Fly Fishing Guide
My name is Christian Bower. I have been a Fly Fishing Guide with Fly Fishing Outfitters for five years now. I enjoy sharing the wonderful places we get to recreate in, in addition to teaching how to respect and appreciate these places that are so special.
On a more personal level, I take great pleasure in exploring new areas and learning the unique properties that each place may have to offer. My passion lies in exploring and sharing the beautiful places our planet has provided for us to use while promoting the respect and care of our shared home.
My dad provided the tools and basic knowledge of the sport, and I quickly grew to love the process and intimacy involved in fooling picky trout. Learning to tie flies provided a way to express myself artistically, as well as functionally, and has significantly contributed to my passion.
I enjoy fly fishing in Montana, my second home, where I never struggle to find solitude and beauty on the endless waterways the state has to provide. Vail Valley is another favorite of mine, thanks to the close proximity to world-class fishing in all directions. Whether it be wild freestones, tailwaters, small creeks, or alpine lakes, there is always an opportunity to scratch that fishing itch.
The best part of sharing my knowledge and experience with others is watching someone go from no experience to being proficient in a technical art. When you have a drive to progress and learn, the experience becomes so rewarding for everybody involved. The most rewarding part is helping someone grow as an angler, and oftentimes as a person too.
My one piece of advice to a struggling fisherman is that patience and persistence are key to a good day on the water. Having confidence in what you are doing goes a long way, but knowing when to change something is important. Many times it isn’t the fly that is wrong. Think about your presentation: too shallow? Too deep? Too much drag? If you can clean up your drift, that is one less factor to be concerned about and will allow you to focus on the other more variable aspects of the sport. Like, what bugs are active? Where the fish are holding? When are the fish actively feeding?
