The Tackle Shop - Outfitter and Fly Shop

Fantastic experience: The Tackle Shop fly fishing shop in Ennis stands out as a favorite, and Riley's personal attention in finding the perfect waders was much appreciated. Their welcoming atmosphere is always a plus. We also had an exceptional experience on the Madison River with their guide, Wes Peterson. He not only showed us a fantastic time but also put us on some impressive rainbow and brown trout. Wes is a truly great and friendly guide, making our day on the water a real pleasure. I wholeheartedly recommend this tackle shop for both top-notch gear and guides, especially Wes Peterson!"

Fantastic experience: Great place. Riley the manager did me right. Pointed out some good spots and flies. Caught a ton of fish as a result. Highly recommend

Fantastic experience: A friend and I swung by The Tackle Shop after a day on the Madison with marginal success. We were able to speak with Riley Smith whose advice and fly recommendations changed our fortunes as our success was phenomenal with his help. Many thanks to The Tackle Shop and Riley for a fabulous time on the Madison!

Fantastic experience: I want to thank the Tackle Shop for the many times they've helped me and my boys on our fishing trip. We do an annual father-sons trip during the summer on the Madison and the Tackle Shop pro staff always treats us like we're VIPs. Thanks again.

Fantastic experience: Placed an online order and it delivered earlier then expected. Love stopping in this shop when I'm in Ennis. Thanks Riley, for the personal note!

Fantastic experience: Great selection. Went in towards end of season for a specific rod and they had it in stock. Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Excellent location.

Fantastic experience: I came to Montana to fish for a few days. John the owner took the time to speak with me before I arrived. He was terrific and represented the shop and the Madison well.When I arrived Rory spent 30 minutes informing me of the area and tackle set up. Then I decided to hire a guide on short notice and Riley (manager) arranged for James to guide me the following day.Riley called me back and double checked that everything was good, which it was. James was on time and his boat was in great shape. He helped me a lot and we caught 14 fish. Including a 23" Brown. I would recommend the shop and staff.

Fantastic experience: Maybe the world’s best trout shop. It’s no surprise that this outfitter is regularly in contention for Orvis’ top shop (and often wins #1). My father and I have been going to this tackle shop since the 1990s, and I appreciate this place more and more. John knows the business inside and out and runs an elite organization. He provides structure in a famously unstructured industry, and works hard to develop his staff—both his in-store staff and his arsenal of guides. The Tackle Shop’s guides are the best trout guides on the Madison and make all the West Yellowstone guides look like unsophisticated amateurs that dial it in. Despite going to Ennis for over 30 years, we hadn’t gotten guides through the Tackle Shop until a year ago (we regrettably had been hiring guides out of West Yellowstone). We were not only immediately impressed with our guide Nate Iacombe’s knowledge, but, more importantly, how hard he worked to get us fish despite last year’s mediocre conditions. He’s a wealth of knowledge and both of us were far better fishermen after a day on the river with Nate. We floated again with Nate this past weekend. Under better conditions, Nate delivered, and I had the best day of dry fly trout fishing I’ve ever had (and I fish 40-50 days a year [bass/shad/trout/stripers]). Dude knows the Madison better than I know my own hands. I could not recommend The Tackle Shop any more.

Fantastic experience: James at the Tackle Shop in Ennis is truly exceptional. His expertise on the Madison River is unparalleled, ensuring that every outing with him yields the most impressive catches in the group. While I like to think my fishing skills are top-notch, James’s insights and guidance are undeniably key to our success. Beyond his impressive fishing knowledge, his engaging personality and additional hunting expertise make every trip enjoyable and enriching. I highly recommend him for anyone looking to enhance their fishing experience and have a great time.

Fantastic experience: They provided recommendations for the Madison River and they worked first day out with them! Riley is wonderful!

Fantastic experience: Staff was super helpful!

Fantastic experience: If anyone has the chance request Jimbob as your guid. Especially if you are laid back wanting to have a great guide he's awesome!

Fantastic experience: We had a great time with Nate and James from the Tackleshop in Ennis. We fished the Madison River and caught trout and “whitefish”. Our guides were very knowledgeable about the river and Montana in general. They kept us entertained and informed throughout the trip. We did a half day trip that was just right. Would highly recommend Nate and James. -The Pickles

Fantastic experience: Nice shop good flys cough this nice rainbow.

Fantastic experience: Nate Lacomb was an awesome guide. Will use him again for sure. Very knowledgeable and patient guide and great staff at the shop!

