The Literary Fly Fisher

National Public Radio just released a story on the low waters and high temperatures in Western Montana right now. I can attest that many of my favorite rivers are mere trickles. I am not comfortable fishing them right now, knowing how stressed the trout are.

The article notes that many Montana outfitters are increasingly moving their guided fly fishing trips to the Missouri River and similar waters, where flows and temperatures are partly regulated by releases from reservoirs. Sadly, this means the Missouri is experiencing an immense amount angling pressure, which also stresses the fish. I have family members with riverfront property on the Missouri, and I know this to be true.

Just as we need to reevaluate how much water is diverted to irrigation and think about the may ways in which polluted or heavily sedimented runoff impacts the remaining water, we need to look critically at the impact the profit-driven guiding industry has upon the rivers and its piscine denizens. A guide quoted in the NPR story says, “For me, unless I have to do it for my job, I don’t feel good about coming out and targeting already stressed fish.” Personally, I’m not sure why she feels better about doing it for money. Indeed, if she were to fly fish only for her own pleasure, then she would be free the demands of wealthy clients who insist upon easy float trips and trophy catches from the famous rivers. This means she could visit colder, more remote streams and alpine lakes, where the fish are less stressed.

I’m sure they guide quoted by NPR is a wonderful person in many ways (according to one of her social media profiles, she is engaged in conservation work). However, her priorities are wrong, at least as she states them in the article. I’m sure this is the case for many of her industry angling peers as well. The fish should come before profit. I realize this might mean vocational changes for many outfitters and guides. However, guiding in Montana is already a seasonal activity, and few guides expect their work to be a life-time source of money anyway. In a sane world, of course, there would be all sorts of new jobs tied to the mitigation of climate change, which guides and others whose employment is impacted negatively by rising temperatures could fill. Perhaps outfitters themselves should start creating these jobs.

Read the NPR Article here: Nathan Rott, “Why some anglers are rethinking their approach to fly fishing,” August 31, 2024.

Below: A big Missouri brown on a bamboo rod (left). One of many drift boats slides by a relative’s Missouri River property (right).