The Tackle Shop - Outfitter and Fly Shop

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

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!!

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 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.

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!!

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....

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!

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.

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.

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.