Tipping Etiquette for Guide Trips in 2026
“Tipping Etiquette for Guide Trips” A tip on a fishing trip is sometimes a clumsy or even awkward conversation. I wanted to take this time and share my thoughts on guide tipping which hopefully clears some muddy waters for some. First of all a tip is always earned. If your guides do a good job we do hope you consider a service industry standard tip of around 15%-20% depending how you feel. That is the simple answer. If the trip cost you $750 then ideally between the two clients you tip around $120-$160 for the boat. A hard working, service minded guide does count on tips as part of their income. The guide has a number of huge expenses such as the boat and vehicle, your tackle, insurance and licensing. Tips go a long way to helping the guide cover these expenses so they can bank some paychecks to help get through the year. Here are some reasons to consider tipping more. A special fish that you’ve been dreaming of that you will hang a picture of in your office home or post to social media. If the guide worked hard with you to earn that fish consider a bigger tip. If a guide makes an effort to fish with you every year and keeps days open just for you and your enjoyment of your day is enhanced year after year by this same guide, consider tipping more than you would someone you just met. Also there are stories of guests loosing their cool and damaging or breaking a guides rod or other equipment. I don’t mean regular wear and tear but if its your fault, you probably know it and you should help make up for that. Reasons you should tip less are the same as any other service industry. If you feel your guide gave you bad service then feel free to tip less but also please let the outfitter know. Most outfitters would prefer to remedy the situation with the guide and figure out how to fix it or possibly not pair the clients and guides again in the future. This also gives us opportunity to coach up a guide who did not perform well that day. We appreciate all feedback, positive and negative. Always tip with cash. Most guides prefer that and most even have Venmo now which is usually acceptable. Please do not tip on a card or with a check at the fly shop. Some outfitters will accommodate this request if there is no other option but you should know this is an inconvenience to the guide who now has to wait until payday and have deductions taken as well as added payroll work. Did you forget to tip? It happens occasionally and if it does, usually the guide brings it to our attention. Our first move in that situation is to call the guest. One of three things has happened. The client didn’t know there was industry standard tipping, this happens with first timers. The client simply forgot. There is a lot of moving parts to a day of fishing trips. Accidents happen. We can figure something out to get the guide taken care of. Bad service is usually not the reason as our guides are excellent but if so, we want to know what happened and how we can fix it. We take customer service very seriously. Also thank you to all those who do tip appropriately and even bigger thank you to those who tip generously. We appreciate it very much and plan to work as hard as we can to provide you the best experience possible. -Steve Wilson
Ice Off Angling
At some point in time usually March through May (June up in the high country) all across Montana our state the lakes shed their ice caps and give way to open water. This is always an exciting time of year for many fly fishers especially those who enjoy Stillwater angling. For those who don’t Stillwater fish as much, I do encourage you do enjoy some ice off fishing for many reasons. Here are some reasons we find this type of fishing fun during this time of year. Your fishing to fish that have not seen a fly in months. While there is still feeding going on sub surface, as the ice melts and water temperature increases even slightly, the trout’s metabolism speeds up. Light even penetrates on the edges drawing these fish from the depths. They are often very hungry and not selective. I have had the most fun casting to an ice edge and allowing my fly to fall before stripping it, sometimes even stripping it into the water off the edge. Strikes of flies like stripped leaches or other small streamers or nymphs are exciting and it is fun to try and put your fly right on the edge of the ice. They’re eating!. Usually these fish aren’t picky I have had most of my Ice off success on either a leech or a chronomid. The next fly I would want is a zebra midge which is basically still a chronomid. At times the stripped technique works but other times, I choose to fish them under a shallow rigged bobber as depending on lake depth. Sometimes a short rig near the ice edge that hangs just below the ice depth