The Best Fly Fishing In America, And It’s Not In Montana

If you were to name some of the best places in the country to fly fish for trout, your mind probably jumps to the western states or parts of the Appalachian Mountains. Montana, in particular, is home to several Blue Ribbon rivers that are famous across the fly fishing world. Just to name a few: the Madison River, Big Hole River, Gallatin River, Yellowstone River, and Bighorn River. These waters have built reputations that draw anglers from every corner of the country—and even the world.

People travel out here just to say they’ve fished these iconic rivers, soaked in the mountain views, and hopefully spent the day with lots of tight lines. I mean, let’s be honest—A River Runs Through It, one of the most famous fly fishing films of all time, was filmed right here in Montana. That alone put the state on the fly fishing map for a whole new generation.

So, you can imagine my surprise when I read a new USA Today 10Best poll that crowned a river in Michigan as the best fly fishing river in the entire country. I had to pause for a second and say out loud, “Whaaaat?” Not knocking Michigan, but with all the fly fishing magic flowing through Montana, I didn’t see that one coming.

The Madison River landed in 8th place on the list, with a few other nearby rivers making the cut—like the Snake River at #6 and the Spokane River at #7. But here’s what really caught my attention: nothing west of the Mississippi broke into the top four!

Taking the number one spot? The Au Sable River in Michigan. It’s a 138-mile stretch of water that, according to the poll, draws anglers from all over for its brown trout fishing. I’ll admit—I’ve never fished it myself, so I can’t offer a firsthand review. But I’m curious…

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Have you fished the Au Sable? Does it really deserve the top spot over rivers in Montana? I’d love to hear your thoughts—let us know right HERE!