I come from a long line of Montanans dating back to the homestead days. In the late 1800s, my great-great-grandfather, a cook on a cattle drive, decided to call Billings, Montana, home. As a young angler alongside my grandfather and uncle, I was spoiled by Montana’s premier trout waters, such as the Bighorn, Yellowstone, Stillwater, and Boulder rivers. Even though I have been fishing for as long as I can remember, I didn’t pick up a fly rod until age 13. But once I did, the addiction began. Learning to row a drift boat on “The Horn” at age 16 started me down an unknown path that would soon lead to a loved career in the guiding world.
In 1996 I moved to Bozeman to attend Montana State University. During college, while delivering lumber, a local outfitter asked me to consider being a guide. After I declined the offer several times, my curiosity got the better of me, and in 1999 I took a few anglers out to see if I would enjoy the experience. This was a calling to a career I had never considered, and I have enjoyed the ride ever since. Years later, I am still guiding anglers, but I am starting to hand down my knowledge to younger, up-and-coming guides.
In my career, I have had the opportunity to work with anglers age 8 to 90, beginners to experts, those with disabilities or terminal diseases, families, and large groups. I know how important it is to take time to teach people the skills they need to get the most out of their fly fishing experience, making memories that last a lifetime for the client and for me.
I am a single parent with two wonderful daughters, Emily and Elizabeth. We reside in Bozeman, Montana. Because we live in Bozeman, I personally make the daily commute to our waters. Trout On The Fly has guides located in Ennis, West Yellowstone, Bozeman, Livingston, Helena, Cascade, Three Forks, and Cameron, Montana.
Originally for Wyoming, Rick moved to the “Big Sky” state for the world-class fly fishing, skiing, and hunting. Rick is no stranger when it comes to guiding anglers and hunters as he has been guiding both before anyone knew what guiding was about. Rick is an independent contractor like most guides in Montana, but he is not like most guides. His knowledge of fly fishing and hunting on Montana’s waters and land surpass the “average” guide. Rick has the patience and will spend the time teaching you the basics from how to hold a rod, casting, line management, knots to releasing a trout properly. Rick goes above and beyond for all his clients and it is not uncommon to find Rick out with clients until dark just to cast a dry fly to rising fish in an evening hatch. Rick has a work ethic that the West was built on and you can be sure he will work hard for you on any day you fish with him! Rick is proficient on the Madison, Gallatin, and Yellowstone Rivers. Rick was voted best guide in “Best of Big Sky” 2019. Rick lives between Big Sky, Montana, and Bozeman, Montana on highway 191.
Rick lives on the Gallatin River between Bozeman, MT and Big Sky, MT. He is certified in CPR and first aid.
Matt’s affinity for fly fishing started at an early age. While growing up in his home state of Colorado, he travelled the backroads and spent countless hours scouring the rivers in pursuit of wild brook, rainbow, and brown trout. His insatiable appetite for fishing inevitably turned into a career and he started guiding trips and teaching anglers of all skill levels. Because his passion for the sport only continued to flourish, he decided to capitalize on every opportunity to fish and moved to Maui to further his angling career. After chasing pelagic fish for 5 years off the shores of Maui and becoming USCG licensed captain, Matt decided to leave the ocean and return to the rivers to do what he loves most, which is fly fish.
Matt is an honest, hardworking, and passionate angler. His outgoing personality, excellent instruction, and natural communication skills makes him an expert at building positive client relationships. If you’re wanting a memorable fly fishing experience that includes laughter and education, spend a day on the river with Matt.
Matt lives in Bozeman, Montana and is certified in First Aid and CPR.
Sam grew up in the mountains of Vermont, fishing the docks of Lake Champlain since he could walk. Throughout his childhood, Sam was a focused competitive snowboarder and spent summers wakeboarding and chasing northern pike on the lake. A passion for cooking took hold in high school, and work was all he could do. All while sneaking away in the mornings to target native brook trout in small mountain streams.
His passion and love of snow brought him to Bozeman in the fall of 2009. He fished rivers for a few months with conventional tackle, and then after fly fishing the Ruby River one day with a friend from Three Forks, MT; he put down the spinners and spoons to chase trout on the fly.
In the summer of 2011, Sam took a job as a chef at a fly fishing lodge in Alaska, and his obsession only grew from there. Spending 2 years targeting all five species of pacific salmon and rainbow trout is where he learned how to approach any situation with a fly rod. 8 years and three restaurants later, he left the kitchen to follow his dreams and spend every day he could on the water.
Sam loves to teach newcomers and finds more joy in others catching fish than himself these days. He likes to simplify fishing for people in a way to allow them to learn rather than be overwhelmed. Sam loves to fish big dry flies and streamers but knows the importance of the all-mighty strike indicator when it comes to catching fish. You can still find him chasing deep powder on his board when he’s not on the water or just hanging with his dogs tying flies.
Sam lives in Bozeman, MT. He is certified in CPR and first aid.
Nathan grew up in Minnesota, the Land of Ten Thousand Lakes and a whole lot of rivers. He found his passion for rivers while living on the upper Mississippi fishing for walleye, smallies, and muskies. Like many Minnesotans, he started fishing with cane poles and worms. Since then, he has fished for just about everything in freshwater, with every kind of gear, graduating up to Spey rods for steelhead (and trout) in Oregon, Idaho, Washington, and British Columbia.
In 1985 he moved to Bozeman, where he pursued a microbiology degree but has, in actuality, spent his time “wasting his life” as an unrepentant fly fishing river rat.
There are few rivers worth fishing in Montana that he hasn’t spent time on in the last 35 years.
