A Montana Fly Fishing Blog
It’s fair to say that when anglers think about fall fly fishing trips on the Madison River in Montana, the first thing that comes to mind is the fall run of trophy trout from Hebgen Lake into the Madison River in Yellowstone National Park. There is good reason for this. But we’re going to save that for our write up on Yellowstone National Park Fall Fly Fishing.
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.
Things are starting to look a lot like winter in Bozeman. The snow is stacking up and all but the most dedicated of anglers have called it a season. While winter fly fishing in Montana isn’t for everyone, there is still great fly fishing to be had, all throughout our winter months. While we wouldn’t recommend planning a fly fishing trip to Bozeman during the winter, if you find yourself out here and need to wet a line you can count on our Bozeman fly fishing guides being ready to work and show anglers the best winter fly fishing in Bozeman, MT.
We are lucky in Bozeman, MT to have great fly fishing for wild trout all year-long. Even during the doldrums of winter, anglers can find open water and feeding fish.
Our fly fishing outfitting and guide service offers anglers in Bozeman, MT the best guided fly fishing experience across all of our seasons. Where we fish may change throughout the year, but anglers can count on the same great fly fishing experience and quality guiding every trip. It is part of what makes fly fishing in Bozeman, Montana so great.
It is March in Bozeman, Montana and fly fishing season is here. Our Montana fly fishing guides have started to put away their skis, dust off their drift boats, and get back to fishing. Winter 2018 was the real deal. Lots of snow and long cold spells made for tough winter fly fishing in the Bozeman area. Many of the larger rivers were choked by ice and boat ramps were inaccessible. The trout got a nice long break from anglers this winter. Some of the usual winter suspects, Depuy’s Spring Creek, the Gallatin, and the Lower Madison, provided a few windows of opportunities for anglers looking to get their mid-winter trout fishing fix, but overall the rivers and streams near Bozeman were quiet and cold from December through February.
Fly fishing on the Missouri is the main event for anglers and our fly fishing guides in Montana during the Spring. The tailwater portion of the Missouri near the town of Craig, Montana kicks our season off with the first great dry fly fishing of the year in mid-April with daily hatches of midges and blue winged olives (BWOs). Guide trips go out regularly on this stretch of river starting April 1 and it is a great time of year to find solitude and lots of larger fish on the Missouri River.
We love fly fishing with dryflies. Over the course of a Montana fly fishing season our Montana fly fishing guides employ a variety of tactics to help anglers catch trout, but nothing beats a fish coming up to eat a well presented fly floating on the surface. There is something special about that moment and is what keeps many of our anglers coming back year after year to fish all of our great rivers. We see the same cycle of hatches on our rivers year after year.
Our anglers ask us all of the time: what gear do you and your Montana fly fishing guides use? We fly fish the waters of Bozeman, MT year-round and when you’re on the water day-in and day-out throughout a Montana fly fishing season you learn quickly what gear can stand the abuse. Here are some of the products we can’t live without and help make our Montana fly fishing trips great rain, snow, wind, hail, or shine.
The fall might be the best time of year to book a Montana fly fishing trip on the Missouri River if solitude and fishing dry flies are what you favor as an angler. By the third week of September the river traffic largely clears out, days get cooler, the weeds from summer wash away, and it seems like all 5,000+ fish per mile go on the feed.
Please excuse our tardiness. The fish have been keeping us busy. Very busy. October has started off strong and looks to only get stronger. Fly fishing has been solid all around the Bozeman area. Cooler weather has started to set in and we’ve already seen some snowy days on the river. The crowds of summer are a distant memory, and even the more popular floats on our local rivers have been quiet. Just you, the trout, and maybe a bugling elk or two. There’s lots of water still pushing through our rivers for this time of year. No shortage of options for our anglers.
Better late than never! August has started off strong for our anglers and Montana fly fishing guides. We’ve seen cooler temps, some precipitation, and overcast skies, which has meant lots of great days on the water. Looking forward for the rest of the month we expect a few waves of heat to hit us but are expecting things to start cooling off as we move through August, water temps to drop slightly, and the bite to only get better.
Our Yellowstone River guided fly fishing trips and custom outfitting allow anglers staying in Bozeman, Livingston, and Gardiner to experience great fishing, comfortable lodging, and excellent dining on their Montana fly fishing adventures.
The Yellowstone River is one of Montana’s great fly fishing rivers. The Yellowstone River runs through Yellowstone Park, Paradise Valley, and eastern Montana onto its eventual confluence with the Missouri River. All of our Montana fly fishing guides know the Yellowstone River well and consider a day fly fishing the Yellowstone River to be the classic Montana freestone fishing experience.
We offer full-day and half-day trips, as well as float and wade fishing options, that cater to seasoned and beginner anglers alike. Book your fly fishing trip with our professional guides.
Our custom Montana fly fishing trips are the best way to start or build on your Montana fly fishing journey. Enjoy unique trip offerings and Montana’s best rivers with our Montana fly fishing guides.
Take advantage of special rates on your spring and winter fly fishing trips in Montana. Enjoy the same great fly fishing, world-class rivers, and professional guides all year long.
Enjoy custom fly fishing outfitting and expert guiding across Montana and Yellowstone National Park. Learn more about all of our guided Montana fly fishing trips.