New from Firefly
Websites for Montana Outfitters & Guides
Custom-built, mobile-first sites that turn browsers into booked trips. No templates. No commissions. No WordPress.
Montana outfitters and guides run premium experiences — $400 fishing trips, $5,000 elk hunts, $3,500 multi-day packages. Their websites don't match. Most are WordPress builds from 2015 with broken mobile layouts, buried pricing, and no way to inquire online.
We built Packstring to fix that. It's a custom website package designed specifically for outfitters — the same handcrafted approach we use for every Firefly client, shaped around how guide services actually operate.
Built for how you operate
Built to Book
Trip pages with real pricing, an inquiry form that captures trip type and dates, and an auto-reply that sends your gear list. Your clients can find what they need and reach you at midnight — no phone tag required.
Availability Calendar
A seasonal calendar that shows what's open, what's limited, and what's booked — by trip type, by day. Click an open date and the inquiry form pre-fills. No outfitter website in Montana has this. Yours will.
No Middleman
No FishingBooker commissions. No marketplace fees. No platform that owns your client relationships. Your site, your brand, your data, your bookings. Stripe deposit collection with zero commission — you keep every dollar.
One extra booking pays for the whole year.
FishingBooker takes $90 from every $450 trip at 20% commission. Book 32 trips online per season and that's $2,880/year in commissions — for a listing you don't own.
Packstring after Year 1: $420/year. Zero commissions. $500 to build, $35/mo, hosting and unlimited updates included. Add Stripe deposits for +$250 and an availability calendar for +$250 — both one-time.
Running $3,500 hunts at 15%? One hunt's commission pays for Packstring for the entire year.
What you're paying now
Five-year total cost for a solo guide booking 32 trips online per year at $500 average.
| Solution | Year 1 | Year 2+ | 5-Year Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Packstring (full) | $1,420 | $420 | $3,100 |
| FishingBooker (15%) | $2,400 | $2,400 | $12,000 |
| FareHarbor + website | $6,280 | $6,280 | $31,400 |
| 3plains + booking tool | $4,280 | $4,280 | $21,400 |
| DIY WordPress | $500 | $480 | $2,420 |
Busier operations and hunting outfitters running $3,500+ trips see even larger gaps. At 15% commission on $52,500 in annual online hunts, FishingBooker costs $39,375 over five years — Packstring stays at $3,100.
What the numbers don't show
You own every client. FishingBooker owns the relationship — they can change rates, delist you, or promote competitors on your listing. With Packstring, clients find you on your site and book directly with you.
Your SEO compounds. Marketplace listings build the marketplace's search ranking, not yours. A Packstring site with proper structured data and local SEO builds your domain authority over time — an asset you own.
A faster, cleaner deposit process. Most outfitters already collect deposits — over the phone, by check, or through Venmo. But a client paying a $500 deposit through a professional Stripe link at midnight feels different than reading a credit card number over a bad cell connection from the river. Faster for you, more trustworthy for the client, and one less thing to chase.
What's included
Standard Packstring Build
Custom-built website — not a template Trip and service pages with pricing and photos Trip inquiry form that pre-fills from your calendar Fast-loading photo gallery Looks great on every phone Google Business Profile setup Built to show up in local search Hosting and security included Unlimited content updates Direct developer access
Available Add-ons
Collect deposits online (+$250 build) Seasonal availability calendar (+$250 build) Trip report blog — you text us, we post it Google Reviews on your site Email capture with seasonal follow-up
See it in action.
We built a demo for a Helena fishing and hunting outfitter to show the difference. Pull up any outfitter's current site on your phone, then pull up the demo. The conversation sells itself.
We're onboarding the first batch now.
Drop your email to get notified when Packstring is live — or to set up a no-pressure conversation about your operation.
Common Questions
Is this a template?
No. Every Packstring site is custom-built — same process we use for every Firefly client. Your site won't look like anyone else's.
Do I need to know anything technical?
No. We build it, we host it, we maintain it. You send us photos and trip info — by text, email, or a quick phone call — and we handle the rest. That's what the $35/mo covers.
Can I update the site myself?
The availability calendar has an admin panel you can use from your phone. For everything else — trip descriptions, photos, pricing changes — just tell us and we'll update it. Usually same-day.
What about my current site?
We'll migrate any content worth keeping — photos, testimonials, trip descriptions, gear lists. If you have a domain you want to keep, we'll handle the DNS transfer.
Do you work with outfitters outside Montana?
Packstring is designed for Montana outfitters, but the approach works for any guide service. If you're out of state and interested, reach out — we'll talk.
What if I already use FishingBooker / The Flybook / FareHarbor?
You can keep using them alongside your Packstring site. But do the math: at 15% commission on $16,000 in annual online bookings, you're paying $2,400/year to FishingBooker. Packstring costs $420/year after the first year — and you own every client relationship. Most guides find that once they have a real website with an inquiry form and availability calendar, the marketplace becomes optional.
How does Packstring compare to 3plains or Outfitter Logic?
They charge $3,000–$4,800/year and most don't include a booking system. Packstring is $420/year after the build, includes an availability calendar and deposit collection, and you get direct developer access — not a support ticket queue.