Holter Reservoir Fishing Report by FWP (July 22, 2024)
Walleye and perch fishing has been great in the coves and bays above the Dam, along the Clay Banks, out from Cottonwood Creek, and near Mann Gulch while using purple jigs tipped with worms or leeches in 15 to 30 feet of water. A few kokanee are being caught between Split Rock and the Dam while using down riggers with dodgers or cowbells with pink or purple kokanee spinners tipped with corn 50-70 feet deep. Rainbow fishing has been good during the early morning hours on the upper end of the reservoir while fly fishing with Prince Nymphs and while tolling Ford Fenders or cowbells with lead core line and wedding rings on the lower end of the reservoir. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena
The Bitterroot river fishing has been good in the morning and slow in the afternoon. The cooler water towards the upper stretches is fishing much better than the lower end. FWP has now implemented Hoot Owl Restrictions from where the west and east fork come together to the confluence of the Clark Fork, meaning you will have to be done fishing after 2pm. These restrictions are due to warm water temperatures in the afternoon and prohibits fishing between 2pm and midnight.
While the fishing is decent in the morning, things slow down dramatically late morning and it’s a good idea to go hit one of your favorite small tributaries as these run much cooler than the bigger rivers this time of year and will be much better fishing. Don’t hesitate to go fish your favorite Lake or go explore a new one.
Golden Stones, PMD, Yellow Sallies and hopper are the hatches going on the Bitterroot and it’s tributaries.
With the recent heat wave, the Jefferson river in its entirety has been placed on Hoot-Owl, this means that fishing is closed starting at 2 pm until 12 am. Going early in the morning is the best when water temperatures are the coolest. Check out Montana FWP’s website for the most up to date information on restrictions in the area.
Days spent fishing in Montana on the Jefferson River in July can be unpredictable as water levels begin to drop with increased irrigation demands.
Floating grass begins to be an issue for the nymph and streamer fly fishing sessions that our Bozeman fly fishing guides prefer during the early morning hours. Persistent anglers that don’t mind cleaning their flies after each cast will still find some nice fish on Crayfish patterns fished below a strike indicator.
Hatches are sparser now that the summer heat is settling in as well.
We are looking elsewhere now as the upper Madison, Gallatin, and Yellowstone Rivers are offering some of the best fly fishing in Montana at the present time. The moss will begin to clear out later in the summer, but expect some challenges in the meantime.
Hell Creek General Recreation Information (July 24, 2024)
Gallatin River fly fishing is now in its “summer prime” along the sections in and upstream of the Gallatin Canyon. Anglers fishing there will do best to go early – before the rafters – and target the riffles and deeper seams throughout the pocket water sections with dries and dry/dropper setups.
Fly fishing with a single, medium-sized attractor dry fly like an Amy’s Ant or Yellow Humpy can be productive in the fast runs and riffles right now. Add a weighted jig nymph to a small Chubby Chernobyl or Golden Stone dry to cover the deepest runs.
The lower river has dropped considerably in the last week with portions now being under “Hoot Owl” regulations. Vist FWP’s website to stay up to speed with current restrictions and closures.
You can get an idea of the water conditions in the Big Sky area by viewing this webcam, hosted by our friends at Montana Whitewater.
The Ruby River near Virginia City and Twin Bridges, Montana is a good option for mid-summer fly fishing. The Ruby Dam helps to regulate flows which helps to regulate water temperature. Begins it also provides a lot of water for irrigation in late July, flows tend to run average when many other rivers are running low. But, the Ruby River is surrounded almost entirely by private land and tends to run bank-full so walk-and-wade fishing is often more difficult than on other rivers.
Current Conditions:
The water is flowing about average right now so the fish are going to be in their usual hangouts. Below the dam the nymph fishing is best with smaller technical spring creek style patterns on lighter flouro carbon tippet.
The Month Ahead:
The Ruby will be in a mid summer mode all the way into September. In the fall the fishing is often consistently good with smaller technical nymphs and the occasional hopper action.
Long Term Fishing Forecast:
The Ruby is a nice smaller wade option in October. The browns get aggressive and the streamer fishing can be solid for medium sized trout up to 20″.
