RO Guides
Johnny Blumenthal Hometown:Saratoga, WY
Johnny is a young, fit, aggressive guide who bears the experience of a much older man. He will use his knowledge of the river to fish where the hooking up happens and move the boat quickly in the slow spots. You will easily identify the former wrestler and Marine in him as he rows.
Frank Kneeshaw | Hometown: Twin Bridges, MT | (253)906-7091 | yorainbowdude@msn.com
Frank the Tank is a RO original in more ways than one, and his motto is “fishin and grinin.” He’s been ROing a RO Guide Model boat for over 15 years. Frank has been outfitting and guiding the Twin Bridges area rivers (Big Hole, Bearverhead, Jefferson, Ruby, and Madison) for over a decade. He is truly the Ironman of the Southwest Montana area, spending more days on these rivers than anyone. You’ll find Frank on these rivers over 200 days a year either guiding or fishing with his better half Leslie, or one of his three sons Axel, Luke, or Jake; or maybe even Robert Eddins since he makes an annual trip to Twin Bridges to fish with Frank. A great teacher and patient guide, Frank is the perfect choice for any angler from expert to beginner. Frank specializes in the whole Montana experience, and has a way of avoiding the crowds, which is why you come to Montana after all. To quote Robert, “Frank is one of my favorite fly fishing people ever.” To quote Frank, “all of my RO Drift Boats have been durable and fishy.”
Mike Algar | Hometown: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Mike was born in Northern British Columbia just south of the Alaskan border and caught the fishing bug at a very young age. When his family moved to the banks of Southern Alberta’s Bow River his passion for the sport of fly fishing exploded. He started guiding on Bow and in the frontal range lakes and streams of the Rocky Mountains in 2004. He then turned his passion for the art into a legitimate business in 2006. Mike is the owner and head guide of Freestone Fly Fishers Ltd. He is an artist, outdoor photographer, and fanatical fly fisher and guide. Mike has chased fish all over from Atlantic salmon of the Miramichi River on Canada’s east coast, to the flats of the Bahamas and has thoroughly fished the waters of Montana, Washington and Northern California. Mike has rowed almost every make and model of drift boat available but a 16 foot Ro Deville is his drift boat of choice.
Henry Hoffman | Hometown: Alder, MT
As a third generation resident of the Ruby Valley, there is no doubt that Henry knows Southwest Montana inside and out. Growing up in the small town of Alder leaves one little to do but focus on outdoor pursuits. After getting to know Henry it is clear that he has taken his passion for fly fishing and the outdoors to the next level. After all, there is no substitute for time spent afield. As a full time guide at Ruby Springs Lodge he is fortunate enough to spend over 150 days a year guiding the Big Hole, Madison, Beaverhead, Jefferson and Ruby rivers. A day on the water with Henry is sure to be filled with lots of laughs, cold beer and even a trout or two. In the off season, angling is still priority one. Always on the look out for an opportunity to combine fishing and travel, Henry has spent time on the waters of Alaska, Chile, Argentina, Costa Rica, Mexico, and the Bahamas. When fly fishing isn’t on the brain, it’s a pretty safe bet that you’ll find him archery hunting elk and deer, waterfowling with his lab Ruby or making turns on a powder day.
Dane Huzarski | Hometown: Belgrade, MT
I grew up fly fishing in Northern Nevada in a back pack whistling up fish for my father. I chose Montana State after my collegiate wrestling career because of the great fly fishing and have never looked back. After guiding for 10 years I established Montana Trout Wranglers and I am enjoying every minute of it. My philosophy on guiding is that anyone can have a banner day, but it takes a great guide to make a poor day into a great day. So I have assembled a guide staff that I would want to fish with if I was fishing in Montana. These guys are the most fishy, hard working, professional, and enjoyable guys to spend a day with I have found. We want to make you a better angler and share our secrets to help you catch the trout of your dreams. We don’t just fish any one river, we specialize in them all. Whether this is your first time or you have fished the world, you won’t be disappointed by our knowledge of the area’s rivers and the fishing. When I am not guiding I enjoy fishing with my new puppy dog “Guppy”. He loves to float in the boat but hasn’t figured out where the trout disappear to when released back into the river.
