Fly Fishing Guide School

A one-week professional fly fishing guide course on Montana's Bighorn River with small classes, hands-on boat training, and strong job placement support.

For most people, fly fishing is a hobby. For a select few, it becomes a profession. The hardest step is getting that first job in the fishing business. The fly fishing guide market is competitive, and it is almost impossible to get a job without the right connection or specialized training. Sweetwater Guide School provides the practical experience and industry connection needed to land that first fly fishing job.

Sweetwater's guide school instructors are experienced international fishing guides who have worked in Sweetwater destinations around the world. They teach everything from rowing western rivers and running rapids in jet boats to helping clients into big fish. Class sizes are limited to keep instruction personal and hands-on.

Sweetwater Fly Fishing Guide School students on the Bighorn River
Guide school drift boat training in Montana
Fly fishing guide school on-river instruction

Sweetwater Guide School boat training on the Bighorn River

7 Nights, 6 1/2 Days of Training


Mostly on the water. Sweetwater goes to the river every day and trains students in the real skills guides use on the job.


Professional Guide Training

Being a fly fishing guide is an incredible way to spend time in the wilderness and earn a substantial income. A fishing guide can earn over $40,000 per year including tips. The school is an investment in your future; the cost can be paid off in only a few weeks of guiding, and it gives you the potential to get a job in some of the most beautiful places left in the world.

Sweetwater Guide School requires a 50% deposit to confirm a spot. The course includes food and lodging. Students need to show up with fishing gear and a Montana State fishing license. Final payment is due 30 days prior to the start of the course. Deposits and final payments are not refunded unless a replacement is found. Checks, money orders, and major credit cards are accepted, and payment plans are available if necessary.
Guide School Director

Corey Koff

Phone: 423-618-0735
Toll free: 1-866-GO GUIDE
Main office: 406-222-0624
Email: corey@sweetwatertravel.com

Contact Corey

Guide school students practicing fly fishing skills on the water
Fishing Skills

Become a Stronger Angler Before You Guide


Being a good fly fisherman is essential to being a guide. You must be able to demonstrate your abilities in order to instruct and explain techniques to guests. Sweetwater accepts all levels of fly fishermen and focuses on casting, presentation, trout techniques, fly selection, entomology, where fish hold, how to fight and land fish, and more.

Meet the instructors

What You Learn

Fishing Skills
Fly tying for nymphs, dry flies, streamers, trout, salmon, steelhead, bass, and anything that swims.
Knot tying, casting instruction, roll casts, reach casts, false casts, double hauls, entomology, fly selection, reading fish lies, and landing fish.
Guiding Skills
Client interaction, instructing fly fishing, what guests expect, netting fish, guiding strategies, spotting fish, advanced river reading, and job preparation.
Drift boat training for the lower 48 and jet boat training for Alaska-style river programs, including reading water, rowing, driving, and on-river motor repairs.
Critical Skills
Low-impact use on public waters, safe fish handling, release ethics, campfire safety, wildlife-proofing gear, regulations, and guide-landowner interactions.
Trailering, boat safety checklists, spare oar stowage, bear spray, remote wildlife interactions, bear safety, and basic swiftwater safety.

Course Schedule

Upon arrival at the lodge, everything is covered except your fishing license. This includes room and board, airport transfers, not flights, and everything needed for training. You will need to bring your own fishing equipment, waders, and personal gear.

Students should arrive Saturday afternoon/evening or Sunday morning. Training begins Sunday afternoon. Monday through Friday are full training days. Saturday includes final interviews in the morning, and the school ends midday. A typical day begins at 8:30 am and comes off the river around 6:30 pm. Evenings are spent tying flies, practicing knots, watching fishing videos, and swapping lies.

Days 1-2
Day 1: arrive by noon, lunch, CPR/First Aid training, and casting.
Day 2: drift boat training and jet boat training.
Days 3-5
Day 3: knot tying, drift boat training, and jet boat training.
Day 4: fly tying, drift boat training, and jet boat training.
Day 5: instruction manual overview, drift boat training, and jet boat training.
Days 6-7
Day 6: full class overview, drift boat training, and jet boat training.
Day 7: final interview and course conclusion.

Each day on the river includes drift boat and jet boat training, client interaction, and work on fishing skills. Sweetwater also helps students build a resume and get it to the lodges and outfitters who hire graduates each year. Last year's students had very high job placement with lodges in Alaska and in lower-48 states including Montana, Colorado, and Wyoming. Average pay including tips was $4,000 to $5,000 per month.

Veterans

VA Education Benefits can help you become a fly fishing guide. A current Certificate of Eligibility is required.

VA Approved Guide School Courses

College Credit

Sweetwater partners with Western Kentucky University to provide an option for earning college credit after successful completion of the guide school and related assignments.

College Course Credit

Dates & Pricing

See current guide school pricing, 2026 dates, 2027 calendar details, deposit information, and contact information for openings.

Pricing and Dates

Student and Employer Comments

The whole experience was amazing. The instructors were extremely nice, informative, and most importantly fun. I learned more in a week than I could have in years.
A.G., Washington State
Even if they do not want to become guides, it is the best way to learn rowing, knots, fly tying, and how to catch more trout.
R.M., Summer Guide School

I just wanted to keep you posted on how the job search is going. The past 24 hours have been a whirlwind. I have been contacted by five lodges that I recently applied to, and I am certain that I will land a job soon.
P.B., Missouri

Ready to start guide school? Contact Guide School Director Corey Koff at 423-618-0735, toll free at 1-866-GO GUIDE, or email corey@sweetwatertravel.com.
See Pricing & Dates