Missoula, Montana is one of the most beautiful cities in the Northwest. And yes, a river does run through it. Missoula is located near the three rivers to be exact, The Clark Fork River, The Blackfoot River, and The Bitterroot River.
Missoula's amazing location and proximity to three rivers draws fly fisherman from all over the world, has inspired artists and writers, and even filmmakers. The city is frequently mentioned in novels of Ernest Hemingway, Stephen Frey, Chuck Palahniuk, James Lee Burke, James Crumley, and Norman Maclean.
One of the most famous portrayals of Missoula was by Norman Maclean in his 1976 novel, A River Runs Through It which was made into a film directed by Robert Redford in 1992. "The story is a semi-autobiographical novella about Macleans Presbyterian family in early 20th century Montana whose views on life are filtered through their passion for fly-fishing."
This story has influenced many Missoulians and has drawn people to our community for years. I've actually met several people who moved to Missoula as a result of seeing A River Runs Through It. One former co-worker had never even been to Montana. She was living in California and saw the movie and decided one day to pick up and move to Missoula!
Some of Macleans classic lines about Missoula include:
"The world is full of bastards, the number increasing rapidly the further one gets from Missoula, Montana."
"Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs. I am haunted by waters."
"In our family, there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing. We lived at the junction of great trout rivers in western Montana, and our father was a Presbyterian minister and a fly fisherman who tied his own flies and taught others. He told us about Christ's disciples being fishermen, and we were to assume, as my brother and I did, that all first-class fishermen on the Sea of Galilee were fly fishermen and that John, the favorite, was a dry-fly fisherman."
"I am in love with Montana . . . Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans."
"On the Big Blackfoot River above the mouth of Belmont Creek the banks are fringed by large Ponderosa pines. In the slanting sun of late afternoon the shadows of great branches reached across the river, and the trees took the river in their arms."
For more information on fly fishing in Montana or where to find fly fishing properties, contact Kevin & Monica Ray at Access Realty at 406-207-1185 or visit us online at www.YourMT.com.
*******
Kevin & Monica Ray are real estate sales and marketing professionals for Access Realty in beautiful Western Montana. For more information on Western Montana, they can be reached at 406-207-1185 or online at www.YourMT.com.
Service, Results, Peace of Mind
Kevin and Monica Ray are Missoula Real Estate sales and marketing professionals for Access Realty in beautiful Western Montana.
We provide services for Buyers and Sellers in Missoula, Mineral,
Ravalli, Sanders, and Lake Counties. Contact us at:
406-822-SOLD (7653) or 406-207-1185
You can also Connect with Us On these sites:
Hi Kevin and Monica,
Nice post and lovely picture. I don't care for fishing, but really do enjoy watching rivers run and listening to them.
I love the ocean, I have fished the bays and river tributaries of the atlantic since beiong a young boy. I now earn for something different. i am in my mid 50's I don't have a lot of money since i have paid child support to two women. I now find myself torn between leaving the ocean that i so love and going to montana. I need to sharpen my outdoor skills like they used to be as i can guess that Montana is all about being outdoors. I want to live in montana to finish out my days, As i am sick and have about 6 maybe 10 years of being able to do for myself. yes, I am going to Montana...wish me luck!!!
Kevin & Monica~
I am originally from Montana and was fortunate to have spent 5 years in Missoula. What a great town! Have not been back for a few years, but hopefully will make it to a Griz Game next fall. Can't wait to take my family there to show them the Missoula area as we have spent a good amount of time in the Ennis area in the last years.