About Our Family
After spending years guiding and outfitting across the state of Montana, Jason decided to pursue the opportunity to open his own lodge operation. In October 2003, he closed on the property that would become TroutChasers and hasn’t looked back. A few short months after purchasing the property, Jason met Julie, and he quickly knew that she was the catch of a lifetime. With little idea of what she was getting into, Julie quit her job, moved to Bozeman, and eagerly took on various aspects of managing and running a lodge. Her many hats include housekeeper, chef, gardener, host, office manager, and handy woman.
In 2010, Jason and Julie welcomed Annalise to the family, and she has been a trusty sidekick ever since. She loves helping the guides get ready in the morning, being a guide assistant to her dad, and being out on the water as much as possible. Annalise was joined by sister Isabelle on New Years Eve 2013, and Isabelle has eagerly taken on the role of mini-hostess and social events coordinator – she loves joining the guests for meals and showing them around the property.
Owning and operating their family-owned business has afforded the Fleurys the chance to build a life together, working side by side, on a beautiful piece of property surrounded by nature. It is their hope to share the magic of Montana with their guests and preserve their piece of Big Sky Country for others to enjoy.
We take the time to customize your time with us to you, ensuring that whether you’re staying with us, fishing with us, or both, you have a truly memorable time. Before you arrive, our goal is to understand exactly what you want, need and expect you’re your visit. That way we can select everything from your ideal lodging accommodations to the guide who’ll take you on the water. And because we own and manage all aspects of TroutChasers, we are able to deliver excellent, consistent service from start to finish.
As native Montanans, all of us at TroutChasers Fly Fishing Lodge & Outfitters want to keep our state beautiful, we place a high priority on sustainability. When you visit our riverfront property, you’ll find solar panels providing much of our energy. You’ll also see that we minimize single-use items in our operations; for example, if you’re fishing with us, you’ll receive a reusable water bottle (no plastic bottles to toss!) We use cloth napkins, metal silverware and even reusable containers, plus we have a great recycling and composting program in place.
Owner/Outfitter #8375
Guide Assistant
Annalise, the daughter of Julie and Jason, has been a helping hand at TroutChasers her entire life. She enjoys working around the Lodge, taking care of animals, playing with the dogs, and assisting guides to get ready for their fishing trips in the early mornings. Her favorite spot to fish is The Gallatin River, which is located directly behind the property.
Her hobbies are soccer, hunting, basketball, football, dogs, art, riding horses, and much more. She particularly enjoys the outdoors and watching wildlife who can be seen directly from their own backyard. Montana has a lot to offer, but a wide variety of wildlife, incredible fly fishing, and close proximity to beautiful rivers are what she loves most.
Annalise enjoys being on the river with their guests, watching the excitement of catching a fish, and appreciating the natural beauty of Montana rivers.
Head Guide
Josh, grew up in Eagle, Colorado on the banks of the Eagle River. He was on the river so often during the summer that a couple of the outfitters running trips told him once he was old enough to drive a car, he needed to come see them about guiding. And so, began his involvement in the fly fishing industry. He has been working with TroutChasers for more than 12 years and when asked what he enjoys most about taking people out on a river, he’ll tell you it’s the enjoyment of seeing new anglers catching their first fish on a fly rod. The smiles and laughter are a big part of why he loves guiding. Josh has decades of experience under his belt and always has fantastic stories about the area’s history to share throughout a guide day. He feels coming to Montana offers so many different opportunities for guests and having guides who have experience on countless waters is really what makes TroutChases stand above the rest.
When not on the water, he enjoys watching his children participate in sports and spends time tying flies. During the off season, he is an elementary school teacher and his passion for learning runs deep in everything he does—in and out of the classroom.
Guide
Guide
Dane has been guiding anglers at TroutChasers for seven years. He grew up in Nevada and started fly fishing seriously at the age of 16. He swears that it’s Julie’s homemade desserts that first brought him to working with TroutChasers. You ask him what keeps him and he’ll tell you it’s the great staff and professional outfit that provides unforgettable experiences. Dane enjoys meeting new people and visiting with returning clients. How better could someone spend their time than floating down a beautiful river enjoying the scenery, camaraderie and trying to fool the wild trout in Montana? During the off season, Dane enjoys photography and coaching High School Wrestling.
Guide
Originally from Virginia, Bert grew up fishing waters in the central and southwestern parts of the state. He started fishing with bait and spinners but was introduced to fly fishing and never looked back. Although fishing is passion, by trade he taught high school in Virginia for six years before moving to Montana where he has taught for many years and also served as a high school administrator. He has guided for Trout Chasers for nearly 10 years and he loves the atmosphere created by everyone there. He’s fished Montana and guided local waters for many years, and enjoys time on all of these waters, but especially the Yellowstone. Having a background in education, he is passionate about seeing people learn and experience new places and things and has patience throughout this process, but he also enjoys time with experienced anglers fishing the waters that he loves. When not fishing he loves hunting and spending time with his family, enjoying all Montana has to offer.
