Compared Maine trout fishing to Montana's. That was a mistake.

The author returns from a trip to Montana’s Bighorn River and says it forced them to recalibrate expectations as a fly fisherman. In Montana, anglers can reasonably expect multiple—sometimes many—wild 16-18 inch rainbows and browns each day. Back in New England, they normally fish the Rapid and Lower Magalloway, where hooking several large salmonids in one outing is usually unrealistic. They describe catching fewer “bucket list” fish while crediting guides in a drift boat for rigging rods, selecting nymphs, setting depths, and choosing casts and pools. They shift focus to local blue-lining for native brook trout in the White Mountains.