all of five stream miles to yourself, and your guide knows exactly where Rosebud's big browns and rainbows lie at any given time of the year. This is a special experience for most anglers, and only Montana Fly Fishing Lodge can put anglers on this unique stretch of river.
While the big water and its trophy fish offer a lot of fun and stellar opportuntiy, the lodge's proximity to millions of acres of rarely visited public lands means guests have their choice when it comes to chasing surprisingly big backcountry trout. There's nothing quite like driving to end of the road and then putting in a couple of miles on a backcountry trail to reach some of the prettiest trout water in Montana. And on this day, that's exactly what you get to do.
After three days spent exploring southern Montana's plentiful trout water, it's time to put your skills to the test on your last fishing day of this remarkable adventure. Montana Fly Fishing Lodge has access to miles of a private spring creek just a short drive from Absorokee, where the trout are measured in pounds, not inches, and the degree of difficulty is commensurate. Are you ready for some sight-casting to truly big browns and rainbows? Here's your chance.
Included
- Airport transfer Complimentary shuttle service from the airport in Billings, Montana
- All meals Three daily meals
- Lodging All lodging in the lodge or on the lodge grounds
- Guided fishing Fully guided fly fishing on area rivers and streams
- Alcoholic beverages Alcohol included, featuring craft beers, fine wines, and a large selection of high-quality sprits
Getting There
Montana Fly Fishing Lodge is located just outside of Aborokee, Montana. The lodge provides shuttle service to the regional airport in Billings. Guests flying into Bozeman or Cody, Wyoming, should plan to rent a vehicle.