Fantastic experience: We had a great time with Manny! He was pleasant and easy to like. Very knowledgeable and patient with all my tangles, lol! I still managed to catch 3 fish. Great day!

Positive experience: Very helpful and staff!!

Fantastic experience: Wow. What a place to visit. Awesome, knowledgeable and great guys. Went fishing on the Maddison about a week ago, and even fighting the wind we were able to land some amazing fish. Very good priced and sweet gear in the shop. Thanks for all the work you guys put in to keep the Maddison an AWESOME river to visit! Great shop, staff and great guides!

Fantastic experience: The Tackle Shop is my headquarters on the Madison River. I have used The Tackle Shop for 4 decades now and I gotta say it just keeps getting better and better. High quality tackle, great staff, and quality guides. There are lots of fly shops in the world but some, like The Tackle Shop, rise to the top. The owner has been able to develop a shop culture that is straight forward and honest while making you feel home. The guides are extremely hard working and really know the river. I look forward to my trip back to Ennis every year. Thanks John for making it all happen.

Fantastic experience: Had a great time on the Madison with Wes today. Knowledgeable, patient and willing to spend time figuring out the best flies.

Fantastic experience: Fantastic store with friendly staff. They can provide a "bucket list" fishing experience.

Fantastic experience: I have visited the Shop several times in the last year - the staff is very friendly and incredibly knowledgeable. Prices for gear and services are more than fair - would highly recommend for anyone thinking about fishing or visiting the Ennis area.

Fantastic experience: If Fly Fishing is your thing, this is the place to go. GREAT GUIDES! Me and my family had a great time with James, Jim and Hank. Young, energetic and know their river. I'll be back as this was a sort of scout trip for some friends as well. I will be back. All guy trip coming soon!

Fantastic experience: This is a fine shop with a fantastic group of guides who know the river. They are helpful and great fly fishing instruction. Book a float and it like getting a personalized lesson on how to land big fish. Hank was a great guide who is engaging fun and knowledgeable. He not only increased my knowledge about drift boat fishing but took the time to stop and teach me wading techniques as well. Definitely go to this shop if you are in Ennis. Most definitely use this shop to book a float!

Fantastic experience: We had an absolute blast visiting this shop and fishing with these folks. From a great day on the water to multiple visits to the store for advice and gear, each interaction was genuine, helpful and fun. Hank and Jimbob were a blast out on the water and Manny and Riley were so helpful in the shop. Thanks all!!

Fantastic experience: Total fly fishing newbies, but we booked a half day out with this shop. They were incredibly helpful and accommodating on timing, quick to get our fishing licenses, and just seemed to enjoy being there (shop dog was also really cute.) Jim Bob was our guide and he knocked it out of the park. He was a great teacher and so patient. I never thought I'd enjoy fishing that much, and at the end of our day, I was disappointed we'd only booked a half day. We'll be back for sure and book a full day next time.

Fantastic experience: Exceptional service from the the guys at The Tackle Shop. Manny gave great recommendations on the local fishing spots for water wading and hooked us up with what’s biting currently. We also booked a full day drift boat on the Madison and had Jim Bob as our guide. Jim Bob is such an awesome dude full of passion and knowledge. As beginner flyer fisher-women, he was a great teacher and we appreciated his patience and conversations. We had a small dog with us too and Jim Bob gave her the best seat on the boat up in the front den and gave her some cuddles during our afternoon break. She loved it and slept throughout the boat ride. I ended up landing my first 20 inch brown trout with Jim Bob’s guidance. Definitely a highlight of trip in MT so far. Thanks so much Jim Bob! You rock!

Fantastic experience: Jim Bob is one of a kind guide. He knows where the fish are and knows how to catch them. He is extremely encouraging and just an overall great guy. He landed us 4 big fish and put us in plenty more. Highly recommend Jim Bob to anyone looking to float the Madison.

Fantastic experience: Booking a guided float with Jim Bob was one of the best decision I've ever made. Worth every penny. Jim Bob was extremely nice, took incredible care of us the whole trip, served us delicious lunch, very encouraging and cheering us on the whole trip. Jim Bob may be one of the best trout guides ever. Thanks Tackle Shop!

Fantastic experience: Yesterday we were rescued by Jim Bob while launching our raft in the Madison. The water level is low and we backed our truck in to far and were stuck in the water on the ramp, wheels spinning. Jim Bob, from the Tackle Shop in Ennis, did not hesitate to ask if he could give us a tow and had us hooked up and out in minutes. The men with him helped me secure the raft in the current while the truck was pulled out. We are so grateful to Jim Bob and his crew for the help!!! I would float with Jim Bob if you are looking for a guide!! Thank you!!!

