Depending on where access is gained, it may be necessary to venture upstream or downstream to find deeper holding water, especially during July and August. Irrigation takes a heavy toll on the river; during these months some stretches may be drawn down too far to support trout populations. A short walk will often reward an angler with promising habitat.

Once deeper water is found, switch to stealth mode and focus on quiet, smooth presentations. The Shields is much like a spring creek in that finesse is a must. Clear, shallow water and brush-lined banks make for challenging casts, but these unassuming waters can reward persistent anglers with burly browns and rainbows, as well as wild cutthroat trout measuring an average of 13 inches.

In most places the Shields measures less than 20 yards across and can vary in depth from a few inches to a few feet in the deeper holes. Playing a large brown or rainbow in such habitat can test the mettle of any angler, and the Shields is no different in this regard. More than once I've battled a big brown away from his brushy bankside lair only to have him break me off after making a final charge around some sunken obstacle.

Anglers should have no fears regarding frustration, however. A deep breath of mountain air and a short look around will quickly remind them just how lucky they are to be in Big Sky Country.

SHIELDS RIVER CONSERVATION
Pick up any Montana fly-fishing guidebook and most likely you will find the Shields River listed somewhere in its pages. The Shields' legendary waters descend from a picturesque range known as the Crazy Mountains and flow over fragile riparian habitat before feeding into the Yellowstone River.

It is an important spawning tributary for brown and rainbow trout, and even sustains a genetically pure strain of Yellowstone cutthroat trout. The waters of the Shields River also sustain many large herds of cattle. Eight years ago the wear and tear caused by these bovines became overwhelmingly evident along the banks and gravel bars of the renowned trout stream.

When Yellowstone cutthroat trout conservation became a hot issue in 1998, Shields River ranching families were faced with the possibility of losing influence over watershed management decisions if Yellowstone cutthroats were to be listed under the Endangered Species Act. As national conservation groups such as Trout Unlimited began to push for measures to restore and protect the Shields, it became evident that Montanans had a difficult choice to make between beef and trout. To preserve autonomy for their ranching operations, landowners and other concerned citizens formed the Upper Shields Watershed Association to "preserve and enhance Yellowstone cutthroat trout populations throughout the Shields watershed while maintaining flexibility in ranch management decisions."

So far their efforts seem to be working, and not just for cutthroat trout. Rainbow, brown and brook trout, along with lesser-known fish species such as the longnosed dace and mottled sculpin, are benefiting from the association's efforts.

Fields and meadows abutting the river are now lush with wild grasses instead of invasive, water-guzzling weeds. Shorelines collapsed and laid bare by the weight of cattle coming to drink are now stabilized and wild vegetation overhangs in many areas. Banks once undercut by torrents of silt-laden runoff are now reinforced with rock and timber.

On another positive note, the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks is considering the addition of a public fishing access site on 23 acres of donated land bordering the Shields River. Studies are being conducted to assess the impact of such a site. Plans are being developed to include "a small gravel parking lot to accommodate up to six vehicles, a latrine, boundary fencing and access trails to the river."