Bozeman Fly Fishing Overview
Is it mid-September already? Seems like summer started just yesterday but into early fall we go. The leaves have started to change, rivers are dropping and cooling, mornings have been crisp, and the big brown trout are on the feed on the many rivers near Bozeman, MT. Our anglers and Montana fly fishing guides welcome these changes and consider fly fishing in mid-September to be some of the best of the year. And so far in 2018 we have seen just that.The local favorites like the Yellowstone River, Madison River, and Missouri River have all been fishing great. 2018 has been the year of the dryfly for our anglers and fly fishing guides and that doesn’t look to change anytime soon. Hoppers, caddis, mayflies big and tiny, and even stoneflies are all around in good numbers, keeping the fish looking up. Lots of targets and opportunities on a daily basis. Still need to book your 2018 Montana fly fishing trip? Give us a shout at 406-579-9553 today.
Yellowstone River Fly Fishing Report
As consistently good as it gets right now. Lots of ways to get it done too. The fish are looking up, down, and side-to-side. Hoppers, ants, and mayflies have been the main fare on the surface. Hard to beat the hopper fishing this year. The streamer bite has started to pick up. We like smaller buggers and fast water. You could do worse than nymphing with a size 8 stonefly nymph to a size 18 mayfly nymph, 3.5 ft from indicator to top fly. Our anglers and Bozeman fly fishing guides have been fishing the Yellowstone River from top to bottom and having great success all over. Look for the bite to stay good for the foreseeable future.
Missouri River Fly Fishing Report
If sight fishing to large trout with small (or not so small) dries is your idea of a good time, the MO is the place to be. If hopper fishing is your idea of a good time, the MO is the place to be. If nymphing for numbers is your idea of a good time, the MO is the place to be. If streamer fishing action is your idea of a good time, the MO is the place to be. That about covers it. Lots of bugs out there now. Terrestrials, caddis, pseudos, callibaetis, midges, and maybe a trico or two are on the menu now and for the coming weeks. Guess the MO is the place to be.
Madison River Fly Fishing Report
The consensus amongst Madison River fly fishing guides is that 2018 has been the best hopper fishing in at least a decade on the Madison. And the bite continues on. Look for the window of good action to shrink as we move later into the month, but there are still a few more big trout looking to crush a well presented hopper yet. Our fly fishing guides have primarily been fishing the float stretch from Lyons Bridge to Ennis, but wade fishing will become a great option again as flows drop throughout the month. The nymphing has remained great with lots of action on the usual fare. #6-10 worms, stoneflies, or prince nymphs as the top fly and #16-22 caddis or mayflies and the bottom fly. Lots of fish coming out of the middle of the river. Streamer fishing will only improve as me move later into the month.
Yellowstone National Park Fly Fishing Report
Most of our anglers and Bozeman fly fishing guides heading into Yellowstone have been fishing the northeast corner of Yellowstone Park, and have been treated to solid dry fly fishing. The fish in the more popular spots like Soda Butte Creek, the Lamar River, and Slough Creek have seen a few flies at this point, so don’t expect them to throw themselves at any old hopper, but anglers willing to perfect the drift and match the hatch have had great results. Grey drakes and a variety of other large fall mayflies are hatching. Smaller terrestrials still around too. Cooler mornings have meant there is no rush to get to the river. The Madison River drainage fisheries will continually improve through the end of the month as water temps drop. Not long now before we’ll be chasing the fall run of brown trout into the Madison River.
Paradise Valley Spring Creek Fly Fishing Report
Getting better by the day but still a little of a lot of different bugs. Sulphurs, midges, ants, and hoppers are all around with a random caddis and PMD as well. Fly fishing on the creeks will improve as the month progresses with pseudos and BWOs starting to show up. Nymphing will be the most productive option until they do. Our Montana fly fishing guides like small midges. And the trout do too!