Since runoff is now over with, fishing on the Yellowstone is great. The flows in Livingston are around 4100 at the moment and the water temperature is peaking at 69.5 degrees in Livingston. There’s a huge variety of bugs on the water out there right now consisting mostly of Caddis and PMD’s. So definitely remember to bring your dry fly box filled with Caddis, Parachute PMD’s, Fat Angie’s and chubbies! Streamer fishing can move some nice fish this time of the year too, so don’t be afraid to throw some bigger flies like a Dungeon, Ditch Witch, Gonga, or a Dragon. Nymph rigs are a consistent way to pick up some fish as well. Fishing Stoneflies, Worms, Zirdle’s, Hares Ear’s, Pheasant tail’s, Prince nymph’s, Blowtorch’s, and flashy Euro nymphs have all been good options for us while subsurface fishing or throwing underneath a chubby Chernobyl.
Suggested Fly Patterns
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Dry Fly
Parachute Adams (16-20), Purple Haze (16-18), Buzz Ball (14-16), Corn fed Caddis (14-16), X-Caddis (14-16), Parachute PMD (14-16), Extended Body PMD (14-16), Larimer’s Yellow Sally (12-14), Water Walker (8-12), Chubby Chernobyl (8-16)
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Streamer
Woolly Bugger (4-12), Ditch Witch Black/red/purple/ Yellow/white(2), Mini Peanut Envy Black/Yellow/Tan (6) Mini Dungeon Black/purple /Olive/Yellow (6), Montana Intruder (4), Sparkle Minnow JJ’s/Silver/Sculpin (4-8), Double Gonga Black/Rainbow (4), Sculpzilla Black/White/Olive (4-8), Seasoned Geezer Gold/Natural/Olive (6)
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Nymph
Pat’s Rubber Legs (6-12), Zirdle Bug (6-12), Perdigon Peacock/Purple/Pearl (14-18), CDC Pheasant Tail (10-18), Jigster Baetis (14-18), Formerly Known as Prince Nymph (10-18), BH Hare’s Ear (12-18), Sizzlin’ Hot Squirrel (14-16), Matt’s Shagadelic Mop Tan/Brown/Chartreuse/Cheeto (10)
3/5
Georgetown lake is finally open! (The South and East shore line is still closed until July 1st). The lake is also ice free and a little muddy. Look for fish in the shallows as they cruise the shore lines.
Here are a few tips for fly fishing Georgetown Lake:
1. A balanced leech stripped or under an indicator is the best method right now.
2. Small damsel patterns and chironomids are also effective.
3. Cover water and be methodical and you’ll catch fish!
Here are a few fly suggestions:
1. Black balanced leech
2. Damsel nymph
3. Maroon balanced leech
4. Ice cream cone head chironomid
Looking ahead:
This is one of the best times to be out on Georgetown! Get out there!
Fishing in southwest Montana is in full on late summer mode. Hatches of caddis are active throughout the day as well as some PMDs on our tailwater rivers like the Upper Madison and Missouri Rivers. With the hot weather we are having and the forecast saying it will remain for at least another week or so, it means early mornings and into the afternoons is the best window of fishing action. Late evenings can also fish well, but it is also ok to hit a local bar or restaurant and fish again in the early morning.
We expect the terrestrial fishing–hoppers, ants, and beetles–to really pick up in the coming weeks. Our cold and wet spring means there are ample grasses which means there are also plenty of grasshoppers. We are optimistic of another very good hopper season to come and be excited for some twitching hoppers.
Overview
Peak activity this time of year coincides with the emergence of aquatic insects during the hatches. Pay close attention to the insects on the water at a given time, often PMD’s hatch before yellows sallies for example. On highly fertile fisheries with thick hatches like spring creeks and tailwaters the trout become very selective during the hatch and you must imitate the correct species as well as life cycle of the insect that the trout are keying in on. On less fertile freestone streams it is more of a potluck and the trout will feed more opportunistically. On spring creeks plan on match the hatch but if you are fishing waters with sporadic hatches try big attractor dry flies on top or large streamers down under to move fish farther than smaller patterns. Expect to fishing to slow down abruptly once the insects are gone but you can often continue to pick fish up later in the day. In the evenings there is often another flurry of activity just before dark.
