By Walt Gasson
OK, show of hands: Who knows Nate Stevane? If you don’t, you should. Everyone knows that you can’t swing a dead cat in Montana, and not hit a fishing outfitter. But not everyone knows Nate Stevane from Trout on the Fly in Butte, Mont. I do, and if you fly fish you should, too.
Nate is a Montana guy. I say that with great respect. His great-great grandfather came to Big Sky Country as a cook on a cattle drive back in the late 1880s. He decided to stay, and his family has been here ever since. Nate grew up in Billings, and fished the Bighorn, Yellowstone, Stillwater and Boulder Rivers before it became a status symbol to do that. From the age of 13 on, he was a fly angler to the core. After a stint at Montana State University in Bozeman, he settled into guiding full-time.
Since then, Nate has cheerfully worked with anglers from ages 8 to 90, folks with disablilites, from folks who have never held a fly rod before to experts. Nate’s not just a guide. He’s a teacher who knows how important it is to help people learn the skills they need to get the most out of a fly fishing experience. His goal is to help clients make memories that last a lifetime.
But a great guide needs great water to make memories. For Nate and the guides at Trout on the Fly, some of the greatest trout waters in America are literally right outside the door. They can put you on fish on the Missouri, the Madison, the Jefferson, the Gallatin, the Yellowstone, the Bighorn – the fabled big fish waters of Montana. They can even put you on fish in Yellowstone National Park.
That’s a lot of different rivers, for sure, and the conditions and season influence fish behavior. But Nate and the guides know each of these rivers intimately. They know how to fish them and when to fish them. More importantly, they know how to tailor a trip to exceed a guest’s expectations. You want to fish for big browns during the fall pre-spawn? No problem. You just want to learn to fly fish and maybe even catch a fish. They can do it. You want to fish “The Land of the Giants” for really big fish? They can do that, too. No matter what your preferences, they can put a trip together that will make memories for a lifetime.
We’re proud to feature Nate Stevane and Trout on the Fly – a proud Trout Unlimited Business member.
Trout On The Fly (O, G)
Nate Stevane
Outfitter #8533
Butte, MT 59701
(406) 580-7370
Walt Gasson is the director of TU’s Business Program. He lives and works in Southeast Wyoming.