Meet Us

Alice Owsley

Alice Owsley is one of West Yellowstone’s most experienced and knowledgeable fly fishing guides. Alice brings her passion for fly fishing to every trip, not only creating memorable experiences for her clients, but also building their angling skills with a sense of fun and adventure.

Alice was born in Salem, Ohio. At the tender age of 8, she picked up her first fly rod and learned to pursue trout on the area’s spring creeks. Alice spent much of her youth chasing trout in Ohio and Virginia before moving to Asheville, North Carolina, to study at Warren Wilson College. While still a student, Alice landed her first job in the fly fishing industry at a local fly shop. After graduating, she headed to the Rocky Mountain West in pursuit of any fish that would take a fly. She worked a season in Alaska helping clients catch giant rainbows (while dodging mosquitos and brown bears), then returned to the lower 48 in 2002 to guide on the world-class waters of Greater Yellowstone. Since 2014, Alice has also traveled to fly fishing events around the country to share her knowledge and experience fishing in and around Yellowstone National Park.

Through all of her travels, no place or fish held her interest like the many species of trout that inhabit the waters in the Greater Yellowstone region. She loves to explore her backyard, especially during Montana’s short summer months. You can often find Alice camping and floating Western rivers, scouting alpine streams and lakes, venturing into the Yellowstone backcountry, or searching for different species of fish such as grayling, Yellowstone cutthroat, and pike.

Though Greater Yellowstone is her home, Alice is always thinking about her next fishing adventure near or far. She is no stranger to Idaho's Clearwater River steelhead or Montana’s Missouri River carp. She has also fished for tarpon, bonefish, permit and many other saltwater species throughout the Bahamas, Florida Keys, Belize, and Mexico. Since 2021, Alice has hosted clients on guided trips to the Louisiana coast—one of the nation’s premier destinations for redfish.

Under Alice’s instruction, clients can look forward to learning new fly fishing techniques and strengthening their angling skills. Alice is an award-winning caster who enjoys teaching clients tricks with the fly rod like reach casts, tuck casts and how to properly present a fly when Montana's afternoon winds begin to blow.

Alice has spent her winters since 2002 as a snow coach and cross country ski guide in Yellowstone National Park. Over her years guiding Yellowstone in both summer and winter, she has accumulated a wealth of knowledge about the park’s history, unique geology, and animal habits. Although she has yet to see Steamboat Geyser in a rare full eruption, she can tell you the eruption intervals of Great Fountain Geyser and what time of year to look for rare orchids in the park. If you want to know about the birds along the riverbanks, Alice is also an experienced birder with a long list of species. Her naturalist background adds even greater detail to her clients’ fishing adventures.

Alice believes in setting a positive example by protecting the resources we all rely on. She is an active member of the Trout Unlimited Business Program, which works to protect wild trout streams in Montana and across the nation. She also guides fishing experiences for combat veterans with Warriors and Quiet Waters, and volunteers as a guide with Casting for Recovery—an organization that provides fly fishing retreats for women with breast cancer. Alice is a current steering committee member for the Fishing Outfitters Association of Montana’s Guiding for the Future program. She is also a member of the Simms Pro Team, an R.L. Winston Field Advisor, a Scientific Anglers Ambassador, and member of the Clackacraft Pro Staff.

In addition to being a top-notch fishing guide, Alice is a great cook, PSIA level II ski instructor and photographer. She enjoys both nordic and downhill skiing in the winters. In the fall, she can often be found behind her German Wirehair Pointers, Norman and Gordie, as they chase grouse and partridge. More than anything, Alice loves a relaxing evening watching fish rise on the Madison or a challenging morning of gulper fishing from her stand-up paddleboard on Hebgen Lake.