Healing Waters Lodge
Travel & Tackle Guide

Welcome to your Fly Water Travel trip guide. We’re excited to help you prepare for your upcoming adventure! Inside, you’ll find everything you need: your to-do list, travel logistics, destination notes, and a curated tackle guide tailored to your trip.

Getting Ready

We’ve created a quick checklist of essential tasks to make sure you’re fully prepared for the journey ahead. If questions come up or you need anything at all, just give us a call, we’re here to help every step of the way.

To-Do List:

✓ Arrange flights to/from Bozeman or Butte, Montana

✓ Arrange transfer to/from airport to lodge - see shuttle information below

✓ Purchase fishing license – see below for details

✓ Complete your personal online guest registration

Healing Waters Lodge
Travel Guide

From how to get there and what documents you’ll need to tipping guidelines and destination details, this section covers the practical information to ensure smooth travels.

Getting to the Lodge:
To get to Healing Waters Lodge, most guests fly into Bozeman (BZN), rent a vehicle, and drive to the lodge. Shuttle services are available from Bozeman for a fee. Butte is also a viable option.

Healing Waters Lodge
270 Tuke Lane
Twin Bridges, MT 59754

Drive time from BZN to lodge: 1 hour 30 minutes
Drive time from BTM to lodge: 1 hour

Directions to Healing Waters Lodge from Bozeman Airport:

  • Take I-90 West approximately 50-miles to Exit 249 MT-55 S / Whitehall
  • Continue South on MT-55 S for approximately 12-miles toward Twin Bridges
  • Continue onto MT-41 S for approximately 15-miles
  • In the town of Twin Bridges continue onto MT-287 for 6-miles
  • Turn right onto 7M4R Road
  • Turn right onto the 1st cross street Tuke Lane
  • Healing Waters Lodge will be on the Right

Shuttle Option:
To get to/from the lodge, the lodge recommends Shuttle to Big Sky. To reserve a shuttle please visit https://shuttletobigsky.com/.

Arrival Day:
Guests are asked to arrive at the lodge any time after 4:00 PM.

Departure Day:
Guests are asked to depart the lodge by 10:30 AM.

Travel Cash:
We recommend each guest travel with enough cash for staff and guide gratuities. The lodge asks that guests pay all gratuities in cash.

Credit Cards:
The lodge accepts credit cards.

Gratuities:
We recommend gratuities of 15-20% of your package price before taxes. Gratuities may be given to the lodge manager at the end of the week to disperse amongst guides and lodge staff.

Fishing Licenses:
Fishing licenses are not included. Please purchase your license online before your trip.

Licenses can be purchased at: https://fwp.mt.gov/buyandapply

Cell Coverage and Wi-Fi:
Cell phone coverage in southwest Montana continues to improve but can be sporadic. Most guests will have cell phone coverage and Wi-Fi is available throughout the property.

Power:
Healing Waters Lodge has 24-hour power.

Laundry:
Laundry service is available and is included in your package.

Water:
Water at the lodge is potable.

Beverages/Alcohol:
Beer and wine are included in your package. Guests that prefer liquor should stop on their way to the lodge.

Emergency Medical Assistance:
The nearest medical facility is in Butte, approximately 1-hour from the lodge. Guests have the responsibility to disclose any special medical, physical or dietary needs to the lodge ahead of time.

Recommended Medical Evacuation Carrier and Insurance Provider:
Global Rescue - https://partner.globalrescue.com/fwtravel/index.html

Healing Waters Lodge
Tackle Guide

Here you’ll find everything you need to be ready on the water. You’ll find our preferred setups, favorite flies, recommended packing list, and notes on tackle available at the lodge.

Healing Waters Lodge Fishing Tackle Overview

Healing Waters Lodge provides all necessary fly fishing equipment, including premium rods, reels, terminal tackle, waders, and boots, though you are welcome to bring your own gear tailored to the region's rivers. For these waters, a 9-foot 5-weight rod serves as the primary workhorse for dry flies and light nymphing, while a 9-foot 6-weight rod is ideal for handling afternoon mountain winds, throwing larger indicator rigs, and casting heavy streamers. Weight-forward floating lines are standard, but double tapers are also acceptable. For comfortable walk-and-wade fishing, breathable waders and rubber-soled boots are required, though wet wading is an excellent option on warm summer days. Finally, while your guides supply an extensive assortment of the most effective local fly patterns as part of your package price, you are always welcome to bring along your own favorite flies.

