Premier fly fishing store in the middle of a tiny town in Craig, Montana (population about 40)…read more They compete with 2 other shops and a number of guides but they provide excellent service, guides, and shop. Went on a group trip with Gig Harbor Fly shop out of Washington for 5 days. See my other reviews for the fly shop and owner: Blake Merkin. I loved this group because I got to fish the way I wanted to fish: trout spey. While most of the world is single handed fishing, this shop is very familiar with trout spey - also called microspey; Headhunters caters to 2 handed anglers. I am such an angler - I always fish with a 2 hander for steelhead, salmon, ocean surf fishing, bay fishing, and even trout in my local waters. From the time you enter the shop to the time you leave, this store offers more than the square footage of the shop. They have the flies that catch real fish, rods, lines, reels, and clothing & accessories. I was looking for an integrated fishing line for my newly purchased 5wt trout spey rod so I brought along my reel with backing on it ready to buy. But when I could not decide between a scandi or skagit integrated line, the shop was so nice to offer a no cost loaner/demo of the line. They even put their line on their Sage reel plus a tapered leader!. I can not believe a fly shop would offer to do this as all other fly shops I have been into either do not offer a demo program nor would they even offer to let you use a line for free! I ended up buying the line after using it for a day - they definitely know how to gain confidence in their services and products! The best guide out of Headhunters: Whitney Gould - was the best 2 handed guide & instructor I have ever met! Whitney was the only FFF certified casting THCI and multi world champion spey cast distance competitor. She certainly knows how to guide a spey angler on the Missouri big time! She got me onto many stretches of the water where I could get out of the boat, walk & wade into some huge fish. Have to say, it's best day I have had using my 2 handed rod. This shop is a must stop by and I would definitely return to this blue ribbon fishery!

Good job on loosing my key fob twice, with your shuttle service. At least you found it once and I…read morehave only had to buy one new key fob. They do know the MO well but they have really commoditized the sport.

I had an amazing time with Shelly on the Missouri River and the Madison! She knows her rivers,…read morethat is for sure. A few particular times she would say to cast it "there" and boom, I would catch a fish. If we weren't catching for a bit, she would want to change the fly. Shelly is so attentive to everything all at once. Rowing, looking out for fishy water, switching up flies, looking out for upcoming boulders and rocks and noticing wildlife. She is a real conscientious multi-tasking guide. I feel that women guides are better at this than men, especially after my experience with her on the water. She goes above and beyond to assure you a fun day on the water. Looking forward to my trip back to Montana next summer!

fished the Missouri with Shelly Ehmer and it was the most amazing day of fishing I have ever had. I…read morecaught fish after beautiful fish, even a Walleye. Shelly was more than welcoming on her boat, provided the exact instruction I needed and put me on fish. She was professional, kind, informative, funny, friendly and shared with me the little and big tips that will make a huge improvement in my fishing. She is an expert who would be a great guide for all levels of fishing experience. . We even floated by a beautiful bald eagle...just to top off my first trip to Montana! We plan to return next summer for more fishing with Shelly.

This review is for their on-line store…read more I admit I was a little apprehensive about buying from this place online, since it is a small store in a small town--was this really legit? But since they had reviews on Yelp and I could see there was a physical store on Google Maps, I decided to give it a try. And I am glad I did. I got a Patagonia jacket on sale, and because it was more than $50 shipping was free (via USPS). The item arrived within a day that it was promised--and it was exactly what I ordered. Thanks Trout Shop!!

The trout shop is truly one of a kind. Not only did they provide expert information. They were…read morewilling to help us when needed. To be honest, they saved our lives...at a point where we felt that no one was there for us. The trout shop was. Anytime I am on the Missouri river near Craig, I will be stopping in. No one does like them.

Fly shop and motel review: Excellent base for fishing the…read moreMissouri river anytime of the year. Perfect location for internet access, cell phone service, and fishing from Holter Dam to the entire stretch of the river. Motel: very basic motel room with a much needed baseboard heater that I cranked up to warm up the room after cold 20 degree night. Affordable at $75 / night. Fly shop: well stocked, very knowledgeable and excellent service. Staff are welcoming and helpful! Got a number of October Caddis pupa flies for the river after the Craig shops had run out! Fishing - so many walk in access spots along the river that made it productive for any type of fishing (dry, nymph, streamer, spey).