is deadly. Frontier Anglers always has a good selection of various ice off jigs and chronomids. You don’t need a boat. The ice clears from the edges first and often times the fish are cruising these zones. Often times my best ice out fishing is on my feet from shore or slightly waded in. This time of year also coincides with the rainbow trout moving to the shore to begin making redds and spawning. They are bigger. While not always the case, particularly in southwest Montana, an angler can catch their largest trout of the season. Trout on average grow a little larger in lakes and reservoirs and the fish that most of the year may be deep and out of reach are shallow and close giving fly anglers a great target. At times if the light is right, these monsters create amazing sight fishing opportunities to target trout over 5 and even over 10 pounds depending on the water body. A savvy ice off angler knows temps and approximately when the ice comes off and where. Occasionally we have good intel at the shop but info on lakes in general is hard to find and best learned on your own. In flow and spring areas often provide the earliest shots at open water and its good to learn these spots as well. Happy hunting and never ever wade on suspicious ice during ice out. -Steve Wilson
Beginners Guide to Choosing your First Saltwater Destination
My guess is at some point in time, every fly angler was turned on by the fact that not all fly anglers trout fish. For me, it was in the pages of magazines. The photos of the extensive flats and beautiful colors and fish in water so shallow, the tails poked above the suffice was mesmerizing. It seemed like a dream world so far off it was likely unattainable. Many years later I have now close to a dozen saltwater trips under my belt, each one made easier by the last. It is truly a venue not unlike a trout stream that is relatively easy to learn but takes a lifetime to master. Your first experience will vary depending what kind of angler you are. Sight fishing is often the prefered method for flats angling. Have you spent a lot of time casting for distance and accuracy in windy conditions? Most trout anglers, this answer is no. A lot of trout fishing especially from a guided perspective is making a short cast from a boat and managing a drift. Otherwise your casting upstream and then controlling the dead drift for as long as possible Very little of this type of fishing prepares you for flats fishing. Also have you fished an 8 weight or heavier? These are all steep learning curves that will take most of your first trip to overcome. A 9 foot 8 weight is your best tool for your first trip. You should just focus your efforts on bonefish. Try to find time to practice if you can to learn the timing of that rod. It will vary greatly from your trout rod. Get yourself a good machined reel with a good drag and take good care of it, rinsing and soaking it daily. The Bahamas, Mexico, and Belize offer amazing bonefishing. While Mexico and Belize bones are smaller, they are often easier to catch than the larger Bahamas fish but this also can vary day to day, trip to trip. Mexico and Belize are a little less expensive on average as well. Book a guide for sure, but also don’t look down on DIY fishing. Consider your chances of catching fish significantly less DIY, you will benefit from the art of having to do all the looking yourself. Find small victories in seeing fish or getting a shot. If sight fishing isn’t working out for you, then enjoy some blind fishing. Blind fishing is where the guide puts the boat on a likely spot and has you cast blindly into likely water. Oftentimes this water is muddy or murky due to actively feeding fish. Your accuracy doesn’t matter as much, though distance is helpful. You learn your strip cadence and you learn your strip set well this way without having to be perfect. I have seen a lot of struggling anglers have great days fishing this way. You can figure out the sight fishing later. Bring a lot of gear. Most of these destinations do not provide gear so you will need to stock up on tippet, leader, and flies. Get a lot of flies and get some suggestions on what to fish where. We would be happy with that. Also have a backup. If you break your rod on a destination trip, you don’t want to be without one. Travel with a host. Here at Frontier Anglers we do offer these types of trips and are planning our next adventures for 2027. A trip host can help you get set up with all of the gear and flies you will need as well as choose the best destination for your best experience possible. As always feel free to contact Steve or Shaun at Frontier Anglers, we have a shared 35 plus years of destination travel experience and would love to help you. -Steve Wilson
Do I need my own rod and reel for guide trips?
