Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
calendar year. Youth under 14 do not need a license if fishing with an adult who has a val-
id fishing license. Annual Montana fishing licenses cost $60 for nonresidents or $15 for
two consecutive days, plus a $10 Conservation License. Residents pay $26 for the season.
Nonresidents under 15 do not need a license if accompanied by an adult who has a valid
license. Check the websites for each state (
www.fwp.mt.gov
,
http://wgfd.wyo.gov
)
for spe-
cific stamps you may need when fishing in certain waters. Fishing outfitters and stores sell
licenses, as do many gas stations.
It's important to remember that you need a separate license to fish in Yellowstone Na-
tional Park. Anglers 16 years of age and older are required to purchase either an $18 three-
day, $25 seven-day, or $40 season permit. Permits are available at park ranger stations,
stores, and many businesses in the Greater Yellowstone area.
Outfitters and guide services are abundant in Montana and Wyoming. Although it's not
necessary, using one of these outfitters is a good idea if you're new to angling or want to
hone your fly-fishing skills. Guides also know the hot spots on the rivers, can tell you what
is hatching on any given day, and may have access to private sites along various streams.
Two excellent private websites for general fishing information and a good overview of
the region are
Big Sky Fishing
(
www.bigskyfishing.com
) and
Wyoming Fishing Network
For detailed fishing information, contact the
Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife
& Parks
(406/444-2535,
www.fwp.mt.gov
)
or the
Wyoming Game and Fish Department
(307/777-4600,
http://wgfd.wyo.gov
)
.
Wyoming and Montana cover a large geographic area, so it can be difficult to choose what
to see in the time you have. There are many tour operators with well-researched itinerar-
ies that can cater to your specific needs and wishes. Many of these tours cater to famil-
ies or a particular interest: biking, cultural and history tours, wildlife, and more.
Austin-
Lehman Adventures
(800/575-1540,
www.austinlehman.com
)
, for whom this writer used
to guide, offers numerous multiple-sport trips (think biking, hiking, horseback riding,
and rafting on one trip) in the region, including Yellowstone and Grand Teton National
Parks and Glacier National Park. The Montana-based
Adventure Cycling Association
(800/755-2453,
www.adventurecycling.org
)
offers self-contained and supported bicycle
tours in Montana and in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.
Backroads
(800/
462-2848,
www.backroads.com
)
offers multiple-sport tours throughout Greater Yellow-
stone
and
in
Glacier
National
Park.
Big
Wild
Adventures
(406/848-7000,
