FOAMLine, Vol. 34, No. 4, August 2025
IN THIS ISSUE:
Free Fly Pro Happy Hour
Who Funds Guiding for the Future?
Brown Trout Discovered in the Flathead River
Free Fly Pro Happy Hour
Join fellow guides and outdoor industry friends in the Bozeman area for a laid-back evening with Free Fly!
Free to attend + 2 drink tickets with RSVP confirmation at this webpage!
📅 Monday, August 11th
🕕 6:00 – 8:30 PM
📍 Cousins Pub 211 E Main St #101, Bozeman, MT
Who Funds G4F?
Guiding for the Future (G4F), borne from the challenges of outfitting during the 2016 closure of 183 miles of the Yellowstone River, is a guide-training program that provides advanced levels of environmental training and skill development for professional fishing guides and outfitters. The program’s goal is to enhance the dedicated stewardship of aquatic ecosystems while increasing knowledge, professionalism, and ethics of fishing guides, outfitters, and the members of the fly-fishing industry.
Led by the Fishing Outfitters Association of Montana (FOAM) and guided by a volunteer advisory committee of industry professionals, G4F is a new continuing education program for fishing guides and outfitters in the state of Montana and beyond. G4F is a voluntary course of study, evaluation, and certification. Participating outfitters and guides undergo a curriculum that strengthens competence, increases knowledge and skills, and establishes their commitment to help steward the rivers on which their livelihoods depend. To graduate, participants must complete a rigorous online curriculum hosted by the University of Montana, attend a three-day intensive field practicum, and pass a final exam. Successful completion of this course provides guides, outfitters, and fly shop personnel with an advanced level of credentials that distinguish them to other outfitters, clients, other river users, and agencies. Instructors of the G4F practicum, approved by the FOAM Board of Directors and the G4F advisory committee, are all experts in their field.
You can help support Guiding for the Future here .
Since 2019, these are some of the individuals, companies, and foundations have generously supported our G4F program:
- Yellow Dog Community and Conservation Foundation
- American Fly Fishing Trade Association
- Sweetwater Travel
- Confluence Consulting
- Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation
- Madison Gallatin Trout Unlimited
- Turner Foundation
- B Bar Ranch
- Flywater Travel
- Loop USA
- Montana Trout Unlimited
- Joseph Dorn
- Patagonia
- Sam Phares
- Sage/Far Bank Enterprises
- Kendrick R. Wilson, III
- Simms Fishing Products
- One Montana
- Fishing Outfitters Association of Montana
- The Trout Shop
- Bitterroot River Lodge
- Keep Fish Wet
- Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
- Bighorn Angler
- Brant Oswald
- Every FOAM Member
Brown Trout Discovered in the Flathead River
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has confirmed the detection of a non-native brown trout in the Flathead River upstream of Pressentine Fishing Access Site near Evergreen, and anglers are encouraged to submit any additional brown trout caught within the drainage.
To assess the extent of the issue, FWP is deploying environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling technology to detect any additional presence of brown trout in the Flathead River and tributaries. This method will help identify areas where brown trout may be present, guiding future management actions.
FWP strongly urges anglers who catch a brown trout in the Flathead River or its tributaries to kill the fish immediately and report the catch to the FWP Region 1 office at 406-752-5501. Anglers are asked to provide the fish as well as the location and date of the catch to assist in monitoring efforts.
Brown trout can harm native trout species, such as bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout, by outcompeting them for resources and preying on juvenile fish.
“Protecting our native trout populations is a priority,” said FWP Regional Fisheries Manager Mike Hensler. “Brown trout pose a threat to native species in the Flathead drainage, and we need the public’s help to manage this invasive species.”
Moving live fish from one waterbody to another is illegal. The illegal introduction of non-native fish and other invasive species can have devastating ecological, recreational and economic impacts. These species disrupt aquatic ecosystems by altering food webs, reducing biodiversity, and threatening native species critical to Montana’s fisheries.
Brown trout are identified by their golden brown to yellow-brown color, with dark spots often surrounded by lighter halos, and sometimes with red or orange spots.
