Montana Fly Fishing and the Surprising Ritz-Carlton Connection

One of the most popular outdoor activities in Montana is fishing—more specifically, fly fishing. Anglers from all over the world flock to Montana's rivers to soak in the scenery, cast a line, and (hopefully) land some trout.

But if you're anything like me, you've probably never given much thought to how the fly rod came to be. I always knew it had English origins, and I knew about its Japanese connection through tenkara fishing—but beyond that, my fly fishing history knowledge was pretty much nonexistent.

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Then, of all places, I stumbled across a TikTok video claiming that Charles Ritz played a huge role in shaping the modern-day fly rod. Sound familiar? Yep, you're thinking of the Ritz-Carlton hotel empire, and you're not wrong.

Curious, I decided to do some digging because let's be real, social media isn't always the best source for accurate history lessons. Here's what I found about this little-known piece of fly fishing history.

Charles César Ritz, son of the legendary Ritz hotel founder, was sent from France to New York to learn the ins and outs of the hotel business. But instead of just focusing on luxury hospitality, he spent most of his free time doing what any true fishing addict would—casting lines in local rivers and fixing up split cane fly rods at a pawn shop.

Here’s where it gets even more interesting! He was flipping those repaired rods and selling them to Abercrombie & Fitch. Yes, that Abercrombie & Fitch. Believe it or not, before it became the dimly lit, cologne-drenched kingdom of shirtless models we all remember from the 2000s, it was actually an upscale sporting goods store. Who knew?

Later, he invented the parabolic rod, which quickly gained popularity because it distributes pressure, giving the rod its distinctive "C" shape. After this discovery, he teamed up with renowned rod maker Jim Payne, and the rest is history.

Who would’ve thought a hotel heir would leave such a mark on fly fishing? Yet, here we are, with modern rods shaped by a man known for luxury hotels—and a lesser-known passion for fishing.

Credit: CFFCM.com