Back when I started guiding, one of the many expenses I had to account for was a minimum of 2 but ideally 3 (1 backup) fly rods and reels. While many of my clients had their own fly rods, many were first timers on family trips or tours in the area. For those beginners and novices I had available for them “loaner rods’. These ranged from the lowest end rods from budget fly rod companies. The idea being that these were just loaners that needed to survive hopefully multiple seasons of potentially hundreds of users. If they didn’t survive and were broken, dropped in the river, or left standing against a tree, they were inexpensive to repair or replace. These rods were always fished hard and put away wet and honestly only received much attention mid season if there was something broken. More recently I have noticed a trend where many anglers are skipping the burden of traveling with a rod tube and just using the guide’s equipment. While convenient, here are some reasons I urge you to consider if you enjoy fly fishing and travelling. The most important reason to have your own rod is that you get to fish what you like. Fly shops like ours are more than eager to help you decide what the proper rod is for you. Considerations like where you fish, what techniques as well as your individual casting stroke help us guide you to the perfect rod for your needs. The right rod paired with the right line for you can make all the difference in the world as far as making your day on the water more enjoyable, less fatigue, and less frustration. Furthermore your rod will see a few days on the water each year compared to a hundred or more. Your line won’t have as much build up of dirt and will float higher and brighter. Your reel will be smooth and buttery without blemishes and will function and sound the way you want it to. Perhaps the biggest reason and the one that will bring the angler the most joy is premium rods and reels are gorgeous works of art. A rod that runs six hundred and up will have a gorgeous cork handle, beautiful reel seat and likely top end finish, wraps, and guides. It is fun to own your own beautiful rod, especially when paired with a machined modern fly reel. The reel in trout angling does not require the most expensive one but that doesn’t mean you should go cheap. A fully machined reel is where I would start. This means it was cut out of a bar stock piece of aluminum vs poured into a mold. What that means to you is durability. Many rods and reels are dropped and a machined reel won’t bend or scar like a cast reel. A bent reel is as bad as a broken rod. Most entry level machined reels with modern day prices start around three hundred. Also be sure to get a premium line and to replace it as needed. This is the area I encourage anglers to spend a hundred dollars or more as the line is the important part that is taking the fly to the fish. Yes this is a considerable investment but when you compare that to the cost of a guided trip and what you spend on flights, transportation and hotels, a one time investment of a thousand dollars or more will pay off for you many times over. Also you have your own rod which you can enjoy at home and have the opportunity to fish it and practice with it outside of your time traveling. The reality is many of my clients cast only once a year when they were in my boat and their first day can be rough with a year’s worth of rust to shake off. Please use your fly shop for this purchase. We will do our best to provide you with our knowledge and service picking out and setting up your new rod and reel. We typically cannot discount the MSRP but do occasionally have deals and closeouts, especially at season’s end. We do hope you will support your local fly shop as we hope the customer service we provide gets you what you need and putting you on fish gives you back what you give to us with your support. -Steve Wilson
Private Waters
Fish Private Waters in Montana Frontier Anglers offers some of the best private water fishing in Montana. Some of our waters require a guide, some do not, so please ask at the time of reservation. These waters tend to book early, so please reserve your spot early. WHEAT’S LAKE A beautiful setting with an abundance of large browns and rainbows. Wheat’s is a very productive 21-acre lake that offers the chance at catching the trout of a lifetime—it is full of big fish. We have caught rainbows to 8 pounds and browns over 10! Endless food supply of damsels, scuds, midges, Callibaetis, crayfish, small chubs, leeches, water boatman, and small ducks (at certain times of the year) prove that these fish will never go on a diet! Stalking bank feeders or going offshore and fishing hidden drop-offs and shelves, you’ll find plenty of action at Wheat’s. The ranch property also provides access to over 2 miles of the Beaverhead River. ROD FEES: $125 per angler, per day. On your first trip, you are required to have a guide with you. To reserve private water, call us at 406.683.5276 or toll free at 1.800.228.5263
Clark Canyon Reservoir
Spring time provides some of the best stillwater fishing for large trout. Conditions vary and at times can be phenomenal. Summer time can also be productive fishing near springs or tributaries. Winter Ice Fishing Trips are available. Please call us at 406.683.5276 for more information!
Jefferson River
Incredible backdrop and even better fishing. The Jefferson Rivers starts at the confluence of the Beaverhead and Big Hole Rivers. The Jefferson flows north to the town of Whitehall and then east until it joins the Madison and Gallatin Rivers to form the Missouri River near Three Forks. The Jefferson doesn’t fish well every day, but we know the conditions to look for and race to the Jefferson when the situation is ideal. The hardest pulling rainbows that we know of and some oversized brown trout live in the Jeff as it is affectionately known. Dry flies, streamers, and dry/dropper rigs all have their time and place on the Jefferson. A beautiful valley river with the Tobacco Root Mountains as a backdrop makes the Jefferson a favorite of our angling clients.
