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Fishtales Outfitting
Charter operator

Fishtales Outfitting

Hamilton, United States
25+ reviews
Michael grew up in the woods, learning hunting and fly fishing in Connecticut. With his grandfather as his mentor, an avid outdoorsmen and Connecticut State Park constable, he honed his Trout fly fishing skills. Michael spent a season in Southwest Alaska, which opened possibilities to Southwest Montana and its endless wild Trout streams. He ultimately settled down in Sheridan, where his wife Theresa and himself raise their two children and 2 Lab's named Maggie and Tippet. Create your unforgettable experience with our 10+ guides available.
Lamont C.
Lamont C.
Captain
Dan R.
Dan R.
Captain
Alex R.
Alex R.
Captain
Michael P.
Michael P.
Captain
Chris P.
Chris P.
Captain
Jason L.
Jason L.
Captain
Garet B.
Garet B.
Captain

Charters

Rating

5.0
41 reviews
5.0
Boat & Equipment
5.0
Captain & Crew
4.9
Fishing Experience

What anglers say

100%
Recommend this charter
100%
Caught fish

All reviews (41)

Showing 1 – 5 of 41 reviews
  • Nick Cristinziano
    Nick Cristinziano
    Repeat angler
    us
    North Carolina, US
    Member since 2024
    5 trips
    5.0
    Verified

    Best trip, cannot recommend enough!

    Full day Madison River • 2 adults

    Chris Phillips was our guide and he was the coolest dude. Not only was he sociable, he went out of hus way to help us with techinique as well as understanding everything from the knots he ties to the bugs lifecycle that we were mimicking. He put us on fish from the first hour on the water straight until the end. We landed 10 fish in the net, and caught several more that just got away from us before netting (it happens). I personally caught one 14 inch brown trout, 3 colorado white fish all roughly twelve inches, and two rainbows with one being about 17 inches! My brother in law caught three rainbows, one white fish, and had another monster rainbow on the hook that unfortunately came off before we could net. What an awesome day. Lunch was included and it was tasty. Id do this trip every day if I could! Thanks for coordinating, Mike, and thanks a million for a perfect day Chris P! I’ll be coming back one day, and I’ll be asking to go out with Chris again 1000%!

    Reported catch:
    Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
    Brown Trout
    Response from Charter operator

    Thank you so much for the awesome review! Glad you had a fun day with Chris!

  • Cloudy Vail
    Cloudy Vail
    us
    Texas, US
    Member since 2026
    5.0
    Verified

    Great trip!

    Full Day Trip – Missouri River • 2 adults

    we were a little intimidated going into the trip has neither of us had ever even attmepted to fly fish. Our guide Garet squashed those fears fast. He was friendly, super helpful, and handled eveything! Amazing trip, would recommend to anyone and we hope to do it again.

    Reported catch:
    Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
    Response from Charter operator

    thanks for letting us take yoy fishing! im glad you guys had a great day!

  • Justin Adie
    Justin Adie
    Repeat angler
    us
    Nevada, US
    Member since 2026
    2 trips
    5.0
    Verified

    Amazing trip!

    Full day Madison River • 2 adults

    we caught 3 different species on the day! Rainbows, Browns, and a giant Rocky Mountain Whitefish! My wife caught her first fish on the fly her first time flyfishing! Our guide Sam was knowledgeable, patient and great to talk to! highly recommend!

    Response from Charter operator

    thank you so much for thegreat review! Hope tk have you back again sometime

  • Dennis Kadzban
    Dennis Kadzban
    us
    Michigan, US
    Member since 2026
    5.0
    Verified

    Excellent fly fishing experience

    Full day Madison River • 2 adults

    Jason was our guide , excellent knowledge of the Madison, and techniques, knows what flys to use ,how ,when ,where to put flys in the water put us on fish right away , will definitely recommend to others

    Reported catch:
    Brown Trout
    Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
    Response from Charter operator

    Thank you so much for the great review! Jason is deadly! Gimme a holler if you come back.

  • Andrew Talbott
    Andrew Talbott
    us
    Oklahoma, US
    Member since 2026
    5.0
    Verified

    One of my favorite fishing trips

    Full Day Trip • 2 adults • 1 child

    First time fly fishing and had a blast. Me and my dad caught trout and white fish. Dwight was an awesome guide and taught us everything we needed to know about fly fishing definitely would do it again.

    Response from Charter operator

    Thanks so much for the great review. Hope to have you back again sometime!

