Each year, John Maclean visits Montana's Blackfoot River, staying in the simple family cabin that his grandfather built by hand. As Maclean continues his search for the trout of a lifetime, he feels a deep connection to the region that spans the generations. While evoking the beauty of the region—the setting for his father's classic novella, A River Runs Through It—he tells the true stories that inspired that modern classic, and ponders how places can shape individuals and families.