Guide
Nathan grew up in Minnesota, the Land of Ten Thousand Lakes and a whole lot of rivers. He found his passion for rivers while living on the upper Mississippi fishing for walleye, smallies, and muskies.
In 1985 he moved to Bozeman where he pursued a microbiology degree but has, in actuality, spent his time “wasting his life” as an unrepentant fly fishing river rat. There are few rivers worth fishing in Montana that he hasn’t spent time on in the last 35 years. His offseason passion is fishing for steelhead with spey rods and messing around with trout spey as well.
Nathan truly enjoys teaching fly fishing to the uninitiated and passing on whatever techniques and expertise he can to those who have experience. While nymphing is the most productive method, he loves to fish dries, is a hardcore streamer junkie, and will gladly pursue those methods if his clients prefer.
Guide
Originally from Eau Claire Wisconsin, fly fishing didn’t really find its way into “Matty’s” life until a friend introduced him to it in the mountains west of Colorado Springs Colorado as a young adult. That first trip successfully planted the bug in his brain and he started putting every free hour into teaching himself and honing his skills on Colorado rivers such as the South Platte, Arkansas, Taylor, Blue, Frying Pan and New Mexico’s San Juan. Ditching life in a cubical at work in the insurance industry, he packed up and made the move to Livingston Montana in 2011 where he worked as general manager and guide at Dan Bailey’s Fly Shop for five years before leaving to guide full time. Having fished and guided all over Montana, Matty is equally at home on all our rivers big and small, spring creeks or lakes with either one or two-handed fly rods. Known for his constant smile, enthusiastic approach, and abundant patience Matt’s ability to balance focused fishing with big laughs is enjoyed by beginners and seasoned anglers alike. In the off-season cross-country skiing and reading fill the gaps between the time at the tying vise and personal fishing days at home or somewhere salty.
Welcoming Committee
(2003 – 2016)
(2006 – 2014)
Jackson was an unexpected surprise to us, as Loomis had found love with the neighbor’s black Labrador Retriever, Tinkerbell. When we saw this little brown fluff ball, we knew he had a place at our Lodge. Jackson never met an animal or person he did not love and could be seen playing in the pastures around the Lodge on a few occasions with a skunk (while never getting sprayed), a mink that was living in our pond, and one of the local foxes. It was never a surprise to hear one of our guests tell us how he they had just seen him playing with any of these animals. If there was ever a friendlier dog, we have not met it!
(2014 – )
Gus (named after Augustus McCrae from Lonesome Dove) is our goof ball Chesapeake Bay Retriever. He will swim in circles in our pond for hours and seems to never get tired. His love of water is only matched by his love for people, and he exhibits a very playful nature. Gus has shown that his stomach is one that should be studied as he has the palette and ability to ingest everything from cedar siding to nuts and bolts! Following in the footsteps of Loomis, he also loves to go down to the river, put his head underwater, and rifle for the largest rocks he can find – he’ll proudly carry his treasure back to you and drop it at your feet. What a rock hound!
(2020 – )
Doc (whose name was inspired by Doc Holiday of Tombstone) is our newest addition and was brought to our family at the request of Annalise. He has fit in well, and his best friend, aside from Annalise, is certainly Gus. He has the big scowl-like smile that Chesapeake Bay Retrievers are known for and loves to greet you with his teeth-barring grin. He is playful and happy, and we look forward to making memories with him as part of the TroutChasers family.
LEAD GUIDE
Growing up in a family that loved the outdoors, Jason spent countless nights camping around Montana, exploring the many amazing waters Montana has to offer. He began his guiding career while finishing up college in southwest Montana and hasn’t looked back. In 2003, along with his soon to be wife Julie, they fulfilled Jason’s childhood dream starting TroutChasers Lodge on the Gallatin River. With their two daughters, they have continued to operate their lodge focusing on sharing with their guests a lifestyle of stewardship and conservation while chasing trout on the exceptional rivers found in Montana. Along the banks of the Gallatin flowing through TroutChasers lodge, they most recently hosted Montana’s Senator Jon Tester’s unveiling of the Headwaters Legacy Act, which will protect 336 river miles in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and the Smith River watershed.
Since 2017, Jason has been President of the board of directors for the Fishing Outfitters Association of Montana (FOAM), expanding FOAM’s involvement in resource management issues in Montana and continuing in their conservation efforts. Under Jason’s leadership and direction, FOAM successfully helped to implement the Madison Recreation Plan, which is the first step in dealing with issues such as the rapid increase in crowding of the Madison River. This Madison Recreation Plan was over 50 years in the making and had been plagued by the many differences of individual user groups and how each perceived a management plan should be implemented. Jason was instrumental in helping to bring the varied interest groups, and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks together to collectively agree to the proposed management regulations FOAM offered to be implemented. During this time, Jason also helped to bring FOAM’s flagship conservation program, Guiding for the Future, an advanced training program for professional outfitters and guides working to build a sustainable future for our fisheries, to life with the inaugural practicum graduating 25 students.
Use the form below to tell us about the dates you’ll be traveling. Don’t worry; you’re not making a reservation, and you can still ask us a general question.