Spent a full day trip with Brock. It was an amazing trip. Brock is a really nice guy and did a…read morefantastic job. I am new to fly fishing and he took the time to teach me what to look for and what to do. He has a newer boat, but you wouldn't know it by the way he handles it and can position it in the perfect spots. Any imagine having a better experience

Billy took us fly fishing out of Red Lodge. We were completely new to fly fishing with only three…read moreformal (fly-less) lessons (recommended before your first real trip). Billy was incredibly encouraging, instructive and patient (he said he loves teaching newbies). We just did what he said and caught 8 fish! My husband caught a 15 inch Rainbow. I didn't want the day to end. Very highly recommended. I would do it again in a heartbeat. (If it's a cold day, come prepared to get your feet wet.)

Had such a good time fishing, I did not realize what a high I was on until a few days after I got…read morehome. John knows his stuff, he's got all the experience you need to make your trip successful. Can't recommend him enough!

Super cute fly fishin' store right on the river only 1 minute off of the hi-way…read more We admittedly stopped just to use the washroom which was HUGE and funny with both a urinal and toilet in a log cabin feel space. The artwork on the wall kept the kidlets entertained. No changetable but a nice bench. The store itself was divided into a fishing section and a Liqour store. I saw ice for sale outside as well. There was a lovely porch with tables filled with visitors have snacks from the nearby cafe. A beautiful spot! And super friendly staff!

After scouring the internet for a particular sun shirt I needed for an upcoming trip, I finally…read morefound it on the Trout Shop's website. They were gracious when I called panicked that I had provided the wrong address for shipping and made sure the addressed got corrected (my fault!). When the arrived, there was a small price discrepancy between the tag price and what I paid. I emailed the shop and they took care of the price difference with no problem. Wonderful customer service and good people. Would highly recommend. Will have to stop by some time when I am in Montana!

Giant Springs State Park is one of my favorite places in Great Falls. There are so many hidden…read moretrails and different paths to explore that it never gets old, even if you've been there dozens of times. It's the perfect place to get outside, enjoy nature, and clear your mind without having to leave town. One of my favorite memories was walking the trails with my husband and our neighbors when we watched a deer cross the river. It climbed up the hillside and disappeared into the bushes, only to pop out right in front of us a few moments later! It was such an incredible Montana moment that none of us will forget. If you have friends or family visiting and want to show them a little taste of what Montana has to offer without driving far from Great Falls, this is the place. It's also perfect if you just need to get away for an hour, breathe some fresh air, and enjoy the beauty that's right in our backyard. I highly recommend it!

Beautiful, but smaller park than I expected. From the description I thought there were several…read moresprings to walk to, but there's really just one, though it is really great! Kids seem to love the fish hatchery, and the school of fish going round and round is hypnotizing. Great spot for a picnic lunch!!

Unprofessional guiding experience…read more We booked a three-day guided trip with Russ through Montana Dream Fishing Outfitters- two days drifting the Missouri River and one day wading the Blackfoot. To his credit, Russ knows both stretches of water well and put us on active fish throughout the trip. That said, the overall experience felt unprofessional. Over the course of the three days, Russ's comments and attention toward me felt flirtatious and inappropriate, uncomfortable given I was there with my boyfriend. There was also a clear, consistent imbalance in guiding: whether we were drifting the Missouri or wading the Blackfoot, Russ focused heavily on getting me onto fish while giving my boyfriend noticeably less help. On the river days, he also seemed to position the boat at times in ways that worked against my boyfriend landing a fish. The low point came at the end of the trip. When we tipped Russ, he complained about the amount and lectured us on tipping etiquette. Criticizing clients over a voluntary gratuity is not okay. We caught fish across both rivers, but that doesn't offset three days with an outfitter who made one of us uncomfortable, treated us unequally, and then lectured us about money. I wouldn't book again.

My go to Outfitter and Guide. Floating the Missouri with Russell is never a missed opportunity to…read morecatch fish! He knows the river.