guided

Montana Trout Spey Headhunters

Two-handed Trout Season

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We’ve started Two-handed Trout season a little earlier than normal this year. Actually, some of are swinging every month of the year, but Late October to late December are what we consider “prime time”. The fishing is pretty good right now. The fish are big and we’ve had a half dozen guided trips out this … Read more

Montana Guided Spey Trips

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Headhunters has been dabbling in guided spey trips for the last two winters. We’ve run a few, but haven’t really pushed it too hard. Most of our guides have no interest in more work during the winter. They’re more interested in hunting, skiing and sleeping. But Mark and Dewey have sucked it up and showed a few eager folks how we fish the Missouri with a two-hander during the winter swing-season.

Some of you may have heard that I’m returning to the guide staff for the 2017 season. True story. And as part of that I will also be doing guided spey trips beginning immediately. It’s something I’ve done in years past, both in Montana and in the PNW for Steelhead. As most of you know chasing Steelhead with a spey rod is something that has occupied a majority of my lifetime. As Troutspey fishing continues to gain in popularity, we are getting more requests for guided trips and continued spey casting instruction. We are also getting requests all season, not just in the winter months. While Steelhead brought me to the spey rod, I am really enjoying discovering new riffles and runs in Montana the pull nicely.

Along with Dewey and Mark, I’ll be heading up our guided two-handed trips. And beginning the first of April, women’s world champion spey caster Whitney Gould will be joining our guide staff as well. While April and May are generally considered some of the better months for traditional techniques, Whitney and I will also be encouraging folks to give it a try with the two-hander. April and May can be unreal streamer fishing, and spey rod is the perfect tool for presenting the fly. Whitney will be on the Missouri until mid-August when she’ll move on over to the Clearwater to guide Steelhead. Whitney will be guiding all disciplines, not just two-handed, but as long as she is here I certainly hope some of you take advantage of her teaching and casting skills to improve your own spey casting.

If you have any detailed questions you can call the shop or contact me directly. Hope to see you out on the river this winter, one hand or two.

below: Whitney Gould rigging up on the Missouri River.[/vc_column_text][us_image image=”20878″ align=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Montana Guided Spey Trips

Guided Spey Trips

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Requests for guided two-handed Spey fishing trips on the Missouri River have been on the increase. We’ve actually done some the past few seasons, but have not formally made it an official part of our guided trip packages. Until now.

Beginning November 15th and running through March 15th, Headhunters will be offering Montana Troutspey Trips on the Missouri River. These trips are designed for both experienced and rookie two-handed casters, as our focus will be on catching fish.

(If you want to spend hours talking about shooting head theory and the merits of touch-and-go vs. sustained-anchor, we recommend that you attend our free Spey Casting clinics, a much better forum for discussion)

COST

Our winter Spey Trips will run you $400, and includes all equipment, and a light lunch. Expect trips to run about 6 hours. If you already have the proper gear (anything up to a #7), we recommend you bring that. We will be offering an unconditional refund for weather cancellations, so don’t worry about the “too cold” factor.

Our “regular” winter floats trips will also be $400, so don’t feel like you’re locked into Spey fishing.

If you want to know when the best time to come is, we typically experience our very best two-handed swinging during November, December and early January. And I mean very, very good fishing.

We do have lodging available as well in the winter.

ADVICE

A little advice here. I’m seeing quite a few anglers trying to turn this into a version of Steelhead fishing. They are throwing 8 weights with big sink tips and giant blue and purple intruders right out a winter Steelhead box.

This is not Steelhead Fishing, and we are not trying to make it that. If you want to catch some fish, listen to us and your guide. You need to impart some action to the fly. You should be mending downstream. You need to use flies that represent something trout eat. You need to fish the right water.

If you’re obsessed with Steelhead, go Steelheading (or check out Instagram, you can live it virtually there).

These trips are about learning how to use a two-handed rod to pursue trout, especially in the off season. Enjoy that.

Give us a call if you’re interested in booking a Troutspey trip this fall/winter.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]