Blue Ribbon Fly Fishing

MONTANA FLY FISHING

Located in the heart of Western Montana, The Gage Luxury Dude Ranch is the world’s first Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Ranch and the only US charter member of the National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World collection. Owners, Kim and John Kalan searched the American West for 15 years to find the perfect lodge for the Gage guests. Originally a working ranch homesteaded in the early 1900’s, they partnered with an all-inclusive guest ranch in 2019. Our one-of-a-kind accommodations, extensive amenities, inventive cuisine and access to over 20 guided outdoor activities on 6,600 acres of mountains, meadows, forests, trout ponds and a mountain-fed creek is a bucket list and once in a lifetime “must do”!

Whether you’ve dreamed of Montana fly fishing for years or you’ve yet to cast for the first time, you will not be disappointed by the opportunities on our creek. Four miles of private access and pristine river frontage on this freestone mountain stream boasts seven species of fish: Westslope cutthroat, rainbow, cut-bow, brown, brookie, bull and the Rocky Mountain whitefish.

Our Gage ranch is famous for its salmonfly hatch starting in late May and lasting into July, as well as additional hatches including mayflies, golden stoneflies and caddis fly. Our licensed and trained fishing guides are excited to share their professional expertise and personal passion for fishing. They go above and beyond to ensure that your fishing experience is both enjoyable and successful.

Each day of fishing begins at our Rod & Gun Club where you are outfitted with our top-of-the-line collection of rods, reels, waders and flies. Pull up your waders and venture into the stream for a one or two-hour fishing adventure on the creek.

To ensure preservation of the sport, The ranch asks that all guides and guests catch and release all trout they hook while on the creek and during off-site excursions. Our experts advise on how to hunt for the perfect fishing hole—so you can enjoy solitary, as well as guided fly fishing.

SHOOTING SPORT

Shooting is a Montana tradition with deep roots in our history.  It is also a rich part of modern identity to a large group of responsibilities multi-generational sports people.  The ranch offers an unmatchable multi-faceted set of ranges and activities that experts and novices alike find challenging and enjoyable.

Our guides train each guest on safety guidelines, proper handling and techniques with all equipment to ensure a safe experience for everyone.  Through private instruction and a controlled environment, guests can develop new abilities while achieving a sense of accomplishment.  Our program is designed to teach skills and safety to first-time shooters while giving experienced marksmen and opportunity to test their abilities.

The Ranch is located 20 miles outside of the historic town of Philipsburg, Montana in Granite County, an area known as Gold Country. We are also located half-way between Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks, near the cities of Missoula, Butte and Helena. The Ranch property is a short distance from the Beaverhead-Deer Lodge National Forest and the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness Area, as well as Discovery Ski Area. Nestled at the base of the John Long Mountains, our ranch land also encompasses four miles of frontage along Blue Ribbon Fly Fishing Creek, a designated fishery that flows into the Clark Fork River. To the far south, soft rolling hills give way to snow-capped peaks of the Pintler Mountains. Northward, cottonwood trees stretch along the valley floor following the creek that flows into the Sapphire Mountains.

Our Gage Lodge’s nine ranch accommodations weave luxury, style and authenticity into your Montana adventure.  Appointed with custom-made furniture, woven textiles, frontier antiques and lavish linens, our lodge rooms find design inspiration in iconic western themes such as the great turn-of-the century railroad hotels and the classic guns that helped win the West.

No two rooms are alike and most upper-level rooms offer views of the creek.  Some rooms may be combined to form a two-bedroom family suite that includes twin beds and pullouts.