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Five Rivers Lodge

Dillon, Montana


Five Rivers Lodge is located a few miles north of the small college town of Dillon, Montana in a mountainous section of the Lewis and Clark Trail and in the heart of some of the best trout water in the lower forty-eight. Dillon is found atop the high mountain deserts of Southwestern Montana within relatively close reach of Yellowstone National Park and several of Montana's most famous rivers and streams. Through the years we have grown to consider the ownership and staff at Five Rivers Lodge wonderful friends and the best of business partners. They offer a warm and friendly atmosphere with excellent service, and an unbeatable Montana trout fishing experience.


We perhaps send more of our clients to Five Rivers Lodge that any other destination in Rockies for a few very good reasons… wonderful, diverse fishing opportunities, and the best crew of guides in the State of Montana. Five Rivers’ program offers easy access to as many types of rivers, streams, spring creeks, and lakes as possible to ensure that something is always fishing well. The Big Hole, the Beaverhead, the Ruby, the Jefferson, the Madison, the Missouri, and Poindexter Slough, to name a few, are all very easily reached within an hours drive if the lodge. The quality of guiding combined with such enormous diversity in venue ensures that every guest will have success fishing no matter the conditions.

Typically, the majority of the float fishing at Five Rivers is done on the Beaverhead and Bighole Rivers. The upper (tailwater) section of the Beaverhead River begins south of Dillon, Montana where it flows from Clarks Canyon Reservoir, and can be accessed on foot or from the boat in numerous locations throughout its twelve miles of blue ribbon trout fishing. Many of the brown and rainbow trout approach or exceed the two-foot mark and all are extremely fast and strong. Depending upon the flows, excellent dry fly fishing can be found on the “Upper Beav”, as well as phenomenal success on properly drifted nymph and emerger patterns - not to mention the possibility of moving some huge fish on streamers through the bottom sections of braided water at the end of the float. Five Rivers also has exclusive access to three private sections of the lower Beaverhead which offer excellent fishing for uneducated Browns on locally owned ranches in complete solitude. For those interested in fishing spring creeks, the world famous McCoy cattle company is available to guests and only a ten-minute drive from the lodge. Both the private sections of the lower Beaverhead and McCoy’s Spring Creek are perfectly designed for anglers who prefer to walk and wade and cast over rising eighteen - twenty five inch fish.

The Big Hole River is about thirty minutes north of Dillon and runs past the small town of Melrose. Many consider this river the "jewel in the crown" of Montana's storied rivers. The Big Hole offers four species of trout as well as the rare, high-finned grayling. Fishing opportunities vary with the season and include the famous salmon fly hatch along with a myriad of mayfly and caddis hatches, hopper fishing, late-season streamer fishing...and these are only the highlights. The Big Hole is one of the prettiest floats in Montana with towering bluffs, beautiful mountain views, and green meadows. Except during the Salmon Fly hatch, crowds are never a problem on the Big Hole, and this user friendly freestone is always one of the favorite choices amongst our clients.

The Madison, Jefferson, Missouri, Ruby, and Poindexter are great alternative for guests when they are fishing well. Those who are interested in real adventure and something very unconventional should ask about the possibility of stalking huge carp on Clark’s Canyon Reservoir!

Perhaps the greatest asset to the Five Rivers operation is their wonderful set of guides. We have become great friends with their core group and are always impressed by their knowledge, instructional, and angling abilities. Because of our close relationship, we are able to match up our clients with the appropriate guides based upon personality, skill, and preference. All of these guys live to trout fish, and if not exploring wild Montana, they can be found guiding in South America or on a flat chasing Permit in the Caribbean.


The lodge itself offers comfortable accommodations in the heart of the Montana wilderness. The lodge is a huge facility that can accommodate corporate groups as well as singles. Even when the dining room is full, the lodge and staff keep the feel of a small operation that ensures personalized service. We have shared the lodge with numerous other groups as well as had the entire facility to ourselves and felt totally comfortable. The refrigerator is always stocked with beverages, the bar is always open, and there is always a member of the staff taking your order.

Each room is an enormous suite with two king-sized beds, private bathroom, adjoining decks, and incredible views. The common areas of the lodge include a lounge and dining area, a large library and a great deck with fabulous views of the valley. Healthy gourmet meals are tailored to your tastes and many of the vegetables are grown at the lodge. Dinners can be as formal or as casual as you would prefer. Fine wines and truly five stars cuisine is served every evening with phenomenal deserts and great coffee as well.


Five Rivers typically operates with 8-16 guests at a time. However, larger corporate groups up to 20 are welcomed and encouraged.


