A banjo tune drifts through the morning air as Dave Blackburn picks at the strings, the same way he’s picked his lines on the Kootenai River for more than 40 years. Out back, his 1978 Ford F100—the truck that’s pulled drift boats for decades—sits ready for another day on the water. This is Kootenai Angler, a place where fly-fishing isn’t just a sport, it’s a way of life.
Building a Legacy
Dave built this outfitting business from the river up, and in doing so, he’s built something even more lasting: a community. Anglers from near and far come to fish the Kootenai’s legendary waters, guided by someone who knows them better than anyone. “The Kootenai’s dryfly fishing, I think, is unparalleled in Montana,” Dave said. “Within the first 15 minutes, you’re probably gonna have a strike.” Setting the hook is a different story. That’s all up to the skill level of the angler—and that’s where Dave and his team come in.
“This river is special. I feel like it runs through my veins.”
– Dave Blackburn
Sharing the Rhythm of the River
Out here, the water moves at its own rhythm, and so do the days. Mornings start with the clatter of gear, the dip of an oar breaking the river’s surface. Dave and his guides navigate the wide, rambling waters, sharing knowledge that can only be learned through experience. “When you’re out there and you experience rising fish, you’re teaching people, sometimes for the first time, what it’s like to catch a trout on a fly,” Dave reflects. “You see that joy in their face and you share that joy.” For Dave, there’s nothing else like it.
A Day Well Spent
At the end of a day on the water, guests return to rustic cabins that line the riverbank, swapping stories over a hearty meal at the River Bend Restaurant. Conversations flow as smoothly as the Kootenai itself—about the ones that got away and the ones that didn’t. The river has a way of making strangers into friends, and Dave wouldn’t have it any other way. “I consider myself very fortunate to have been put in this position—to build a business, meet people, have customers who become lifelong friends.”
“I think the reason why a lot of people fish, it isn’t necessarily about catching fish; it’s just being out there having nature flow into you and out of you.”
– Dave Blackburn
More Than the Catch
A day on the Kootenai isn’t just about casting lines—it’s about immersing yourself in the flow— letting the current slow you down so you can take in the moment. It’s the kind of experience that stays with you long after you’ve left, where the stories, the people and the pull of the water become part of something bigger than the catch.
“When you’re out there and you experience rising fish, you’re teaching people, sometimes for the first time, what it’s like to catch a trout on a fly; you see that joy in their face … you share that joy.”
– Dave Blackburn
