With the arrival of the new year knocking on the door, we’ve pressed pause to reflect back on the 2019 season.  We launched boats in the snow in March and finished in the same fashion in October, with the final trip on the Blackfoot River requiring tow ropes to get the rafts up the ramp.  There were countless miles of river rowed in 2019 we can’t wait to get back on the oars in 2020.  Reflecting on the year brings to mind countless tales from the river, and we’ve included a few photos below to enjoy.

Weather patterns in the beginning of the season kept guides on their toes. With winter not wanting to let go of her grasp on Montana we eagerly waited for warmer days and took advantage of the sunny spring days when they appeared.  Thankfully our snow filled spring helped to add to a healthy snowpack and we enjoyed cold rivers all season long with no hoot owl restrictions. The cool waters kept a wide variety of fishing options in play and we were fortunate to have consistent fishing throughout the heat of summer.  With no complaints from us, the hopper season seemed to last forever, as evidenced below in the photo of Caleb with a beauty of a brown.  That brown trout crushed a hopper drifted along the bank on the first day of October, the day after a winter storm rolled through.

The season was filled with fish stories told around the dinner table while enjoying Chef Carrie’s fabulous creations, and we treasure the memories made.  We are thankful to our guests and everyone on team MRL who helped to make our 2019 season remarkable.  All of us here at Missoula River Lodge look forward to what the new year will bring and the fish who await!

Wishing you a Happy New Year!

-Missoula River Lodge