Real catches shared by our community

  • Fishtales Outfitting – Madison River
    Fishtales Outfitting – Madison RiverEnnis, MT
    A young angler proudly displaying a large Brown Trout while fishing in a scenic river environment.
    Fish 1
    Brown Trout
    Dennis K.
    Dennis K.
    Jason was our guide , excellent knowledge of the Madison, and techniques, knows what flys to use ,how ,when ,where to put flys in the water put us on fish right away , will definitely recommend to others
  • Fishtales Outfitting – Yellowstone River
    Fishtales Outfitting – Yellowstone RiverEmigrant, MT
    Angler holding a large rainbow trout beside a scenic river during a fly-fishing trip.
    Fish 1
    Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
    Rob M.
    Rob M.
    Great trip! We caught tons of fish, the guide was very educational and nice, and we had a great time! I got some great pictures with the multiple huge trout we caught!!
  • Fishtales Outfitting – Madison River
    Fishtales Outfitting – Madison RiverEnnis, MT
    Two adult anglers showcase a trout while wading in a clear, shallow stream, with a landing net visible in the foreground.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    +1
    Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
    Nick .
    Nick .
    Chris Phillips was our guide and he was the coolest dude. Not only was he sociable, he went out of hus way to help us with techinique as well as understanding everything from the knots he ties to the bugs lifecycle that we were mimicking. He put us on fish from the first hour on the water straight until the end. We landed 10 fish in the net, and caught several more that just got away from us before netting (it happens). I personally caught one 14 inch brown trout, 3 colorado white fish all roughly twelve inches, and two rainbows with one being about 17 inches! My brother in law caught three rainbows, one white fish, and had another monster rainbow on the hook that unfortunately came off before we could net. What an awesome day. Lunch was included and it was tasty. Id do this trip every day if I could! Thanks for coordinating, Mike, and thanks a million for a perfect day Chris P! I’ll be coming back one day, and I’ll be asking to go out with Chris again 1000%!
  • Fishtales Outfitting Bitterroot Riv
    Fishtales Outfitting Bitterroot RivHamilton, MT
    A young angler proudly displaying a Rainbow Trout while fishing in a scenic river setting.
    Fish 1
    Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
    Andrew T.
    Andrew T.
    First time fly fishing and had a blast. Me and my dad caught trout and white fish. Dwight was an awesome guide and taught us everything we needed to know about fly fishing definitely would do it again.
  • Fishtales Outfitting – Yellowstone River
    Fishtales Outfitting – Yellowstone RiverEmigrant, MT
    A young angler sharing a special moment with a Rainbow Trout while fishing in a scenic river environment.
    Fish 1
    Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
    Naomi D.
    Naomi D.
  • Fishtales Outfitting – Madison River
    Fishtales Outfitting – Madison RiverEnnis, MT
    Young angler and guide proudly display a large spotted trout aboard a drift boat on a scenic river.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    Brown Trout
    The famed Salmonfly hatch has been fantastic and our guests have reaped the rewards! We’re starting early to beat the heat and the other boats. The big bugs have been around for a while so start out with the big dry. Add a dropper if they stop looking up. Large Chubbys Rogue Stone or Rollin Stone are great patterns. A smallish Pats can work well as a dropper but have Split case and Infrequens pmd nymphs as a smaller option if the fish are stuffed on stone flies. Dont just fish the banks on the Madison, especially upriver. Theres a lot of fish right in the middle.
  • Fishtales Outfitting – Missouri River
    Fishtales Outfitting – Missouri RiverWolf Creek, MT
    An angler proudly displaying a Rainbow Trout while fishing on a scenic river, showcasing a beautiful day outdoors.
    Fish 1
    Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
    Shane D.
    Shane D.
    Greg was great. Fun to deal with, knew the river and put us on the fish.
  • Fishtales Outfitting – Missouri River
    Fishtales Outfitting – Missouri RiverWolf Creek, MT
    A young angler proudly displaying a Rainbow Trout while fishing in a scenic river surrounded by lush greenery.
    Fish 1
    Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
    Cloudy V.
    Cloudy V.
    we were a little intimidated going into the trip has neither of us had ever even attmepted to fly fish. Our guide Garet squashed those fears fast. He was friendly, super helpful, and handled eveything! Amazing trip, would recommend to anyone and we hope to do it again.
  • Fishtales Outfitting – Clark Fork River
    Fishtales Outfitting – Clark Fork RiverMissoula, MT
    Angler proudly displaying a beautiful Brown Trout while fishing from a boat in a scenic river setting.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    Brown Trout
    The Lower Clark Fork north of Missoula is fishing great with dries and dry/dropper rigs. We’re seeing multiple hatches on any given day. PMDs , Brown and Gray drakes. BWOs. The fish are looking up late mornings into early the afternoon. Dry/dropper has been deadly with large Chubbys and a tungsten jig head nymphs are your best all around producers.
  • Fishtales Outfitting – Madison River
    Fishtales Outfitting – Madison RiverEnnis, MT
    An angler in a boat is reeling in a trout while fishing in a scenic river, surrounded by lush greenery and mountains.
    Fish 1
    Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
    Mike E.
    Mike E.
    Dan was a great captain. He was very patient showing me how to fly fish. He went over and above for me. Nice guy and great day on the Madison!

