It’s easy to watch Brad Pitt’s flyline unfurl in a perfect ‘S’ curve over the Gallatin River and know that image has helped feed into Montana’s status as an angling destination.

It’s more difficult to determine exactly what kind of impact the fishing world has on the Treasure State.

But that’s what the 2023 Legislature wanted to know when they requested Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks partner with the University of Montana Bureau of Business and Economic Research to estimate fishing’s economic contributions across the state.

The report by the BBER , published in August, showed anglers contributed more than $910 million to Montana’s GDP in 2024 and supported more than $1.5 billion in total economic output — gross receipts to Montana businesses — across the state, making it one of bi

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