Hatches
Aquatic insects are by far the dominate food source right now on most streams and rivers. Expect to see pale morning duns (small size 14 yellow and light grey mayflies), yellow sally stoneflies (size 14-12 yellow), caddis (several species, tan and cream size 16-10 – fast active fliers), golden stoneflies (big size 8 with dark gold body) and even some late salmonflies (giant size 2, three inches long). There are also some different drake species of large mayflies hatching that can excite fish such as brown and eventually green drakes. Make sure to have all stages of the life cycles in your boxes. For mayfly species like the pale morning dun have nymphs, emergers, cripples, duns and spinners. For caddis have larva, pupae and adults. For stoneflies nymphs and adults.
Fly selection
You basically have to determine if you are going to match the hatch or bust the hatch this time of year. When you can see fish actively rising on the surface it is generally best to match the hatch. The same as true before a hatch, nymphing with the imitation of the nymph or emerger that the fish will see later is a good bet. When the hatch starts if fish are on the surface it is best to match the hatch or try a “cripple” or “emerger” pattern behind an adult imitation. If the hatch gets to a blanket stage then try a size or two larger than the natural. If fish are not taking flies off the surface then the nymphing game can be tougher during the peak of the hatch unless you are sight casting. There can be so many naturals underwater that your imitation has beat the odds that are often 100:1 with so many real bugs in the water. If you are nymphing during a strong hatch it is often better to switch to much larger patterns or streamers dead drifted or stripped rather than compete with naturals.
Interestingly when a hatch is sparse we flip flop are strategy. On the surface you can still catch fish with an exact imitation but you can often be even more successful with a large attractor fly that will move fish farther. The trout aren’t so keyed in on the natural that they won’t switch gears and eat something even bigger like a fat albert or chubby Chernobyl. When nymphing it is nice to continue to have an exact imitation but consider trailing it behind something larger like a big stonefly nymph, crayfish or sculpin.
Reading water
Flows are all over the place right now on different rivers. On fisheries that have already dropped significantly trout are already moving into deeper runs for protection but on the rivers with higher flows they are in the safe havens that have slower current speeds like along banks, behind rocks and on the inside corners of bends or slower tail-outs.
Flow Data: Missouri River below Holter Dam near Wolf Creek, MT
Water temperatures are getting up to 68 degrees in the evening. Higher below Craig. Fish early and get off early to avoid putting extra stress on the fish. Hoppers are now in play on the MO. Henneberry Hopper or Morrish hopper are a few of my personal favorites. The tricos are now hatching in huge numbers with the spinner fall starting at about 9AM. Dry fly fishing is getting tougher and tougher every day. PMD’s are still hatching in good numbers but the hatch is starting to slow down. The PMD last chance cripple, PMD CDC Comparadun, Hi-vis rusty spinner are all great options. Caddis are out all day. Cornfed Caddis or Missing link caddis are a few of my favorites for the caddis munching trout. The nymphing is still really good. Perdigons have been working great. A Little Green Machine or Crackback PMD are excellent nymph choices currently. Fish are both deep and in shallow areas so it is nice to have a short leash rig and a deep nymph rig ready to go.
Montana
Hebgen: The lake has been heating up (in more ways than one). Theres been plenty of gulpers on the north shore, key in to the calmer days with just a tiny touch of chop. They’re rising most often on callibaetis spinners and duns in the mornings and evenings, with the odd fish pounding damsels. We’ve been producing pretty well on stripped leeches and similarly small streamers as well.
Flies: #8 Black or Olive Simi Seal Leech, #6 Balanced Squirrel Leech Black, #6 Olive or Black Hot Bead Leech, #8 Booby Leach, #8 Thin Mint, #18 BBQ Baetis, #12 Balanced Damsel, #14 Olive Nugget, #12 O.S. Buzzer, #16 Found Link Callibaetis, #16 Long Tailed Spinner Callibaetis,
#16 Purple Missing Link, #20 Low Water Baetis
Flows:
Inflow to Hebgen Lake: 664.5 cfs
Hebgen Lake Outflow: 1252 cfs
Kirby Flows: 1330 cfs
Temp @ Kirby: High – 68.18 F
Low – 57.56 F
** Flows as of 12pm June 24th, 2024 **
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MRO Guide BJ Stone’s Client Paula tied up to a nice YNP Cutthroat
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Upper Madison:
The upper is still fishing well, but the midday heat is certainly affecting the fishery. Nymphing is your best bet – the fish will be sitting deep or in the heavy water where the oxygen is. Watch the temperature in the coming days/weeks and look out for further FWP Hoot Owl restrictions – give em a break!
