The Montana Fly Fishing Guides at the Stonefly Inn

When considering using a guide on a river, whether strange or familiar to you, you should keep a few things in mind. You should know that good guides are hard to come by and when you find a one, you are likely to cling to him like a brother. A guide should be more than a fisherman with a big truck, driftboat, and a funny hat. Good guides are exceptional anglers themselves and will go to great lengths for you to have a bend in your rod. Good guides could be psychologists, marriage counselors, mentors to your children, stand up comics, instructors and they cost about as much as a good mechanic. We read one time that fishermen are a crazy bunch, and inevitably the only way an angler can get someone to fish with him for 8 hours is to pay him to do it.

One thing you must know about our guides at the Stonefly Inn - they are passionate about their work.

We'll teach you about Real Angling Situations

In so many other sports, you can go down to the local golf course, batting cage or gym, and receive professional instruction on virtually any sport you choose. However, with fly fishing, good instructors can be difficult to find. There are lots of fly fishing schools out there - but consider this - how much can you really learn on a casting pond?

Can a casting instructor on a pond teach you to throw a reach mend under that overhanging willow to a brown trout sipping PMD's? - A good guide can. Can a casting instructor teach you to stack mend in the soft seam as you are floating by? - A good guide can. Will your casting instructor teach you to read water and what to look for on the river? We can, and will.

We have fished around the world with the good, the bad, and the ugly. Guides that fell asleep, guides that didn't show up on time, guides that had trucks break down, guides that had leaky boats, no boats, small boats and big boats. We've been with guides that couldn't communicate with a preacher. We've also fished with some professional guides that could get the job done.

The Guide Staff of The Stonefly Inn has our personal guarantee - not written on the box in small print, and you don't pay extra for it. If you aren't happy with your guide at the end of the day, you'll get your money back. End of story.

Owner Dan "Rooster" Leavens
Montana Outfitter #10393 & Head Guide

Rooster knows how to spend 300 days a year on the water, and somehow enjoy each and every one. He has the patience of Job. He can teach you how to stop hooking your rod on your backcast, and how to read river water. He knows how to bail out a sinking driftboat if someone launches it too fast off a cliff. He's on the pro staffs of R.L Winston, Simms, Hatch Reels, Clackacraft Drift Boats and Mossy Oak Camo. He's rebuilt diesel engines, called in bull elk, and he knows how to grill a mean steak. He knows there is plenty of room in Montana for all of God’s creatures - right next to the mashed potatoes. But most importantly, he knows how to listen, communicate, and he'll remember your name on a handshake.

 

 

It’s a pretty long list. Sort of looks like a “line up” of sorts. These guys are some of the best in the business. Depending on the season, some of these guys are found guiding anywhere between the Big Horn and the Clark Fork. They might be in Alaska, Montana, Washington, Chile, Argentina, the Bahamas, Russia, Mexico or New Zealand. Guides like these are in high demand, and make the most of Montana’s season by working for more than one outfitter. You may see their faces on other websites, in other states or sitting at the bar in The Roost at the end of the day. With enough notice, we can almost always pair you up with the guide of your choice, remember though, they all carry our guarantee.

Jeff Brazda

Jeff has one concern in life, other than his wife Lisa. Catching fish. He thinks about what they eat, when they eat it, and why. We are pretty sure if you hit Jeff in the head with an axe, a bunch of trout would fall out. Spending every season of the year on river systems in Montana and Washington, Jeff is no stranger to the rowers seat. He certainly isn’t afraid of fishing new water, or being the guy that gets you out of bed at 0500 if he thinks that’s when you need to be on the water. He’s the guy you want to be friends with when the fishing gets tough, because he will be one of the first ones to figure out what their biting on! You can learn more about Mr. Brazda on his website at www.brazdasflyfishing.com.

 

Greg Bricker

One thing you wont hear Bricker ask for is a day off. He loves what he does and takes every aspect of being a guide to a new level. He spends his winters in Chile and summers in Montana, putting people on fish over 10 months out of the year. He has vast experience on all of the rivers in Southwest Montana, and isn't afraid of a road trip to the Yellowstone when the time is right. Greg's gear is top shelf, and his boat bag has more patterns than most flyshops stock!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike Stack

One of Mike's greatest attributes is the fact that he likes to fish where most people don't. He has a great sense for fishy water, knows what to throw when the time is right, and where to throw it. He is no stranger to any of the water in our area, and it shows when you spend the day with him. Like many of our other guides, he has spent time in Alaska and guided in Montana for the last 10 seasons. He is the father of my daughters best friend, and one heck of a cook. He is a custom fly tyer, a great dad, and given the opportunity - a great angler.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joe Willauer

Willow gets with the program. He a custom fly tier, rod builder and a real fish head. He is almost twice as tall as Rooster, but we don't hold that against him. Like most fish fanatics, Joe has been casting a fly rod since he was much, much shorter than he is now, and his experience gives him the ability to read different water, any place, any time. Joe's entomology (knowing which fly to tie on) is at a level most anglers cant grasp. He comes to Montana from the rivers of Washington, where he attends college at Washington State University.