Nathan truly enjoys teaching fly fishing to the uninitiated and passing on whatever techniques and expertise he can to those who have experience. While nymphing is the most productive method, he loves to fish dries, and is a hardcore streamer junkie, and will gladly pursue those methods if his clients prefer. He also has extensive experience on less productive rivers and stretches of rivers that frequently fish well for those who might want to venture off the beaten path.
Nathan lives in Bozeman, MT and is certified in CPR and first aid.
Originally from Seattle, Washington, Bryan grew up with a deep family connection to fishing. His grandparents spent their summers exploring Alaska in a camper, and from the time Bryan was eight, he joined them for a month each year chasing salmon, trout, and anything that would take a fly. Back home, he learned the rivers of the Pacific Northwest, including steelhead runs, the Yakima, and the local lakes that shaped his early passion.
Bryan caught his first fish on the fly at just eight years old, two sockeye salmon on the Russian River in Alaska, and he’s been hooked ever since. His path eventually led him and his wife to Montana after time spent in Florida and Dallas. When remote work opened up the world, Bozeman became the place they knew they wanted to call home.
Before guiding, Bryan worked in advertising client services, but after years on the water, it became clear where he truly belonged. He made the decision to pursue guiding full-time, trading office life for river days and the opportunity to help others connect with the sport he loves.
Bryan’s favorite river is the South Fork of the Snake, where the dry fly fishing captured his imagination years ago. His go-to fly is the X-Caddis, a pattern that produced countless fish for him on the Madison when he worked at The Old Kirby Place after college. Whether it’s country music, the Grateful Dead, or the Jimmy Buffett channel on the drive home, Bryan brings the same laid-back energy to his guiding style as he does to the rest of his life.
Outside of guiding, Bryan spends his time with his wife and daughters, enjoying Montana through hiking, lake days, and getting in some personal fishing whenever he can. He still talks about one of his most memorable catches, a big roosterfish in Panama that checked a major box on his bucket list.
When he’s in Bozeman, you’ll likely find him at the Hop Lounge, where he swears the nachos are the best in town. As a guide, Bryan is patient, adaptable, and committed to giving every guest an enjoyable, relaxed, and productive day on the water, whether they want a mellow float or a rowdy, high-energy adventure. His goal is simple: make the day memorable and give every angler the best chance at success.
Originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Drew grew up in a true fishing family. His great-grandfather, uncles, and dad were all passionate anglers, and Drew was on the water by age three. With Plum Lake and Plum Creek just a short bike ride from his grandparents’ cottage, he spent much of his childhood chasing smallmouth, muskies, and brook trout on those familiar waters.
As a teenager, Drew was a competitive bass fisherman, fishing tournaments from age fifteen through high school and even winning a few along the way. His first taste of fly fishing came earlier at nine years old on a family trip to Colorado, where he saved up for his first fly rod and caught a couple of small rainbows on an olive woolly bugger outside of Steamboat.
Drew eventually set his sights on Montana after years of visiting friends out West and spending all his money on plane tickets. In 2019, he made the move, and Montana quickly became home. His favorite river is the Upper Madison, a place that keeps things exciting year-round with big fish and constantly changing conditions. He also ties a favorite fly of his own creation, the Hop, Drop & Roll, a foam hopper with a parachute post that becomes commercially available for the first time in 2025.
Whether he is driving to the river listening to Tyler Childers, classic rock, or 90s hip hop, Drew brings an easygoing, well-rounded personality to his days on the water. When he is not guiding, he loves to cook, especially pizzas, stir fries, and sushi, and he makes time to travel, visit family, and fish in places like the Bahamas. Around Bozeman, his go-to spot is Whistle Pig Korean, where he never skips the scallion pancakes or Bibimbap.
Drew is an avid reader, with The Quest by Tom Brown Jr. being a family favorite. In the fly fishing world, he often turns to Gary Lafontaine’s Caddisflies or Bob Popovics’ Fleye Design. As a guide, Drew thrives on meeting people from all over and sharing the excitement of fly fishing. For him, nothing beats watching a guest light up during those “aha moments,” the kind that make a day on the river unforgettable.
Jarrett was born and raised in northern Colorado along the front range. He was introduced to the outdoors early and started fishing at a young age. Mainly using spinning gear and targeting panfish, bass, and stocked trout, at the age of 13, he found the joy and passion of fly fishing and started primarily fishing the area rivers in pursuit of trout.
After one year in college in Colorado, Jarrett decided it was time for a change of scenery and transferred to Montana State University. After moving to Bozeman, he fished his way through school, taking every opportunity to get out on the rivers around Bozeman. While he is still avid in the outdoors—hunting, hiking, camping, and exploring southwest Montana—his passion is still fly fishing.
As a guide, Jarrett is patient and a good communicator with anglers of all ages and skill levels. Whether a client has never held a rod before or is an experienced angler who has fished for years, he will pass along tips, expertise, and advice to help the client have a good day on the water. He will always advise clients on what method of fishing will be most productive, but if they prefer a different style, Jarrett is ready and willing to accommodate to ensure the client has a fun day fishing the way they prefer. Jarrett believes that time on the water fishing should be enjoyed and will try to provide some laughs and good conversation to help make for a memorable day along the way.
Jarrett lives in Bozeman, Montana, and is certified in First Aid and CPR.
No worries if you do not see your guide on this profile page. In Montana, the guides are independent contractors who own their boats, rods, flies, and tackle. This means that they can work under any permitted outfitter they want. As a result, most guides do not want their profile on any outfitter’s website. Rest assured, your assigned guide is a real person.