Flies: #16 Sunburst Perdigon, #16 Black OR Red Krystal Dip, #14 Olive Grub, #14 Pilva’s Perdigon – Olive, #16 BWO Loopwing, #14 Iron Sally, #18 BWO Magic Fly, #16 Royal Chubby, #16 Rocky Mountain Mint – PMD, #14 Chocolate X-Caddis, #14 CDC & Elk Caddis – Black, #12 Royal Water Walker, #12 Fools Gold Golden Stone, #12 Peacock Chubby Chernobyl
MRO Guide Tom Forsberg and client Erin Matthews with a stout Upper Madison Brown
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MRO Guide Tom Forsberg and his Client showing off a BEAUTIFUL Upper Madison Brown
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YNP
The Northeast Corner of YNP is currently on hoot owl ( legal fishing hours -sunrise to 2pm)
*****The Madison, Firehole, and Gibbon (below Norris Campground), and ALL associated tributaries are all closed indefinitely due to high temperatures and low flows. *****
With the recent ( much needed) closure of most of the fisheries on the western side of the park, our focus is shifting to the NE Corner of YNP. The Yellowstone, Lamar, Soda Butte, and Slough Creek are all currently on Hoot Owl restrictions, but still fishing decent in the mornings. These cutties are notorious for liking bright, bushy dries; and not being shy when it comes to rising. Smaller streamers can also be effective here.
Flies: #14 UV Pink Chubby, #12 Royal Wulff, #12 Slough Creek Drake Mackerel, #12 Peacock Chubby, #8 Rio’s Juicy Stone – Salmonfly, #16 DOA PMD, #18 CDC Biot BWO Comparadun, #16 Elk Hair Caddis – Dark Brown OR Olive, #18 Purple Missing Link, #6 CH Sparkle Minnow – Brownie, #6 Peanut Envy – Olive OR Brown
Flows:
Madison near West Yellowstone: – *closed*
Yellowstone below Yellowstone Lake: – 2490 cfs
Gibbon: – *closed*
Firehole: – *closed*
Lamar: – 320 cfs – hoot owl
Gallatin near Big Sky: 390 cfs
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Get out there!
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- Flathead Lake – Some good lakers being caught by Shelter Island in 120′-140′, also some early reports of whitefish being caught on the lower end of the lake using JT Disco Slabs or KB JIGS.
- Church Slough – Lots of pike in the backwater. Try using spinners and buzzbaits.
- Lake Mary Ronan – Good perch fishing in the mornings and evenings in about 15′-20′ of water. Use Pautzke plastics tipped with maggots.
- Blanchard Lake – Largemouth are biting on some top water frogs and poppers. Still finding some good pike on dead bait under a bobber as well.
- Middle Thompson – Kokanee trolling has been good in the early mornings. Get down in about 25′-40′ of water. Try our new Christensen Lakeshore Tackle Dakota Spinners and Spinning Tornados paired with a dodger.
- Flathead River – River flows are at 7500 cfs and dry fly fishing has been good. Some good patterns to try are Blue Duns, Adams, Humpys and Hoppers.
- Island Lake – Good numbers of pike being caught using copper spoons and spinnerbaits.
The fly fishing in Montana near Bozeman has settled into a stable summer pattern now that river levels have stabilized following the spring runoff. As hatches become increasingly sparse, anglers fishing in Southwest Montana will have more success with generalist fly patterns as both dries and nymphs. Terrestrial patterns that imitate hoppers, Spruce Moths, ants, and beetles are beginning to be effective on small streams and in the upstream portions of most of our main waterways. A wide variety of fly fishing techniques and fly patterns are effective right now, the key to success is to fish early in the day.
Summertime in Montana is surprisingly hot to many visitors as daytime temperatures routinely climb well into the 90s during the long days of June and July. Water temperatures rise on the rivers and lakes across the northern Rockies this time of the year.
