Home Water · Conditions Vary
Yellowstone River
Our core float program from Gardiner through Livingston and downstream. A big, changing freestone with different possibilities throughout the season.
Yellowstone Trips
Swan's Fly Fishing | Livingston, Montana
Guided Fly Fishing in Livingston, Montana
Float trips, spring creeks, and private instruction, planned around the season and your experience. Tell me your dates and what you want from the day. We'll work out the right water.
Owner operated · Based in Livingston, east of Bozeman · Montana Outfitter #26324
$700
Full-Day Fishing
One or two anglers. Includes rods, tackle, flies, drinks and riverside lunch.
$600
Half-Day Fishing
One or two anglers. Morning or afternoon. Gear and snacks included.
$700
Private Rowing Instruction
One or two students. On-river instruction in boat control, positioning and river safety.
Fishing licenses, gratuities and applicable private-water or park fees are additional. Seasonal spring creek rod-fee inclusions may apply. See trip details and availability.
Start Here
Choose Your Montana Experience
Guided fishing, private instruction, or a scenic wooden boat tour. We can help you choose the right day.
Guided Fly Fishing
Float and walk-and-wade trips on the Yellowstone River, Paradise Valley spring creeks, Madison River and other waters throughout the region.
Explore Guided Trips
Rowing & Casting Instruction
Learn to handle a drift boat, read moving water, improve your casting and make better decisions on the river. Private instruction for beginners and experienced anglers.
Explore Instruction
Scenic Wooden Boat Tours
Experience the Yellowstone River in a handcrafted wooden boat. Private scenic floats through Paradise Valley for families, couples and groups. No fishing required.
Montana Classic Boat Tours
Meet Your Guide
A Lifetime on the Water. Still Learning.
I'm Matt Swan, owner of Swan's Fly Fishing. I've spent more than 25 years guiding rivers, teaching anglers and learning from the water.
My guiding career started on the Colorado River at Lees Ferry, continued with The Fly Shop in Northern California and eventually brought me to Livingston, Montana.
The Yellowstone and Paradise Valley spring creeks are home waters now. Whether you're learning your first cast or have fished for decades, the goal is the same: a good day on the water and something worthwhile to take home.
FFI Certified Casting Instructor · Guiding for the Future Graduate · Trout Unlimited Business Member · Montana Licensed Outfitter #26324
Matt guided us for several days recently while on a trip to Montana. I am relatively new to fly fishing and he was very patient with me, helped a ton on my casting and kept us smiling the entire time. We will be back.
Morgan H. · Guest Review
Where We Fish
Rivers, Spring Creeks & Private Waters
Based in Livingston, east of Bozeman. We choose the river around conditions, the time of year and what you want from the day.
Walk & Wade · Year-Round
Paradise Valley Spring Creeks
DePuy's and Armstrong's offer steady, spring-fed water and technical trout fishing. Reservations and ranch access fees apply, with seasonal inclusions available.
Spring Creek Trips
Upper & Lower Madison
Madison River
A versatile option when conditions or trip goals point us west. We confirm the section and meeting arrangements before booking.
Madison Trips
Select Seasonal Windows
Boulder, Stillwater & Shields
Smaller freestones with their own character. Water levels, weather and access determine when a day here makes sense.
Regional Waters
Private Access · By Arrangement
Private Lakes
Stillwater days with room to practice casting and presentation. Especially good for families and mixed-experience groups.
Private Lake Trips
Separate Destination Planning
Bighorn River
The Bighorn near Fort Smith is not a quick Livingston-area outing. Ask about guide availability, travel and trip logistics before making plans.
Bighorn Information
Seasonal Trips & Rowing Instruction
Good Fishing Doesn't End With Summer
Fall, winter and early spring can be some of the best times to fish, with fewer people around. Spring creeks provide stable flows, while Yellowstone floats depend on weather and river conditions.
Fall, Winter & Spring
DePuy's and Armstrong's, plus river options when conditions cooperate. Seasonal spring creek trips can include the ranch's $50-per-angler rod fee when that rate applies. Otherwise, fees are confirmed before booking.
Seasonal FishingPrivate Rowing Lessons
One or two people, $700 per day. Learn boat control, reading current, positioning and safer decision-making. Dates depend on river conditions.
Rowing Instruction
From the Journal
A Little Reading Before Your Trip
What different waters teach us, when conditions change and how to get more out of a day on the river.
Seasonal Guide
Fishing Through Fall, Winter & Spring
Spring creek and river choices when the season slows down.
Explore the Season
Fishing Skills
Why Spring Creeks Make Better Anglers
Lessons in drifts, presentation and patience that carry to any river.
Read the Article
On the Oars
Rowing Instruction on the Yellowstone
Learn the decisions that make a day behind the oars safer and more enjoyable.
Explore Rowing Lessons
Plan Your Day
Tell Me Your Dates. We'll Pick the Water.
Full-day fishing from $700 and half-day fishing from $600 for one or two anglers. Based in Livingston, welcoming guests from Bozeman and Paradise Valley.
Swan's Fly Fishing · Livingston, Montana · Licensed Outfitter #26324
FROM AROUND SOUTHWEST MONTANA
Stories From the Water AROUND LiVIngston and Bozeman