Fantastic experience: Fabulous shop & excellent guides. Thank you for an unforgettable day with my family on the Madison River.

Fantastic experience: I Could not have had a better experience. Amazing day with friends and fish. Jim Bob was an amazing guide - he took us right where we needed to be and was so helpful and knowledgeable. We had a Great time being with him. Cannot wait to do it again. Thanks for everything from beginning to end!!

Fantastic experience: I booked a full day float with James. He was a GREAT guide. He is personable, knowledgeable, patient, and hard working. It was a perfect day, 60F low wind. James can't take credit for the weather but he DEFINITELY knew where the trout were hiding. He put us on fish and coached me on improving my technique; casting, mending, setting the hook, landing the fish. I HIGHLY recommend James and the Tackle Shop to anyone in the vicinity of Madison County! Oh yeah, he was also a good chef...yummy chicken tacos!

Fantastic experience: We frequent The Tackle Shop everytime we're in Ennis - my hat collection proves this fact. We've always found the gear, and hat selection, top notch and useful for small items as well as prices more then acceptable for larger items. My son and I spent the day with James (Jim Bob) in April of 2021 and we'll be back and deeply appreciated his genuine assistance, fun demeanor, and helpfulness!! We'll be back, we don't own ALL the hats and we still have water to cover!!

Fantastic experience: Booked a full day float trip down the Madison with a buddy of mine. Our guide was very friendly, knowledgeable, and worked very hard to make our experience unique and memorable. Highly recommend the Tackle Shop!

Fantastic experience: the best for honest information about river and conditions i have been visiting ennis since 1988 from NC great shop

Fantastic experience: This is the best fly shop on the Madison which is the best trout fishing in US. Exceptional guides who are friendly. Fun, and know the river well

Fantastic experience: Incredibly friendly and helpful staff that are not only passionate about fly fishing for remarkable brown & rainbow trout, but also sharing the entire Montana experience with big skies, mountain-filled vistas, bald eagles, deer, elk, antelope and moose. I’m grateful for the lasting memories and can’t wait to go back for more with The Tackle Shop, Ennis, Montana. .

Fantastic experience: We have fished with The Tackle Shop for 3 consecutive years. Last year all my grandkids attended the Orvis Fly Fishing School with John's staff. We like Innis and we like The Tackle Shop. If we don't get there this year, we will be back next year. dm

Fantastic experience: All staff including our guide Ken were excellent. Very knowledgeable of the area and where to take us. My wife and I had a great time and will definitely go back. We felt like you couldn't beat the price for how long we were out fishing. We both had a great time.

Fantastic experience: John and Nick were our guides. They couldn’t have been more professional and fun!! It was my fist time fly fishing and these guys helped me have the most fun trip I could imagine. Oh their lunches are awesome too! Ghost ranch - clutch!

Fantastic experience: Great fishing tackle shop. Great customer service.

Fantastic experience: Place is awesome they have everything you need and is a neat little fly shop! Great staff and the guides are extremely knowledgeable. Awesome local business that won't lead you in the wrong direction like the big corporations! Strongly recommend!

Fantastic experience: The Fly Store seemed to have everything I needed for a on the Madison. Not only did they have what I needed, but the very knowledgeable staff ensured that I had a great day on the river!

Fantastic experience: Awesome shop with a staff the really knows what they’re talking about. 10/10 would recommend!

Fantastic experience: Great shop! Very helpful and friendly.

Fantastic experience: Great fly shop! Super friendly, knowledgeable staff.

Fantastic experience: Great shop, John the owner of the shop is a really nice guy. Their staff is passionate and knowledgeable about their river. Can't ask for more then that!

Fantastic experience: This shop delivers great gear, and even better advice, time and time again. Make your trip to Montana worth it by stopping in and asking the staff for some advice. You will not regret it.

Fantastic experience: Fantastic morning half-day of fishing on the Madison with James Terry last week! Really enjoyed the cheery, educational and gracious guiding. We look forward to fishing with James the next time we're in town.

Fantastic experience: John Way is a terrific, patient guide who clearly loves this incredible river and pulled out all the stops to make sure we had a great time, including homemade lunches. He knows the river like the back of his hand and was able to get us two duffers into a ton of fish! Can't thank him and his entire staff enough. Cant wait to make it back!!

Fantastic experience: John Way and guides are the best! I have fished with them several times over the years and just finished up a week of fishing the Madison River with them. Fished three days with John and did really well in what were very tough conditions; high winds, rain and temps in the low 40's. Did not mater, John put me on the fish with the right flies and we caught a bunch of Rainbows and large Browns. John is really the 'best of the best' and his fly shop is fantastic.