Many of the low-elevation portions of the rivers in Montana often fall under a “Hoot Owl” fishing restriction during the summertime in which angling is restricted to the hours between midnight and 2 pm. Regardless of whether or not these restrictions are in place, the best fly fishing near Bozeman takes place in the morning and early afternoon hours right now. Keep current with fishing restrictions and closures on Montana FWP’s website.
The upper Madison, Yellowstone, and upper Gallatin rivers are all fishing well with a variety of attractor dries and nymphs. Streamer fly fishing has been surprisingly effective as well, especially between first light and the first half hour of sunlight on the Yellowstone River. Hoppers and nocturnal stones are only a week or so away from starting to be our mainstays on the big rivers.
Hauser Reservoir Fishing Report (July 22, 2024)
Walleye fishing has been good inside the Causeway Arm, out from Black Sandy and around the Dredge Piles while using perch-colored jigs tipped with worms or leeches. A few perch are being caught while jigging for walleye. Rainbow fishing has been good during the early morning hours from Black Sandy to the Powerlines while trolling Ford Fenders or cowbells and wedding rings with lead core line and below Canyon Ferry Dam with worms and a marshmallow, power bait, or Marabou jigs. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena
This Kootenai River Montana fishing report is being brought to you by Orvis Endorsed Linehan Outfitting. This report will be updated weekly to provide current conditions, weather, hatches, patterns, and flows to our local waters and across the state.
Flows from Libby Dam: 4000cfs
Water temperature at Libby Dam: 42 degrees
Hatches: midge, baetis
patterns: zebra midge, parachute Adams, parachute pmd, Rosenbauer’s olive rabbit foot emerger, purple haze, purple chubby, red chubby, olive sparkle dun,bh prince, soft SJ worm, bh pheasant tail, bh rubber legged stonefly, big streamers in white, pink and olive, circus peanut, black conehead buggers
It’s not quite spring up here in Kootenai River country but we have good news. Flows from Libby Dam have been reduced and will be stable at 4000cfs through the end of March for now. That means there’s some great early season fishing available right now.
Expect more clammy cloudy weather through the weekend and into next week. March continues to come in like a lion and we’ve yet to see the lamb. Rain and snow mix will dominate forecast. Fortunately daytime temps will ooch into the forties which is at least a small sign of spring around here.
At the moment the river is clear and in good shape. Don’t expect much in the way of dry fly fishing and insect activity until we get some substantially warmer daytime temperatures. The water is still cold but trout will start to feed a bit in the coming weeks.
This is always a good time of year for nymphing. With low flows you don’t need a heavy rig. You just need to get the flies down in softer runs and pools where trout are most likely to be holding this time of year. Don’t spend a ton of time fishing fast riffles.
Streamer fishing is also productive this time of year especially since bigger fish will be hungry after laying low for a couple months during the dead of winter. Keep in mind they will not necessarily want to move too fast or too far to get a meal. Get your streamers down and fish them slowly and erratically. Nothing like a wounded minnow to get a big rainbow interested in at least a sniff.
In Boston Red Sox news, it’s PLAY BALL! After several weeks of a lockout the players union owners have finally come to an agreement. Spring training will start immediately and while opening day was and remains delayed until April 7, the season will still be 162 games. For now the Sox have managed to keep essentially the same playoff roster they had last season. Infielders Dalbec, Arroyo, Bogaerts, and Devers are key players. In the outfield Jackie Bradley Jr. has returned to Boston and Kike Hernandez and Verdugo will anchor the deep green. Ace Chris Sale will hopefully be healthy and other starters from last year will hopefully pick up where they left off in October. Go Sox!!!
Give a call anytime if you need more Kootenai River details or information on any of our hunting or fishing adventures. And please check out our e-commerce site for all Linehan Outfitting branded swag and Orvis gear. https://linehan-outfitting.myshopify.com/
We look forward to hearing from you. 406-295-4872
PMDs and Sulphurs are still hatching here, though not as heavily as earlier in the season. Terrestrial season is underway, though, and so prospecting with ants, beetles, and small hoppers can produce some fish at times, especially on windier days. With cool, spring-fed water, these creeks are a great way to beat the heat!