Healing Waters Lodge Primary Setup

A 9- foot 5-weight is the most versatile rod for the area. It is delicate enough to present dry flies cleanly on intimate waters like the Ruby, yet it has the backbone to punch through afternoon winds across the Big Hole, Madison, and Beaverhead rivers. It easily manages dry dropper rigs and weighted nymphs, while giving you the leverage needed to quickly land larger trout without exhausting them.

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Healing Waters Lodge Secondary Setup

A 9-foot 6-weight is the ideal choice for handling demanding conditions across the Big Hole, Madison, Beaverhead, and Ruby rivers. This rod provides the extra power needed to cut through frequent afternoon winds and efficiently cast heavier setups, such as large foam hopper dropper combinations and weighted nymph rigs. Additionally, a 6 weight offers the necessary backbone for throwing streamers along the banks when targeting the largest trout in these waters.

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Healing Waters Lodge Flies

The guides have an excellent assortment of the most effective flies for southwestern Montana , and they supply them as part of your package price. With that said, you are welcome to bring along as few or as many of your own flies as you like.

If you would like to pack your own box, five regional favorites for the area's rivers include:

  • Chubby Chernobyl
  • Pat's Rubber Legs / Girdle Bug
  • Sparkle Dun
  • Elk Hair Caddis
  • Bead-Head Woolly Bugger

Please feel free to call Fly Water Travel for assistance in putting together a selection of flies best suited to your trip.


Support your Local Fly Shop

If you need assistance with assembling your gear for your upcoming travels, we encourage you to support your local fly shop. This curated list of tackle is handpicked for your destination by our experts and can serve as your shopping list to get your ready for your next adventure. Find your local Far Bank dealer.

Suggested Packing List

We understand packing for an adventure is not easy. On a trip like this it is very important to have everything you need and nothing you do not. As the climate is extremely changeable and a wide range of temperatures and conditions can be expected, we recommend layering clothes. Anglers should be prepared with thermal underwear, fleece/soft shell jacket, and a rain jacket. Synthetic fabrics are preferred to cotton. Dress at the lodges/camps is neat but casual.

Documents:
Passport, plane tickets, itinerary, credit card, cash, business cards

Socks:
Four pairs of wool or synthetic socks to wear under your waders. Two pairs of town socks

Base layers:
One to two pairs of synthetic or merino wool long underwear (tops and bottoms) to wear beneath your waders. One mid-weight and one heavyweight. These can be worn alone or together depending on conditions

Shirts:
Two or three long sleeve fishing shirts. One or two lodge shirts

Pants:
One to two pairs of long pants

Shorts:
One pair of quick-dry shorts

Warm Layers:
One or two warm insulating layers. Down, synthetic or fleece mid layers are good options. Avoid cotton

Warm Jacket:
One warm jacket

Rain Jacket:
One high quality rain jacket

Gloves:
One pair of sun gloves and one pair of warm fishing gloves

Waders/Boots:
Some guests choose not to wear waders during the warm summer months. When fishing early or late in the season lightweight breathable waders are recommended. Neoprene socks are recommended when wet wading

Hats:
Two fishing/baseball hats. One warm cap

Shoes:
One pair of sturdy walking shoes

Buff:
One “Buff” facial sun protector (good for bugs too)

Sunglasses:
One pair of polarized sunglasses. It is great to have a lens cleaner and a soft cleaning cloth as well

Sunscreen:
One bottle SPF 30+

Lip Balm:
One tube of SPF 30+ lip balm

Backpack:
One waterproof backpack or boat bag for day gear

Headlamp:
One small LED headlamp with batteries

Camera:
Camera with extra batteries

Toiletries Kit:
Toothpaste and toothbrush, deodorant, razor, lotion, mini shampoo bottle, anti-inflammatory, sleep aid, earplugs, band aids, anti-bacterial ointment, antihistamines

Max Salzburg: Western Trout Destinations Manager

Max is Fly Water Travel's Destination Manager for Europe, New Zealand, and the trout fisheries of the Rockies and Pacific Northwest. The joke within Max's family is that he has always been a tour guide at heart who loves nothing more than traveling to new places and being a stranger in a strange land.

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