Joe S. Moore | Hometown: Big Sky, MT
I’m Joe S. Moore, owner and operator of Big Sky Anglers (Montana Outfitter #8939). I grew up in the small mid-western town of Quincy, IL, along the banks of the Mississippi River. At age six, while on vacation in Yellowstone National Park, my father began to teach me about the art of fly fishing. Dad learned to fly fish as a boy and then honed his skills in the mid 1960’s in northern Utah and Montana while studying for his undergraduate and Masters Degree in Education.
After chasing bass, bluegill, channel catfish and trout around in float tubes for 10 years, Dad thought it was time to take me “out West” to learn about what it takes to get a drag-free drift with a fly. In the summer of 1992 we took another trip to Montana and Yellowstone. We spent the better part of three weeks traveling the state, living in a pop-up camper and fishing from dawn to well after dusk. The seed was planted! During my college years, I began my career working for Montana River Outfitters in Wolf Creek, MT. Three seasons later I moved to West Yellowstone to work for Madison River Outfitters. Now I’ve gone out on my own.
I’ve been working in the fly fishing business for the last 15 years and guiding clients on the Madison, Gallatin, Missouri, Yellowstone and all the waters of Yellowstone National Park for the past 12 years. Both Ross Reels and R.L. Winston Fly Rods have asked me to join their Professional Staff of anglers. Montana Fly Company sells a few of the patterns that I have designed for various rivers throughout Montana.
Travis and Giselle Hansen | Hometown: West Yellowstone, MT | Yellowstone Fishing Guides
Travis and Giselle Hansen are the Owners of Yellowstone Fishing Guides in West Yellowstone, Montana, and are Co-Owners of Flotadas Chimehuin in Patagonia, Argentina. Each of them grew up in the heart of some of the finest trout fishing in the world on opposite ends of the Americas. Now they are fortunate to travel back and forth guiding and fishing while calling both Montana, and Patagonia their home waters.
Giselle, being from Patagonia, Argentina, is the only female fishing guide in all of Patagonia. She started guiding fisherman when she was 15 years old, and switching from rowing rafts to a RO skiff only increased her effectiveness as a guide. Travis grew up in West Yellowstone, Montana and started guiding as soon as he could drive clients to the river. The two of them now lead anglers to awesome trout fishing year round and have a fleet of Skiffs in each country.
Justin Hartman | Hometown: Dillon, MT | Tight Line Adventures
Justin started Tight Line Adventures in the fall of 2008 and has been fishing and guiding on the waters around Dillon since his days in college at the University of Montana in Missoula, and here at Western Montana College in Dillon since 2002. Countless hours spent on the water or at the tying bench have helped Justin obtain a unique understanding of the rivers flowing through Southwest Montana.
Jordan Gage | Hometown: Lewistown, MT
Tom Grimes | Hometown: Missouri
Greg Bricker | Hometown: Cardwell, MT
Mark ‘Smitty’ Smith | Hometown: Montana
Travis Smith | Hometown: Sheridan, MT | Patagonia River Guides Argentina
Rance Rathie | Hometown: Montana | Patagonia River Guides Argentina
Ian Davis | Hometown: Bozeman, MT | Yellow Dog Fly Fishing
Jim Klug | Hometown: Bozeman, MT | Yellow Dog Fly Fishing
Chris Orwig | Hometown: Missoula, MT
For me, being on the water, in the boat, is the ultimate office. Montana is the best workplace any angler could ever wish to find. Bringing people to the water to share my passion is why I founded Tug Fishing.
Robert Boyce | Hometown: Bozeman, MT | Casta Fly Travel
David Child | Hometown: Yakima, Washington | Dream Fly Fishing
Tyler Treese |
Captain Tyler Treece has been a fishing fanatic since he was old enough to hold a rod. Throughout college in Ohio, Captain Tyler guided clients into anything with fins. He has since graduated to being a full time professional fishing guide, spending over 300 days a year on the water.
From October to May, Captain Tyler can be found putting clients on Tarpon, Snook, Redfish and Speckled Trout in the Indian River Lagoon and surrounding waters. The Captain’s summer months are spent in Yellowstone country, guiding the most famous trout streams in the mountain west; the Yellowstone, the Henry’s Fork, the Madison, and the South Fork of the Snake.
Ron Sorensen | CLE Fly Fishing
Jeremy Stott | Hometown: Lewiston, MT | Taylor Creek Fly Shops
Pat Bond | Hometown: West Yellowstone, MT
Zeek Shelton / Hometown: Blountville, TN
Royce Olney