GO-TO FLIES:
-Sparkle Dun PMD #18
-CDC Rusty Spinner #18
-CDC Shimazaki Ant #16
-Green Beetle #16
-Pheasant Tail Nymph #18
Flow Data: Bighorn River near St. Xaiver, MT
With excessive heat throughout the state, the Bighorn has remained far cooler than all the options around Bozeman. Fishing has been good as well. Aquatic grasses can be frustrating but if you can keep the weeds off your nymphs the fishing has been good. Dry fly action has also been good to great. PMD’s have been hatching and fish have been eating them when they are on the water. Duns and Cripples have been working great throughout the day with spinners working best late in the evening and early in the mornings. The Crime Scene Caddis and Cornfed Caddis have worked well. Ants, hoppers and beetles have been working well when prospecting. Fish have been eating Caddis and PMD nymphs well. The Pheasant Tail nymph is an excellent option for the mayfly nymph eating trout. PMD trigger nymph and the Hares Ear Dirty Bird have also been great nymph options.
1460 CFS @ Kirby. We are entering a time of transition on the Madison. PMDs, Caddis and Sallies are still present but starting to wane, and terrestrials are about to take center stage. The hopper bite hasn’t fully picked up just yet, but ants and beetles will become more important each day. Nymphs are still working here too, especially after noon.
GO-TO FLIES:
-Para Caddis Tan #16
-Stubby Ant Blk/Cinn #14
-Point Guard Beetle #12
-Shop Vac #16
-Jig Ginger Snap #16
Water Temps getting to 68F afternoons with 64F mornings.
Water Flows at 4100cfs
No Hoot Owl restrictions locally. Many are on and off early. On at 6am and off shortly after, noon. Our guides are following this program. Some guided guests opting for half day trips, no lunch. It is an option for you if you are fishing on the Missouri River to fish the morning session and take an air conditioned nap in the afternoon period. Then eat a leisurely dinner, retiring again for the early morning starts.
Tricos, Caddids, PMD’s, and hoppers are the dry flies of choice. We got them. Clusters, single Trico patterns, spinners, junk flies like the Translucent Pupa and Emergers along with the famous Buzzball, Rusty Spinners and the like. Stocked and ready for you the Mo River Angler.
Nymphers love the Zirdle, the Crayfish, the Frenchie, the Seeger caddis pupa’s, Zebra’s etc.
Weeds are an issue below Craig. Becoming an issue on the upper as well. Common is this invader of the water column. Not un-common to have stingy weeds grab your nymph rig. Learn the Mo River Weed Snap. Not the Bighorn whirling and slapping technique. Nope, different river different weed removal technique. Strip and opt that baby out of the water. Many believe that casting it rapidly win the air is the method. Nope. The surface of the water, adhesion, cohesion, water friction with the quick removal from the water is the key. Ask a local, they will show you.
Common, normal, not abnormal, not un-common. Annual weeds infest with warmer normal summer air temps rising and historic average water flows. We are not below normal for water flows, or temps for that matter. Annual, common, happens 9 of 10 years. Normal, common occurrence in the waters of Montana’s Missouri River.
Normal. Common.
Shop open early 6am. Guides out daily. Shuttle service with the Best Local Record On Time Shuttles and location in the Biz. Best Flies Under the Big Sky with loaded bins for your fly perusal favor. Sun gear, sunscreen, ice cold ice, local lodging Craig Trout Camp on site in downtown Craig.
406-235-3447 Call today for local lodging, fishing updates, shuttles, and just general fish talk!
The Gallatin River near Big Sky and Bozeman is flowing at a good level to cover a lot of water. Flows are slightly lower than long term averages but that hasn’t stopped the consistent fishing action on the Gallatin. The best action right now on the Gallatin River is with tandem nymph rigs fished subsurface. See the list of flies below for the best choices. With the low, clear water for success you will need to drop down in tippet sizes so you are getting a better drift. Many anglers are going to 9 foot 5X leaders with 5X fluorocarbon for their tippets. Trout are being found in the 5-6 feet deep medium fast runs during most of the day.
Hatches of caddis are waning and a few PMDs can still be spotted hatching in the riffles and some Yellow Sally stoneflies are also being spotted, but the anticipation is high for spruce moths to pop any day now. What has been unique this summer has been an abundant hatches of Drakes. They are size 12-14 and have been mostly spotted hatching from the backend/shelfs of riffles from around 10 AM till about 2 PM.
