TU Business Spotlight: Trout on the Fly

Nate Stevane is a Montana guy. He grew up in Billings, and fished the Bighorn, Yellowstone, Stillwater and Boulder rivers before it became a status symbol to do that. From the age of 13 on, he was a fly angler to the core. After a stint at Montana State University in Bozeman, he settled into guiding full time. But Nate’s not just a guide. He’s a teacher who knows how important it is to help people learn the skills they need to get the most out of a fly-fishing experience. His goal at Trout on the Fly is to help clients make memories that last a lifetime.

And when pollution threatens the waters of his home state, Nate gets involved. Montana has 3,500 abandoned mines, more than 200 of which are known to be discharging contaminants and polluting waterways. Nearly 2,500 miles of streams are polluted by acid mine drainage, lead, arsenic and mercury from abandoned mines in Montana. The costs of cleanup are being borne by Montana taxpayers.

We worked hard to get a measure called I-186 on the ballot this fall that would have changed this picture. The measure would have required new mines permitted in Montana to post a bond sufficient to cover cleanup costs before they are permitted. It was a common-sense solution. And Nate Stevane from Tout on the Fly in Butte, Mont., was one of the strongest and most effective advocates.

There a lot of people who can take you fishing in Montana. There are a lot fewer who are real professionals. And fewer still are real professionals who will fight for the fish. Nate Stevane is one of those.

-Walt Gasson