Ruby River
In the Ruby Valley north of Dillon lies a small dynamic fishery, the Ruby River. The headwaters of the Ruby are on the Beaverhead National Forest where the river forms as a small freestone. A majestic mountain setting combined with eager rainbows, cutthroats and grayling make the upper Ruby a hidden gem for small stream aficionados. The Ruby River flows into the Ruby Reservoir near Alder. It emerges from the reservoir as a smaller version of the Beaverhead. Brown trout make up almost the entire fish population from the dam downstream. Limited public access from Alder to the Ruby’s eventual confluence with the Beaverhead near Twin Bridges presents some challenges for access. We have access to a couple of places and are always eager to share our knowledge of the Ruby.
Big Hole River
There is no river on Planet Earth that is in the same class as the Big Hole River. The finest freestone trout stream in Montana, the Big Hole River, begins near Jackson and flows 150 miles to its confluence with the Beaverhead forming the Jefferson River. Best described by the late George Grant as “a big, little river”, the Big Hole is revered by all those that have dropped a fly into its waters. The Big Hole starts as a wide and meandering meadow stream surrounded by majestic peaks in its headwaters before picking up speed and added volume from the Wise River. Below the Wise River, the Big Hole runs through a section of canyon water known for some of the best salmon fly fishing in the world during mid-June. As the river leaves the canyon it becomes a valley river lined with cottonwood trees. Equally as diverse as the water on the Big Hole is the varied opportunity for anglers. It is possible in a single day on the upper river to catch brown, rainbow, cutthroat, and brook trout as well as arctic grayling. The Big Hole holds the last remaining, native, stream-dwelling population of arctic grayling in the lower 48. As the river leaves the canyon, brown trout begin to dominate the fish population. WHEN TO FISH We fish the Big Hole primarily from mid-April through July and throughout the fall. Fly fishermen seeking excellent fishing with a degree of solitude should inquire about our discounted spring guided float trips. Providing another degree of solitude, are the regulations placed on the Big Hole. While pressure from guides and outfitters continues to grow on other rivers in Montana, the Big Hole remains protected by a set of rules implemented in 1997 that capped the growth of guided fishing trips. We have an abundance of usage on the Big Hole but urge those interested in fishing in June and July to book their trip as early as possible.
Beaverhead River
Originating at the outflow of Clark Canyon Dam, the Beaverhead River is a small tailwater with large fish. The Beaverhead is narrow and willow-lined over its entire length. There is never a dull moment as anglers drift and or wade the river. We are unaware of any fishery that allows fishermen to see and sight fish to as many nice trout as the Beaverhead. The fifteen miles of water that twist and turn from Clark Canyon Dam to Barrett’s Diversion is some of the best trophy trout fishing in the country. The abundant and large brown and rainbow trout of the Beaverhead eat a variety of flies throughout the season. Nymph fishing is always productive. Streamer fishing can be fast and furious. Small dry fly fishing peaks in mid-summer and some of the best big dry, big fish fishing that we’ve ever seen anywhere takes place in late summer. Similar to the Big Hole River, outfitting and guiding usage was capped in 1997. This translates to less crowded fishing as angling pressure continues to rise on many other rivers. Anglers seeking even more solitude might be interested in fishing portions of the river downstream where we have private access. HATCHES & FLY PATTERS These three major hatches—PMDs, Yellow Sallies, and Caddis—will continue for most of the summer season with varying degrees of intensity. On most years you’ll see PMD’s and little Yellow Sallies last clear into the first week of September, with larger and larger Caddis becoming more prevalent in mid-September. During the first week of August, we start to see Tricos and of course this is when the big “riffle” craneflies start their descent on area waters and can provide the most outrageous dry fly fishing of the year! Excellent dry fly fishing continues until we get the really cold weather towards the end of November. With a good mixture of both Brown and Rainbow trout in the upper Beaverhead River, anglers can expect to catch a number of fine trout on most any day of the fishing season. WHEN TO FISH Our guiding season starts in March and we continue to fish right on through November. The fishing in March, April and May can be exceptionally good. The traffic is quiet and fish eager to feed as the water temps. will be on the rise. Since the Beaverhead is a tailwater fishery run-off is usually never an issue, except during a few weeks below where Grasshopper Creek enters. June, July, August, and September are popular times to fish the Beaverhead. Many anglers fear the heat of late summer, but in our neck of the woods daytime temperatures rarely exceed 95 and do not interfere with the outstanding fishing that is found. And since the Beaverhead is a bottom release dam, water temperatures are not a problem.