Fishing reports

Two anglers enjoying a successful fishing trip, proudly displaying a Brown Trout caught in a scenic lake setting.

Madison River Fly Fishing Report

Jul 5, 2026 • Ennis
The famed Salmonfly hatch has been fantastic and our guests have reaped the rewards! We’re starting early to beat the heat and the other boats. The big bugs have been around for a while so start out with the big dry. Add a dropper if they stop looking up. Large Chubbys Rogue Stone or Rollin Stone are great patterns. A smallish Pats can work well as a dropper but have Split case and Infrequens pmd nymphs as a smaller option if the fish are stuffed on stone flies. Dont just fish the banks on the Madison, especially upriver. Theres a lot of fish right in the middle.
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Angler proudly displaying a beautiful Brown Trout while fishing from a boat in a scenic river setting.

Lower Clark Fork Fishing Report 6/14

Jun 15, 2026 • Missoula
The Lower Clark Fork north of Missoula is fishing great with dries and dry/dropper rigs. We’re seeing multiple hatches on any given day. PMDs , Brown and Gray drakes. BWOs. The fish are looking up late mornings into early the afternoon. Dry/dropper has been deadly with large Chubbys and a tungsten jig head nymphs are your best all around producers.
Show more
Two anglers fly fishing from a small boat on a fast-flowing river beneath open mountain scenery.

Spring fishing on the Madison river!

Apr 22, 2026 • Ennis
Pre runoff conditions are keeping the water in great shape with perfect visibility. The rainbow spawn is about wrapped up but most of thise fish are still hanging around. Nymphing a two fly indicator rig is your best bet. A dark color Pats stone and a red #8-14 San Juan worm are tough to beat. Have some egg patterns and midges as well. We’re seeing BWOs early afternoon so have some patterns on hand. The streamer bite is picking up especially if you get a cloudy day. Go with muted or dark colors rather than bright ones in #4-8.
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Angler proudly displaying a large Brown Trout while fishing from a boat in a scenic river setting.

Spring dry fly fishing on the Clark Fork

Apr 22, 2026 • Missoula
The Clark Fork’s spring fishing is heating up with Skwalas, March Browns and BWOs getting the fish looking up! Dry fly season is here! Nymphing is also producing well when the dry bite isnt up to par.
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Solo angler holding a large brown trout while standing in a shallow freshwater stream surrounded by marsh vegetation.

Madison River Fall streamer season is he

Sep 21, 2025 • Ennis
The evening temps have been on the chilly side in SW Montana, triggering the fall pre spawn streamer season. The Madison is giving up some really nice browns on streamers. Some on the strip and pause and some using an upstream cast and a little more dead drift with a good pump and a pause. Look for the usual targets. Hard banks, shelves and faster water. Fly color can make a difference as will size. If fish are following a stripped fly but wont commit will often smash a smaller fly. White is my go to color especially on brighter days but olive, copper, black and combos are must haves. Get in touch to book your fall streamer trip today!
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An angler proudly displaying a large Brown Trout while fishing on a scenic river, surrounded by lush greenery.

Yelllowstone River hoppertunity

Sep 7, 2025 • Emigrant
The Yellowstone River is all anout the grasshoppers now that most of the big summer hatches are over. Aftetnoon temps are still in the high 80’s and thats keeping those hoppers happy and hoppering! Plop your hopper tight to the bank fishing fast seams , grassy banks and large downed cottonwoods. Make your hopper hot the water with a splashy plop as its one of the triggers for hopper hungry trout. Put some twitches in yoyr drift for the same reason. We like a mid to large hopper in tan , peach, purple so we can hang a dropper of the bend of the hook. Panty Dropper, CFO Ant, Skippy hopper, Streambank hopper im sizes # 6-10. Some productive droppers have been Psycho may in brown, Two Bit Hooker, Beadhead pheasant tail. So Get your fly tight to the banl and twitch it! Hang on!
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