TU Business Member of the Week
OK, show of hands: Who knows Nate Stevane? If you don’t, you should. Everyone knows that you can’t swing a dead cat in Montana and not hit a fishing outfitter. But not everyone knows Nate Stevane from Trout on the Fly in Bozeman, MT. I do, and if you fly fish you should, too.
Nate is a Montana guy. I say that with great respect. His great-great grandfather came to Big Sky Country as a cook on a cattle drive back in the late 1880s. He decided to stay, and his family has been here ever since. Nate grew up in Billings, and fished the Bighorn, Yellowstone, Stillwater and Boulder Rivers before it became a status symbol to do that. From the age of thirteen on, he was a fly angler to the core. After a stint at Montana State University in Bozeman, he settled into guiding full time.
Since then, Nate has cheerfully worked with anglers from ages 8 to 90, folks with disablilites, from folks who have never held a fly rod before to experts. Nate’s not just a guide. He’s a teacher who knows how important it is to help people learn the skills they need to get the most out of a fly fishing experience. His goal is to help clients make memories that last a lifetime.
But a great guide needs great water to make memories. For Nate and the guides at Trout on the Fly, some of the greatest trout waters in America are literally right outside the door. They can put you on fish on the Missouri, the Madison, the Jefferson, the Gallatin, the Yellowstone, the Bighorn – the fabled big fish waters of Montana. They can even put you on fish in Yellowstone National Park. That’s a lot of different rivers, for sure, and they know every one of them intimately.
But they’re not just great guides, they’re great conservationists. Two years ago, when Trout Unlimited was involved in the fight to change the way hardrock mines are permitted there, Nate was one of the first to jump in with both feet. As he says, “I was born in Montana, and it’s where I choose to make my life, run my business and raise my family. I’m proud to live here. Mining is part of Montana. That said, I also believe in balance. I depend on clean water to make my living. Too often, out-of-state mining companies come in, make their profits and then shut their doors, leaving behind a mess of acid-mine dranage or lead and arsenic-laced water. Too often that scenario leaves the taxpayer with the bill.”
That conservation ethic, coupled with a track record of satisfied clients make Nate an easy choice when you’re looking for a great guide in Bozeman. We’re proud to feature Nate Stevane and Trout on the Fly – a proud Trout Unlimited Business member.
Trout On The Fly (O, G)
Nate Stevane
Outfitter #8533
Bozeman, MT 59718
(406) 580-7370
nate@montanatroutonthefly.com
www.montanatroutonthefly.com