The most common question we get after “will I catch fish” is whether to book a half day or a full day. There’s no universal answer, but there is a right answer for your group. Here’s how we’d walk you through it on the phone.

The Basic Difference

A half day float is $550 for one or two anglers and runs 4 to 5 hours on the water, with snacks and drinks included. A full day float is $675, runs around 8 hours, and includes a full streamside lunch. Both come with the same licensed guide, drift boat or raft, and all tackle and flies. Both run 7 days a week on whichever river is fishing best for your dates.

Notice the price gap is only $125. You’re not paying double for double the time, which is worth factoring in if you’re on the fence.

Book a Half Day If…

You’re bringing younger kids. Three to four hours on a river with a few fish to hand is a great day for a kid. Eight hours is pushing it for most of them. This is the single most common reason we point families at half days. More on that in our family trips page.

It’s your very first time. A half day is plenty to learn the cast, catch fish, and finish wanting more. Some first-timers are wiped out after four hours of new skills and sun. Finishing strong beats limping to the takeout.

You’re squeezing fishing into a packed trip. Half days leave room for the rest of Missoula: breakfast downtown, an afternoon float, dinner plans intact.

You’re testing whether fly fishing is your thing. $550 split two ways is a reasonable way to find out.

Book a Full Day If…

You want the best water. Eight hours lets your guide float longer stretches and fish the runs that half-day timing can’t reach. More river means more chances at good fish.

You’re serious about learning. The second half of a full day is where beginners stop thinking about the cast and start fishing. That doesn’t happen in hour three.

You’ve fished before and want a real shot at a big day. The full day is the trip serious anglers rebook year after year. It’s our most popular trip for a reason.

The streamside lunch matters to you. It’s usually good sandwiches and sides, nothing fancy, but eaten on a gravel bar in the middle of a Montana river day, and somehow that’s half the memory.

What About More Than One Day?

If you’re traveling to Missoula specifically to fish, look at the multi-day package: 3 full days of guided fishing on multiple rivers, 4 nights at the DoubleTree, and meals on the water, $1,695 per person double occupancy, June 1 to Oct 31. Fishing different rivers on back-to-back days is a completely different experience than a single float, and it’s the best way to actually get to know this valley.

Still Not Sure?

Call us at (406) 728-4308 and describe your group. We’ll tell you honestly which trip fits, even when that’s the cheaper one. A $150 refundable deposit holds your date either way. Details on the rates and booking page.