Bozeman Fly Fishing Overview
Spring has arrived to Bozeman, MT and our fly fishing guides have been making the most out of it with excellent fly fishing conditions on the Missouri River, Paradise Valley Spring Creeks, and Madison River. Strong hatches of BWOs, March Browns, and lingering caddisflies have made for diverse fishing opportunities with nymphs, dry flies, and streamers all in play.
May is a great month for fly fishing in Bozeman, MT with the opportunity for a perfect 3-day trip on the local waters or an extended stay on the Missouri River. Generally the Missouri River in May is as good as it gets with excellent conditions throughout the month. Our Bozeman fly fishing guides often note this is some of the best fly fishing of the year with lighter crowds and higher catch rates than is often typical of the summer months.
Our freestone rivers are currently in the full swing of runoff but warm weather has made for consistently high flows suggesting a normal pacing for the 2023 season. Looking ahead we are looking forward to a greta summer ahead with good flows on all of our area rivers.
Missouri River Fly Fishing Report
The Missouri River has been the best option for productive fly fishing as of late with excellent catch rates, strong hatches, and consistent flows on the Holter Dam tailwater section near Craig, MT. Our Missouri River fly fishing guides have had good fly fishing all along the river corridor with the most productive nymphing on the upper river and better dry fly fishing downstream of Craig. Sowbugs #14-16 have been king on the upper river, 5-7′ to some split shot in the deep water. Mid-day hatches of BWOs and March Browns have made for quality dry fly opportunities with caddis increasing daily in the canyon section and downstream. Our Missouri River fly fishing guide availability is extremely limited for the remainder of May and into June, but never too late to plan your next trip to Montana’s best tailwater fishery.
Madison River Fly Fishing Report
The Madison River is the best option for anglers looking to stay close to town but get in some good fly fishing. Our Bozeman fly fishing guides have been on the Upper and Lower stretches daily with good conditions on both. The Lower Madison River is the best option with good hatches of both caddisflies and mayflies still in play. Streamer fishing has also picked up with some larger brown trout getting caught along the banks. The Upper section has had good clarity upstream of windy point, which is typical for May, and we expect to hold throughout spring runoff. Nymphing with large attractor nymphs (worms, stoneflies, princes, etc.) is still the best bet for the upper section.
Paradise Valley Spring Creeks Fly Fishing Report
Anglers have been treated to the best fly fishing conditions in several years on DePuys and Armstrong Spring Creek this May. Strong hatches coupled with higher than normal fish numbers have made for reliably great fly fishing. These creeks are currently the best option for wade fishing trips with our Bozeman fly fishing guides. 9AM-3PM has been the best bite with good nymphing in the morning with midges and mayflies followed by a good window of dry fly fishing each afternoon. Midges have been on the surface daily with mayflies continuing to hatch on cooler overcast days. Expect this trend to hold through mid-June.
Yellowstone River Fly Fishing Report
The Yellowstone River and other area freestone rivers including the Gallatin, Jefferson, Boulder, and Stillwater River are in the full swing of spring runoff. See above for better fishing options at the moment.