Fantastic experience: Great day on the Madison. We had the pleasure of fishing with John Way. He put us on fish and basically worked with us all day to become better fisherman. He is a patient and willing teacher, in addition to knowing the river like the back of his hand. John has top notch equipment, served a delicious feast for lunch, and seemed genuinely motivated to make our day on the river special. I look forward to more days on the river with John!

Fantastic experience: This is a great shop and the staff is always very helpful. I have visited them at least once a year for the last six years. This past week, I was out in Ennis fishing and a member of our group broke their rod. The staff got us set up and taken care of to enjoy the remaining time on the water. I would highly recommend them to anyone visiting and wanting to have a great experience on the water.

Fantastic experience: Very nice shop. My wife and I enjoyed talking with Taylor. He is very knowledgeable and knows the area very well.

Fantastic experience: Great four days on the Madison. We are a group of eastern guys who fish for salmon and trout that are stocked. it was great a good trip and we landed some nice fish we wish we would have communicated better about our desire to fish a variety of rivers rather than only the Madison. I especially enjoyed the trip in which i got out of the boat and stalked trout with dry flies and nymphs. fishing the zones of the Madison when you are not allowed to fish from the drift boat was challenging and exciting and lots of fun.

Fantastic experience: Great experience with John Way and learned so much about fly fishing in the west!

Negative experience: There really is not much to explain besides the fact that I was in a boat accident and it was all because you could not stop for a minute and steer around the rock Now am petrified to go on a boat only 1 person there was really nice so

Fantastic experience: Our favorite shopin Ennis!

Fantastic experience: Stopped here while we were in town fishing the Madison for a few days last summer. Being new to the area they helped us with amazing service and great spots along the river we could do some wade fishing!

Fantastic experience: This is a great shop run by great guys. My wife and I fished with John last fall and had a blast. John was as excited as my wife when she landed a whale sized brown. The have excellent knowledge of what is happening on the local rivers and are always willing to provide friendly advice.

Fantastic experience: Fantastic time, awesome shore lunches and super guides. They will put you on the fish! Store staff very knowledgeable and friendly.

Fantastic experience: A good outfitter in a competitive market. The good news is The Tackle shop is the only outfitter carrying Orvis products.

Fantastic experience: Awesome shop and staff

Fantastic experience: Literally the best place in Montana period.

Fantastic experience: Beautiful area, surplus of product, and knowledgeable, friendly staff

Negative experience: I would not ever visit this store again. The owner John and employee Jim are bigots. Their language with numerous customers in the store was intolerable. Guess the old adage 'small towns, smalls minds' holds up in this town.

Fantastic experience: We went fishing with John and Jim Bob on 8/1/2019. Couldn’t have had a better set of guides. We had all levels of skill in our group and John and Jim Bob were patient and went out of their way to make sure we all had a great day. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a great fishing experience on the Madison River.

Fantastic experience: Great shop! They host beginner fly fishing lessons 3 times a week and Hank was amazingly helpful.

Fantastic experience: Friendly service and good small business. It is always good to support local businesses, especially when they are seasonal! John Way always is friendly, kind, and never too intrusive into what your needs might be. He knows when to give a customer space or talk to them more. Plus he is incredibly knowledgable about the rivers. Best fishing shop in Ennis, hands down!

Fantastic experience: Very good shop, knowledgeable staff, huge fly selection. Lot's of cool hats also. The owner of the shop is a great guy and a wonderful member of the community.

Fantastic experience: Hands down the best shop I have ever been to! When I started to get into fishing they took the time to talk me through it all with very fair pricing on everything! Their guides are so knowledgeable and John the owner is a wizard on the water!

Fantastic experience: John and the staff at The Tackle Shop are the absolute best! Not only are they knowledgeable, but they are friendly and always down to share the hot fly. They have an awesome selection of rods, reels, lines and whatever else you need. They have also been known to toss a t shirt or a hat your way if you spend some time with them! There isn't a better fly shop around, and John and his staff are awesome!

Fantastic experience: First day of summer you think would be a bluebird day on the MADISON RIVER, The fact is, we had snow in the mountains that evening; it was a blustery, cold day with intermittent rain and hail. Frankly I didn't want to be on the water, but I committed and John Way promised we would make the most of it. And we did. Instead of throwing caddis dries, we ended up nymphing for the majority of the day, with some dry fly casts thrown in. It was a banner day for Brown Trout, with us catching and releasing about 12 Brownies and one big mighty whitey. (John you owe me that picture for your Whitefish contest). The bottom line---whether it is a bluebird day casting dries with chubbies and stoneflies, or a blustery day spitting rain and hail, you are going to catch fish with John Way and you will have enjoyed a classic Madison River experience. Regardless of the weather conditions, John Way will deliver on his promise as an endorsed Orvis outfitter. He will find a way to put you into the fish; its up to you to seal the deal .