As the river continues to drop and clear expect trout to become a little more selective in their feeding habits. With so much public access on the Gallatin River near Big Sky, anglers that are willing to hike a little from a common access or parking area are going to find more consistent fishing.
The Month Ahead:
The next month on the Gallatin River means the river will drop and clear, but the Gallatin River has some of the coldest water in southwest Montana because of the high elevation and deep canyon so it makes it ideal for anglers looking for plenty of DYI opportunities. Trout are going to be feeding in several types of water for the next few weeks. More fish are going to be found in riffles and deeper runs than along bankside structure.
Flies for the Gallatin River for the Next Month:
Lightening Bugs in sizes 16-18
Zebra Midges in black, red, or olive in sizes 18-22
Pheasant Tails in sizes 16-20
Chubby Chernobyl in black, olive, or royal in sizes 12-16
Little Spankers in sizes 18-20
Pat’s Rubberlegs in sizes 12-14
Hi-Vis caddis in sizes 12-16
4/5
Fly fishing in Montana on the Bighorn River is always a great call in the summertime. Cold water releases from Yellowtail Dam keep the river cold in the summer heat and the fish active throughout the day.
Dry fly fishing is picking up with the emergence of PMDs and a few Black Caddis are showing up too. We are still a bit aways from those blanket hatch days, but the headhunters and sight-nymphing anglers can find enough fish in the shallow waters to keep them busy through the afternoon.
Nymphing with standard Bighorn tandem nymph rigs continues to be the mainstay, especially during the morning hours. Late morning wade fishing the riffles has been prodcuing some very nice fish as well.
Make sure you stop by some of the fly shops in Fort Smith, MT like the Bighorn Angler and the Bighorn Trout Shop to get the latest information and conditions regarding the river.
Canyon Ferry Fishing Report by FWP (July 22, 2024)
Walleye fishing is very good from the Silos to the ponds in 12 to 20 feet of water and north of the Silos to Hole in the Wall in 35 to 40 feet of water on bottom bouncers with slow-death rigs or worm harnesses in various colors. Various colored jigs and crankbaits have been working as well. A few perch are being caught by anglers using walleye rigs in these same areas. Goose Bay has been producing some walleyes from shore at night on worms. A few rainbows were caught, but nothing consistent. Troy Humphrey, FWP, Helena
The Spring creeks have been dry fly fishing very well. You may still find a few fish rising to midges in the morning before the PMD hatch takes off. The PMD’s have been hatching in good numbers in the afternoons. When fish are rising to PMD’s a CDC Emerger in #18 or a PMD Film Critic have worked great. Fish have been picky so a long leader with a good drift is imperative. There has been good PMD spinner falls in the evenings on calm days. A Hi-Vis rusty spinner is the fly to use in a #16 or #18. Small scuds, sowbugs, and midges have continued to work well under a dry fly or under an indicator. Any midge nymph with a white or flashy wing such as the Manhattan Midge seems to get a but more attention than other patterns. PMD nymphs and emergers will be great options when the fish are eating sub-surface. It will be worth fishing ants, beetles, and hoppers through the rest of the summer if you cannot figure out what the fish are feeding on or if there is not a lot of surface action. Nymphing will be pretty consistent in the event that the trout do not want to cooperate and eat bugs from the surface.
*Flow Data: Yellowstone River near Livingston, MT
The Yellowstone has slowed down a bit now that the Salmonflies and Golden stones are on their way out for the season. They are mostly above Carbella now and the upper river has been fishing the best. Fishing a large goldenstone or salmonfly pattern with a caddis or smaller attractor pattern behind it has been very productive. The dry fly action has been good up top but slower as you get closer to Livingston. Green Drakes, Caddis, and PMD’s are all flying around so there is a good amount of available food on the surface for the Yellowstone River trout. We are hoping the fish start keying in on these bugs around town as the dry fly fishing town and below was pretty slow. Streamers, stonefly nymphs, and perdigons along the banks will be a good bet if the fish are not looking up especially on the lower portions of the river. Streamer fishing was moderate this last week. PMD’s, Caddis, and Ants are working best below Pine Creek and hoppers will be in play in the very near future!
