All of our guides work as independent contractors. If you are interested in a particular guide, please book your trip as soon as possible. Many of them are booked a year in advance. If you have fished with us in the past but can’t remember who your guide was, let us know and we’ll try to look it up.
If you don’t have a particular guide in mind, please let us know what you are looking for in your fishing experience and we’ll try to set you up with a compatible guide.
Rick Thomas
Outfitter/Guide #3200
Rick is an awesome Outfitter, Guide, and Father. Rick was born and raised in Hamilton Montana. He started fishing at an early age and loved fishing in the creeks of Skalkaho and Sleeping Child. He started tying flies at the age of 17, a few years later he started tying them professionally. He tied flies and helped John and Elna in their fly shop for a few years and moved his way up to guiding. After guiding for 4 years he decided to get his Outfitters license and become his own boss. Rick is laid back, easy going , loves to fish. Rick has a partner that always works with him. He is a Flat coated retriever named Nox.
Joe Loney #21090
Independent Guide
As a teenager, in the early 90’s, I learned to fly fish while visiting my uncle for three consecutive
years. My love for Montana and fly fishing had me moving to the Bitterroot in 1994. I worked
as a mechanic for 25 years and fished approximately five nights a week after work and on every
weekend I possibly could. I had a plan to be semi-retired from my mechanic work and start a
new career as a fly-fishing guide by my 50 th birthday. But luckily for me, that plan didn’t quite
work out and I got an early start to my guiding career in 2014.
I can’t express how much I love sharing this amazing sport, and the beautiful Montana outdoors
with people from all over the world. I absolutely enjoy going to work every day. I get a feeling
of accomplishment when I can get another person hooked on this sport the way my uncle did
for me. I am truly blessed to get to do what I love for a living.
Boomer
Independent Guide
Capt. David "Boomer" Bean: Dave grew up in the Florida Keys, received 100ton Captains license in 1982, Guided flats fish ie. Tarpon, Bonefish, Permit in the Keys, then became the head guide at the Southern Cross Club on little Cayman. After moving to Chicago & guiding in Wisconsin for Sm. Mouth Bass. Muski and Trout. Moved full time to Montana in 1999 where he now guides with Fly Fishing Always. Dave's companion "Kona" the old lady of the river passed on we will all miss her. Dave has a new boat dog in training a lab named River.
John Foust
08/07/1941 to 04/06/2020 "Miss me --- But let me go"