Park Bench Chat

Hooked on Trout: Angling in the Ruby Springs Valley

Join Trust for Public Land President Will Rogers on the blue-ribbon trout streams of the Northern Rockies in the heart of the Ruby Springs Valley.

From our base at the Ruby Springs Lodge, we are just a cast away from ten miles of riverfront angling on the Ruby River and its tributaries flowing through the property. Or head off the beaten path with fly-fishing maven Craig Mathews to explore the challenging pocket waters and riffles of nearby tributaries. Mathews is the author of Fly Fishing the Madison, co-owner of Blue Ribbon Flies, and co-founder of 1% for the Planet—and nobody knows these waters better.

Following the evening rise, we’ve invited award-winning author, conservationist, and life-long fly fisherman Chris Santella—featuring stories and conversation from Fifty Places to Fly Fish Before You Die and Fifty More Places to Fly Fish Before You Die. Through in-depth interviews with the sport’s acknowledged gurus, Chris maps out the meccas of the fly-fishing world, going beyond standard guides to convey the very essence of the recommended locations. Whether casting mouse patterns to fifty-pound taimen in the wilds of Mongolia, wrangling with wily permit off the Florida Keys, or matching the hatch on Montana’s Armstrong Spring Creek, Chris delivers enough travel and tackle information to get you started on your next excursion to go fish around the globe.

In addition to honing our angling skills, we will hear about The Trust for Public Land’s long and successful history of conserving the Northern Rockies landscapes in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. Learn how conservation easements and the purchase of private development rights have safeguarded trout habitat in river valleys under increasing pressure from population growth. Since 1987 The Trust for Public Land has protected 569,799 acres in Montana, and secured public access to hundreds of miles of rivers and streams.

$4,285 per person

CST #2086409-50