We pride ourselves in having the area's most professional, experienced Montana fly fishing guides. In an area that is as renowned for fly fishing as ours, exceptional fisherman are easy to find but great guides are a precious commodity. The Lodge owner and outfitter, Steve Gamble, has been in the guiding and outfitting business since 1984 and has worked with many guides. He has selected the best men and women in this area to be part of the Gallatin River Lodge team. We understand that a pleasant, knowledgeable, patient and enthusiastic guide can make your Montana Fly Fishing Trip truly unforgettable. Our Montana fly fishing guides are excellent instructors, are well trained in handling drift boats and rafts on our swift rivers and are enjoyable fishing companions. They also offer interesting insight into Montana's history and the outdoor environment.
Ryan T. Eisfeldt: Ryan was raised in the Midwest and started fishing with his father when he was old enough to hold a rod. During the summer they would travel up to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Canada as well as, down to Arkansas to fish the White and Norfork Rivers for Trout. Ryan attended Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff and graduated with a degree in Environmental Science and Biology. After working in landscape ecology lab for a year after graduation Ryan relocated to Southwest Montana to work in and around Yellowstone National Park. Ryan has dedicated his summers to guiding and his winters to rare carnivore research. Ryan would love to take you down one of our productive local rivers in his drift boat, or walk and wade to get you hooked into a wild trout and let you know a little about the natural history of the area.
Tracy Blashill Tracy began guiding in 1981 in the American southwest, since then, guiding whitewater and fly fishing trips has been a passport to travel the world.
Running rivers from Mexico to Alaska, Mongolia to Kamchatka, Tracy claims Montana and Idaho as his home turf. Tracy and his wife Alice live in Three Forks, Montana where he can keep a close eye on his favorite trout streams.
Casey Dudley Casey Dudley cut his teeth in the guiding world at the ripe age of 14 in the high plains of northern Colorado. After fly fishing around the world he decided to make guiding his career focus and moved to Bozeman, Montana in the late 90's. Now Casey enjoys showing folks some of the off the beaten path fishing Montana offers. Notorious for his custom tied foam flies; Casey loves to entice large fish to the surface. If you enjoy chasing elusive trout in wild places then you will not be disappointed after spending a few days on the water with him. Casey is highly respected by both his fellow guides and his many returning clients, so plan on booking early to have a shot at his calendar.
Greg "Pete" Petersen: Pete was born and raised in Great Falls and is a fourth generation Montanan. He grew up flyfishing the Missouri River and the creeks of the Little Belt Mountains. He moved to Bozeman at 18 for college and never left. At 26 he met Lyn, another Gallatin River Lodge guide, and fell in love with her and flyfishing all over again. Pete fished as much as he could, learning the ins and outs of the area and enjoying the sport with his beautiful young bride. Turning his love of the sport into a guiding career Pete now spends his summers getting clients into the big Montana natives! When not teaching clients the art of flyfishing he and his wife are helping their two young daughters master the skill of catching trout.
Lyn Dawson Petersen: Lyn Petersen learned to flyfish at the age of 12 when her flyfishing parents took the family to a multiple day flyfishing school. Soon after completing the school, Lyn, unknowingly, started her journey into the flyfishing world. Lyn began her career in the flyfishing industry in 1988 where she took a job at one of the local flyshops in Sun Valley, Idaho. In the early 90's, Lyn moved to Bozeman, Montana and continued on with the shops and guiding in Bozeman and Livingston. In 1997 she began teaching her own flyfishing schools, many catering to women. After many successful seasons teaching, Lyn is now concentrating on one-on-one instructional days combined with guided fishing trips. Having married Greg (Pete) Petersen, another Gallatin River Lodge guide, in 2007, Lyn and Pete’s days off are spent teaching their two young daughters, Dawson and Holden, how to flyfish!
Bob Brent: Bob Brent, a fourth generation Montanan was raised in Helena. He spent fifteen years in sales and marketing before escaping the corporate world and returning to Montana. He is a full time guide and fly tier and now lives in Helena, spending most of each summer guiding the rivers near the Gallatin River Lodge.
Gifford Cochrane Gifford has been fishing his entire life. Growing up on Oyster Bay in New York , he started his career catching snapper blues and striped bass off his dock. At the age of 16 he attended the Orvis Fly Fishing School in Manchester, Vt. This put a serious kink in what might have been a productive career path. He cut his teeth on the challenging waters of the South Platte in Colorado during his university days and in the mid ‘80’s he made his first foray into the waters of southwest Montana. He moved to Bozeman in ’93, and has never looked back.
Gifford has fished all over the world in both fresh and salt water, but, being a resident of Southwest Montana he spends a lot of time on the local rivers and lakes. He would like nothing more than to share some of that knowledge with you.
