Getting Hooked on Fly Fishing
The Little Brookie that Flew - A Fly Fishing Story by Hannah Dreesbach
I was in elementary school when my father first put a fly rod in my hand. We were in the Tizer Basin, walking a small, tumbling stream pock-marked by boulders. It was the sort of place that would leave any kid itching to explore. Fallen logs became bridges across deep holes. Crowded fir trees created pockets of shadow that hid lichen-covered stones and half-decayed stumps. I could have spent the entire day roaming the woods, inventing games beneath the shade of the trees. But my dad had brought me there to fish, and so I resigned myself to the tedious task of casting a bright little dry into the water over and over again.
I didn't think much about line placement or where the fish might actually be, even though I’m sure my dad offered wisdom on both of these subjects. For the most part, I tried to copy his movements (after all, he was actually catching fish). More often than not, I wound up with my line wrapped around an overhanging willow or snagged on a limb. The day, it seemed, was destined to be frustratingly fishless.
I suppose Mother Nature took pity on me: between snags, I managed to hook a single brookie—so small I didn't even feel it on the end of my line. When I went to recast, it sailed out of the water, past my head, and back in—unhooking itself in the process. I let out a shout. I’d caught a fish! I was a real fly fisherman, just like my dad.
It was a small moment in the scheme of things, but looking back, years later, I can’t help but smile. These days, I look forward to afternoons on the water, fly rod in hand, exploring the twists and turns of the river. I have my dad to thank for that. My dad and one tiny, miraculous brookie.
Questions? Comments? A story of your own first time on the water? Share in the comments below!
Some Products Featured in this Article
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Shop NowCraig Fly Rod 4 Piece
$575.00 -
Shop NowDearborn Fly Rod
$650.00
2 & 4 Piece -
Shop NowWarm Springs Fly Rod 2 & 4 Piece
$750.00
Recommended Reading
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![Fly Fisherman Magazine is Featuring Montana Casting Co.]()
Fly Fisherman Magazine is featuring Montana Casting Co. and our Warm Springs Fly Rod in its April-May 2024 Issue!
Fly Fisherman loves gear with a story behind it, and Montana Casting Co. has that in spades. The article highlights our strengths as a home-grown, family-owned fly rod company as well as the heartfelt story of loss and healing that brought company founders Scott and Cat Joyner to where they are today.
Fly Fisherman called special attention to the Warm Springs fly rod. After testing it on a Pennsylvania spring creek, they referenced the “gritty” capabilities of the Warm Springs, deeming it ready for “almost anywhere you can find blue-collar trout, from big rivers to small streams in the mountains.”
The Warm Springs Fly Rod is our flagship fly rod. Designed by Scott Joyner in its entirety—from blank to guide placements, right down to the reel seat components—it balances performance with durability in one classy fish-wrangling package. Visit the Warm Springs product page to learn more about these performance fly rods.
You can sign up for a Fly Fisherman Magazine subscription to read the article online or look for the April-May 2024 issue in stores now!
We’re celebrating this milestone with 15% off all of our fly rods. Looking to pair your new rod with a fly fishing reel? We’ll give you 15% off the entire outfit when you use our Outfit Builder.
Fly Fisherman Magazine is Featuring Montana Casting Co.
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![How We Named Our Fly Rods]()
A Love Letter to Montana
Decades of experience went into designing the three fly rod models available in our online store. In naming those rods, we decided to honor some of the fishing access sites across Montana that inspired Montana Casting Co. and made us the fly fishers we are today.
A young Scott fly fishing the Upper Madison.
The Craig Fly Rod – Calling Back to One of Our Favorite Spots on the Missouri River
Not many fishing access sites can boast being within 300 yards of three world class fly shops, but Craig, Montana is a fly fishing hot spot and the beating heart of the upper stretches of the Missouri River. We’ve lost count of the number of fish fights, sunsets, and stories we’ve lived while floating this stretch of water.
World class fly fishing aside, the town itself is full of charm: trade stories with the local guides, stop in the fly shops to see what’s popping on the river, or grab a bite to eat at Izaak’s (or a beer at the Craig Taphouse) after a long day on the water. For Cat Joyner, COO and co-founder, Craig is at the center of countless moments of family bonding. “It’s the place we go to celebrate. Birthdays, anniversaries, Mother’s Day…” With good reason, the Craig fishing access has earned a special place in our hearts as one of the premier fly fishing destinations in Montana. To learn more about the site and the regulations on this stretch of river, you can visit the Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Craig Fishing Access Site page.
Other nearby restaurants:
Fly shops in and around Craig, MT:
Floating the Missouri from Craig, Montana.
The Warm Springs Fly Rod – Honoring a Best Friend and a Fantastic Fly Fishing Access Site
The Warm Springs fishing access on the Lower Madison is one of many access sites along a diverse and beautiful stretch of water. Beginning in remote Bear Trap Canyon, the Madison flows down into a series of lazy bends that eventually converge with the Gallatin and Jefferson rivers to form the Mighty Mo—all of it excellent trout fishing. Long runs, riffles, and moss beds make the Warm Springs fishing access a fantastic entry point, but this site also holds personal significance to company CEO and founder Scott Joyner. It’s the place that taught him how to fish dries during the summer Caddis hatches. The place that marks many firsts—like his first multi-day adventure on the river, sleeping under the stars and catching his own meals. And it's the place that will forever be one of his best friend Craig’s favorite fishing spots. Reflecting on these memories, Scott smiles. “There are too many stories woven with this stretch of water to remember them all… Some harder than others to talk about, but all of them good.” Learn more about the Warm Springs Day Use Area and Fishing Access on the Bureau of Land Management website.
Craig fly fishing the Lower Madison near the Warm Springs Fishing Access.
The Dearborn Fly Rod – Remembering the River as it Was
Located just upstream from the confluence of the Dearborn and Missouri rivers, the Dearborn fishing access is overshadowed by the rough-hewn walls of the Missouri River Canyon—a particularly dramatic sight when the summer sun begins to set, staining the rock a brilliant golden hue. Another fishing access steeped in memory, Scott’s Grandpa Clem knew this stretch of river like the back of his hand and made a point of showing his grandson all the best holes. As Scott fished, Clem would sit back and watch, telling stories about the days when the only way through the canyon was by train or horseback. Because he worked on the railroad, the trains would slow down and let him jump off and he’d spend the next week camping, fishing and hunting until another train came through to pick him up. “He swears that you could throw a bobby pin in the river back in those days and catch your limit of trout in a matter of minutes,” Scott says, laughing. Though the river looks vastly different today, it remains a special place to fish with the family and enjoy Montana’s rugged beauty. Visit the Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Dearborn Fishing Access page to learn more about this site.
Cat shows off a brown trout landed with her Craig fly rod on the Missouri.
The Beauty of Fly Fishing
Fly fishing is a deeply personal sport. We all come to it in our own way for our own reasons. At Montana Casting Co., fly fishing has been a gift… Not only for the many thrills and peaceful moments we’ve found on the water, but for the connections we’ve made to places and people while doing it.
The Craig. The Warm Springs. The Dearborn. Every Montana Casting Company fly rod carries a small reminder of the places and moments that shaped us, both as fly fishers and people. Our hope is that someday, one of our fly rods in your hands can come to be a reminder of the moments that shape you.
To learn more about the fishing access sites across the beautiful state of Montana, head over to the Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Waterbody Search page.
Is there a bend in the river that’s come to mean more to you? Share in the comments below!
How We Named Our Fly Rods
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