Negative experience: The owner John ripped me off and lied to me once in person and twice on the phone. He'll ignore your emails and phone calls so don't bother trying to hold him accountable.

Fantastic experience: Great tackle shop. The owner and his staff are the best.

Fantastic experience: Friendly, helpful guys always willing to help you get on fish

Fantastic experience: Stopped in after forgetting a few things at home, staff was extremely attentive, knowledgeable, and helpful in outfitting me for a great day on the river.

Fantastic experience: Couldn't have asked for a better experience here. The staff were friendly and helpful. They professionally directed me towards exactly what I needed, catered to all of my questions and requests.

Fantastic experience: The Tackle shop has the most up to date fly fishing equipment and the most knowledgeable staff for the Madison river and all the streams and lakes in southwest Montana. They have never given me bad advice. John Way and staff will put the right flies in your hand and point you in the right direction to have one of those epic days fishing. The rest is up to you!

Fantastic experience: I prefer this tackle shop over any other I've been to and always bring my questions and money to these guys. Always a great experience!

Fantastic experience: Employees have a vast expertise of the surrounding rivers and helped outfit me accordingly. Would highly recommend coming here for beginners learning what tackle and fly’s to use to experienced professionals looking for a knowledgeable guide to show them the area. Great place.

Fantastic experience: Best shop around great customer service

Fantastic experience: Awesome little shop. Staff is extremely knowledgeable and very friendly. Would definitely shop here again!

Fantastic experience: Very friendly employees and the staff is very knowledgeable about the local fishing

Fantastic experience: Wonderful group of guys that make any trip wonderful. Would recommend to anyone and everyone:)

Fantastic experience: I didn't know much about fishing or fly fishing in general but the staff were very kind and patient with me and helped me out a ton! Definitely recommend them to anyone who wants to learn!

Fantastic experience: Very kind and helpful staff. Extremely knowledgeable about fishing and their products

Fantastic experience: The Tackle Shop has great customer service and knows a TON about fishing in the area. A great place to stop by and learn more about fishing and Montana.

Fantastic experience: Great shop and helpful staff. Best guided trip i've ever been on.

Fantastic experience: Super nice guy who manages the shop...he sold me some korker darkhorse boots and I couldn't be happier...plus he was more than helpful on all my questions regarding fishing locally

Negative experience: I walk through this outfitter and find most of the items for sale overpriced. For instance, I see a one quart water bottle, pick it up and comment, Wow, very light weight. Seeing that it is aluminum, I unscrew the lid, look inside and comment, Wow, it is anodized on the inside. Then, upon noticing that the proprietor is listening to the conversation with myself, I then comment, Let's see how much it costs, turn it upside down and find it to be $25.00. I then say to myself, Wow, that is way too much for an aluminum water bottle and put it back on the shelf and leave.

Fantastic experience: Justin was a fountain of fishing knowledge

Fantastic experience: Steve and I had Mike H. As our guide today. The shop staff were fun and helpful, the guided float was all we'd hoped for (even though most of the fish were too savvy for our efforts! ). We would highly recommend both the Tackle Shop and Mike H! He was funny, easy-going, respectful, conscientious, knowledgeable, encouraging and obviously very comfortable coaching guests on the river!

Fantastic experience: Knowledgable and friendly guys. Very helpful!

Fantastic experience: John Way and his team are the Best in the business. Always very helpful and knowledgeable about gear and equipment. They never fail to have a good pulse on fishing conditions. I have had a great experience at the Tackle Shop over the years, look forward to seeing everyone again in the spring.. Thanks again, Bars....

Fantastic experience: Amazing trip on the Madison River. Bill is my hero! He taught me to fly fish and I caught 4 beautiful trout. When I think of all the wonderful things we did on our trip to Montana, my favorite memory is fly fishing. The Tackle Shop put together a great day for us. Thanks from Linda and Phil from Georgia.

Fantastic experience: Stop in every year.

Fantastic experience: Awesome store! Great product displays. Excellent customer service. I plan to have John, the owner, guide my next trip. Must stop when fishing the Madison.

Fantastic experience: Can't beat fun for a good time. Thanks