3/5
Our Report
Tip of the Week:
As we start seeing more grasshoppers, ants, beetles, and other terrestrials in the coming weeks, you will find the best hopper fishing when it’s a bit windy (ideally a crosswind) outside. Afternoons are also generally more successful as hoppers are more active once it warms up a bit, making them more susceptible to getting blown into the nearest stream or lake. When it comes to hopper patterns, start small in the early season (that’s right now) and size up your flies as time goes on – this is what is happening with the naturals! When you’re looking for the perfect spot to cast your favorite hopper pattern, start with the nearest grassy banks. Thick grass lining the edge of a cut bank can be a great place to fish hoppers.
*See our 7 Day Outlook for updates on blockages jamming up the Bitterroot.
7 Day Outlook:
This past week in the Bitterroot Valley, flows have dropped considerably and we are now looking at a river that is flowing at about one-third of the historical average for this time of year. Some sections will be a bit bony. We’re looking at another very hot week similar to what we’ve been experiencing the last couple weeks, but with cooler nights in the forecast which we hope will bring down water temperatures a bit.
**There are currently fishing restrictions on the Blackfoot river by Montana FWP. Please refer to Montana FWP’s current waterbody restrictions to see the latest.**
If you are floating please use extreme caution. This river changes rapidly and is known for producing fatal log jams. Give us a call for an updated obstruction report. If you see any issues be sure to call us or send pics so we can share the same. Thanks.
*There are currently MANY obstructions on the Bitterroot.
Hannon-Wally: Several sweepers in this section. It is getting tougher as water drops.
Wally-Anglers: flows over Sleeping Child dam are always dicey! Don’t consider running after a scout unless you are highly skilled. The channel around the left side is too low to consider.
Vets-Woodside: More wood down between New Bridge and Blodgett Park. The river right channel will require careful scouting and likely boat dragging.
Woodside-Tucker: New tree down in right channel need to stay left here. The left channel at the split is open but be sure to choose your splits wisely, and the right channel over the diversion dam may need to be portaged. Have a look before you run it.
Tucker-Bell: Very sketchy in the channel through the woods now that the water has come up. Consider going somewhere else until runoff subsides.
Bell-Stevi: Follow the sign that says “GO LEFT” to miss the log jam. A new log is exposed in the “clear” channel so proceed with caution.
Stevi-Florence: Clear. Follow the water at any splits. As the river fluctuates it is smart to pull over and check for any potential changes.
When In Doubt, Eddy Out! As always, we want anglers to know that they are responsible for their own wellbeing when they are on the water. As an outfitter, we will try our best to bring known dangers to light, but conditions and obstructions are always changing and we can’t possibly keep up with every danger that may present itself. When in doubt, eddy out and walk downstream to get a good look at what you’re dealing with!
Best Techniques:
In the Bitterroot Valley, we’re seeing mostly PMDs right now. There are the occasional Yellow Sallies, Golden Stones and Green Drakes in the mix as well. Early mornings are fishing the best. For the rest of the day, nymphing will be the best bet. Consider bringing some hoppers, as opportunities to fish terrestrials begin to present themselves.
*Traveling or in a hurry? Let our knowledgeable staff pick a fly selection for you!
*The Online Store is updated daily! Check it out!
*Call us for up to the minute updates at 406.542.7411 or if you are in the area stop in for all your gear and the right bugs.
DRIES
- Purple Haze #12-18
- Corn Fed Caddis #12-14
- Chubby Chernobyl #06-10 – Gold
- Water Walker #8-12
- Parachute PMD #14-18
- Flash Cripple PMD #14-18
- Last Chance Cripple PMD #16-20
- Richter Scale Spruce Moth #12-14
NYMPHS
- TJ Hooker #8-12
- Flexy Stone #06-08
- Hot Bead Power Worm #06-10
- Jig Prince #8-12
- Frenchie #12-14
- Perdigons and Bullets #12-14
- Duracell #12-16
STREAMERS
- Lil’ Kim #04-08
- Wooly Bugger/Thin Mint #6-10
- Sparkle Minnow #04-08
- Kreelex #04-06
- Articulated Sparkle Minnow
- Dungeons
- Peanut Envy
- Double Gonga