Guests traveling to Five Rivers must fly through Salt Lake City with Delta Airlines in route to Butte, Montana, where a representative from the lodge picks up guests in comfortable vans or suburbans and make the forty-five minute drive to the lodge. Beaverhead County Airport is ten minutes from lodge and accommodates private aircraft up to G4. Please ask for details if you are interested in flying in private aircraft.


Day 1
Guests at Five Rivers travel to Butte, Montana via Salt Lake City with Delta Airlines. From Butte, a representative of the lodge will pick up your group and transport you by van or Suburban approximately one hour to the lodge. Guests arriving around mid-day usually stop for lunch in route to the lodge. Upon arrival at the lodge, guests are escorted to their rooms and given a tour of the facility. There is usually time to go down to the stocked ponds in front of the lodge or get a casting lesson.

Day 2-?
Every morning anglers arise around 7:00am for a made to order breakfast and organize lunch for the day. Following breakfast, guests meet their guide in the parking lot; make any needed purchases from the fly shop and head to the designated river for the day. Every trip to Five Rivers Lodge usually includes a day floating the Big Hole River, a day on the upper Beaverhead River, a day on the Madison, and perhaps a few days fishing the amazing stretches of private water on McCoy’s Spring Creek and the lower Beaverhead. If conditions dictate, guests can also make a trip to the Missouri, the Jefferson, the Ruby, or Poindexter Slough. Lunch is taken in the field, and anglers are usually returned to the lodge for a shower, cocktails, and dinner.

Departure Day
Following breakfast, and depending on what time your flight departs, guests are returned to the Butte airport for the flight to Salt Lake City and on to their home city.


The season begins in June, and runs into October. In June, the fabled Salmon Fly hatch brings bugs, fish and angling mayhem to the region. The Green Drakes are the high point in July, with awesome hopper fishing beginning in late July and running into September in a typical season. September into October sees blue winged olive activity, and of course Caddis, PMD, Callabaetis hatches are found throughout the season - often providing fabulous dry-fly fishing opportunities. With a habitat diversity that includes tailwater, freestone, spring creek and stillwater environments, there is good fishing to be found here virtually every day of the season. There is no bad time to visit here, although early and late season offer great fishing together with fewer anglers.
Early in the season cooler mornings dominate the forecast. Anglers usually find themselves exclusively wet wading by mid season and things begin to cool off as the summer comes to a close. Rain and cool weather is a possibility on any given day, depending on the river fished. We can recommend a time of season to coincide with your fishing style and schedule. Again, the diversity of the fishing options out of Five Rivers makes our job much easier in ensuring that our clients have success no matter the time of year.


Although angling is the predominant activity at Five Rivers Lodge, the staff can easily accommodate and keep non-angling guests entertained while a spouse or companion is on the river. Horseback riding trips can be arranged and combined with some fishing on a high mountain lake. Day trips to Dillon or Twin Bridges (home of Winston Rod Company) for lunch and shopping, a tour of the beautiful countryside, or simply relaxing at the lodge and reading a book while soaking in the hot tub are a few of the non-angling activities to choose from. History buffs always get a kick out of exploring the Lewis and Clark Trail routes as well. Finally, spouses and children can tag along as a spectator to the river in most circumstances.


2009 Rates

4 Nights / 3 Days …………………………$2095

5 Nights / 4 Days …………………………$2650

6 Nights / 5 Days………………………….$3175

7 Nights / 6 Days………………………….$3625

Pricing is based upon a double occupancy with a shared room and shared guide

Private Room Supplement is $110 per night
Private Guide Supplement is $200 per day

Private Waters Rod Fees...... $100 per angler/day

Please inquire for Non-Angling Rates

***3 Night / 2 Day Packages are not always available. Please inquire for pricing & details.


Accommodations; Guided fishing (or other arranged activities); Three meals daily; All ground transportation including airport transfers; Laundry services


Airfare to Butte, Montana; Individual travel expenses; Alcoholic beverages; Fishing licenses; Flies and other purchases made from the Five Rivers fly shop; Activities arranged in Dillon or area outside of lodge staff; Guide & Lodge Staff Gratuities


A deposit of 50% is required to confirm a reservation and is due at the time of booking. Full payment is due 90 days prior to departure. The deposit will be refunded, less a processing fee of $100/person, if cancellation is made 90 days prior to departure. Thereafter the individual is responsible for the total land cost and no refund will be made unless client replacement is found. No refund can be made for unused land arrangements. Receipt of deposit and/or final payment is acknowledgement that registrant has read and accepts the cancellation /refund and responsibility clauses.

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