'William Hurt' wanted to play the role of Paul Maclean and once went fishing with Norman Maclean in Montana. When Hurt asked if he'd fished well enough to portray his brother, Maclean replied: "Well, Bill, you're a pretty good fisherman but not good enough to be my brother."
Trout used in the movie were pond-raised in Montana and were kept in a specially aerated and cooled tank truck until their big moment in front of the cameras. No hooks were used, and no blood was drawn. A line was tied to each fish's lower jaw under the careful observance of the Montana Humane Society.
None of the actors had ever fly fished before making the movie.
Though she plays Stephen Shellen's mother in the film, Edie McClurg is only six years older.
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