 

 

Jimmy Kerr

Jim comes to us from the coastal rivers of Washington, where he is affectionately referred to as a steelhead junkie. Depending on the time of year, you might find Jim in Alaska, Montana, Washington, or the Florida Keys. Truth be told, it wouldn’t surprise me if I ran into Jim at a Mexican flea market, tying flies. He can turn any day into an adventure, and has a habit of doing things that no one else does. At first, Jim may not seem like the stereotypical fly fishing guide, and that’s why we like him. Under that mask he is one of the most knowledgeable guides we have ever sent an angler out with. Jim has owned flyshops, fished with bait, backed his truck into the ocean, and can whip up a meal in less than 10 minutes that will have you licking the plate. He is on the prostaff of Scott Fly Rods and Clackacraft Drift Boats, and he will teach you how to do it right, whatever it is.

Tommy Caffrey

Have you ever wanted to fish with a guide that really knows some secret spots? Tommy is your man.  He has covered almost every inch of our water on foot, and has the uncanny ability of talking you into walking there with him. Sounds like a lot of work at first ~ after all, Montana is drift boat country, right? Trust your guide, and don’t knock it ‘till you’ve tried it. I know Tommy didn’t coin the phrase, “the purpose of famous rivers is to keep people off the really good ones”, but it sure fits him well. He loves to fish with kids, and certainly makes light of any situation with his sharp witted humor.

 

 

Garey Avis

Garey once told me he was “put on this earth to catch trout”. Most people wouldn’t say that about themselves unless they were damned serious about it.  He spends the colder months down south of the equator guiding for sea run browns in Argentina’s Tierra Del Fuego, where he met his wife Susan. When he isn’t guiding in Montana, you might find him restoring an old Ford, tying flies, or fishing the Big Hole with his wife. A great neighbor and a better guide, Garey and Susan keep our boxes full of the magic hopper!

 

 

Tyler Barrus

Some river guides will make you wish you booked 4 days on the water instead of 1, they are that good at what they do. Tyler is one of those guys. He might be late now and then, but his intensity level and uncanny ability to find fish when others can’t makes up for it. Tyler understands the big picture, whether it is finding rising fish, bugling elk, hot goose fields or building a house, you can bet it will be done right. He is the guy that everyone notices on the river, not just because he hasn’t cut his hair in several years, but because his anglers are having the time of their lives.

 

Jack Mitchell

Enthusiasm. If you Google it, you are liable to see a photo of Jack come up. He has two speeds - full steam ahead and stop. He is well read and can carry on a conversation with anyone from a toddler to a PhD – while tying a blood knot. Although you might not get Jack to sit down and have lunch on the river with you, what you might be able to do is pick up a pointer or two as he grabs the closest fly rod and mechanically fishes a run that you may think doesn’t have a fish in it. When Jack isn’t in Montana, he is busy tending to his business in Washington, chasing fish on rivers like the Yakima, Columbia, Klickitat, Methow and Cle Elum. Check out his website at www.theeveninghatch.com.

 

Robert Boyce

You talk about a guy that takes fishing serious. Robert has fished just about everywhere on the planet, with a few exceptions. A great instructor and quick with a smile, Robert is comfortable guiding any angler, any time. He is one of the “Yellow Dog Boys” that finds guiding on our water is a great break from the rivers around Bozeman. Chris Ledoux once sang, “the last to quit and the first to buy the beer” ~ that pretty much sums it up in the Robert Boyce department.

 

 

Ian Davis

Ian has been involved in the fly fishing industry since the early 1990's. Before moving to Montana, he resided in Colorado as owner of Breckenridge Outfitters - a three-time "Orvis Endorsed Outfitter of the Year" fly shop. After leaving Colorado Ian became co-owner of Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures in 2004.  Ian guides throughout southwestern Montana and has a passion for fishing large streamers for big browns. He takes enormous pride in educating anglers of all skill levels and creating a fun vibe in the boat.  If you are considering a saltwater vacation in the future, be sure and check out Ian’s website at www.yellowdogflyfishing.com.