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Top 10 Hatches to Fly Fish in Bozeman, MT

Top 10 Hatches to Fly Fish in Bozeman, MT

Bozeman Fly Fishing

Best Hatches for Fly Fishing in Bozeman, MT

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.

We are lucky in Bozeman, MT to be able to have great dry fly fishing opportunities from April through October. From mayflies, to caddisflies, to stoneflies, to terrestrials, we’ve truly got it all. Each hatch has its own unique character and while we love them all, here is a rundown of our top 10 hatches to fly fish in Bozeman, MT.

1. Salmonfly Hatch on the Yellowstone River

The granddaddy of them all. The Yellowstone River salmonfly hatch is the biggest and baddest hatch in all of Montana. Those are probably fighting words to many across the state, but I’d be willing to put this hatch up against any other. First off the bugs are huge. Imagine looking up and seeing 10,000 flies that look like small hummingbirds flying around. Second the fish that eat them are even bigger. The biggest of the brown trout, rainbow trout, and cutthroat trout that inhabit the Yellowstone River come to the surface to eat Salmonflies. Best time of year to catch a true trophy on a dryfly. Lastly, the Yellowstone River has the longest Salmonfly hatch in the state, and probably the world. The bugs will start to hatch just below Livingston in late June and make their way upstream all the way to the LeHardy Rapids. Sometimes into early August. A dedicated salmonfly angler could spend a whole month chasing big bugs on this river alone. Best hatch in the west? We think so.

2. PMD Hatch on the Missouri River

The PMD (Pale Morning Dun) Mayfly hatch on the Missouri River is the reason many of our guides are booked a year out for mid-June. The fishing is that good. From June 10th thru early July, anglers can expect great hatches of PMDs daily, bringing some of the biggest fish in the river up to eat them. There is something about these big mayflies that big brown trout especially seem to love. Early in the hatch less than perfect presentation and big flies can get it done, but the fish get smarter as the hatch progresses. Cripples and spinners quickly become the flies of choice and a good first cast becomes mandatory. Our Montana fly fishing guides are all great teachers that work with anglers to perfect their dryfly game, and consistently lead anglers to success during this world-class hatch. But be sure to book your dates early. It is a favorite for a reason.

3. Hopper Fishing on the Yellowstone River

Hopper fishing on the Yellowstone River is classic Montana freestone dryfly fishing at its finest. Pick your favorite pattern and color, dead drift it, twitch it, strip it, drown it, or drag it, and fish will eat it. The Hopper hatch is less a hatch and more of a season. Expect things to start in middle-late July, peak in late August, and continue on through early October. Some days are better than others but you can always count on a few fish ready to crush a hopper pattern during hopper season. Probably the best hatch for beginner and intermediate anglers to take part in and great for expert anglers to have fun with. We like warm and windy days for the best action, but any day can be your best day ever yet. And big fish are always just a cast away with a hopper on the Yellowstone River.

4. Evening Caddis Hatch on the Yellowstone River

The evening Caddis hatch on the Yellowstone River holds a special place in our hearts. Some of my best memories of fly fishing on the Yellowstone River with family and friends take place during this hatch. Hard to beat hot summer nights with great people and great fishing. This hatch generally starts in late June and is a nightly occurrence through the end of July. No reason to be on the water before 6PM if you are hoping to catch it. At its best it is a blizzard of caddisflies and trout boiling along the banks chasing after. Some nights are more mellow, but it is hard to beat a Montana sunset on the Yellowstone River all the same.

5. Salmonfly Hatch on the Madison River

If hunting for trophy trout with large dryflies sounds like fun, the salmonfly hatch on the Madison River is the hatch for you. The biggest and baddest of the trout in the Madison River love to hammer Salmonflies. But they don’t come every cast. Anglers can expect to fish hard but be rewarded with some truly great trout. The hatch on the Madison River generally starts around June 20th and moves upriver with salmonflies at Lyon’s Bridge on the 4th of July. But sometimes it comes and goes much quicker. This hatch is a hard one to time and no secret in fly fishing circles, but anglers that hit it right are rewarded with some of the best fly fishing every year in Bozeman, Montana.

6. Flying Ant Hatch on the Madison River

I hear a lot of random factoids while guiding anglers. One was that ants have a certain kind of protein in them that fish need and can only get from eating ants. While I haven’t done any further research into this claim, I do know that the trout in the Madison River absolutely love to eat flying ants. The flying ant or “honey ant” hatch on the Madison River is some of the most fun dryfly fishing of the summer. The bugs hatch from top to bottom on the Madison River and are especially thick around Three Dollar Bridge, making for great wade fishing dry fly opportunities. This is a late summer hatch that usually start in late July and peaks in mid-August. No reason to be on the river early to catch it. The ants will start to fly around mid-day but won’t get going in earnest until the sun starts to dip down into the sky. These ants are a distinct golden-cinnamon color and can get quite large. #12 and #14 flies are a great starting spot. Fish them tight to the banks, out in the middle, or in the slicks behind rocks really wherever fish are holding. Big trout like flying ants. They need that protein.

7. Trico Hatch on the Missouri River

If you consider yourself to be a masochistic angler this is the hatch for you. Tiny flies, selective trout, light tippet, and tough lies are what this hatch is all about. The trico hatch gets going in late-July and continues through mid-August. This hatch looks like smoke on the water. By sunrise the bugs are out in huge mating clouds. The spinners begin to fall on the water mid-morning and the many trout of the Missouri River gorge on them by the mouthful. This is a dead-fly hatch, meaning the bugs don’t move at all. Perfect casts and dead drift get rewarded. Dragged flies get laughed at. Our fly fishing guides love this hatch and teaching anglers the finer points of technical dryfly fishing. The fly fishing 20/20 club is exclusive to anglers who have caught a trout 20 inches or better and flies size 20 or smaller. And the trico hatch on the Missouri River is your best bet for joining.

8. Spring Midge and BWO Hatch on DePuy’s Spring Creek

Winters are long in Montana. Even longer for fanatic dryfly anglers. But waiting for us at the end of even the longest of winters is the early spring midge and BWO (Blue Winged Olive Mayfly) hatch on DePuy’s Spring Creek. It is like Christmas all over again but instead of snow and presents, we get thick hatches and plenty of rising trout. This hatch is the first of the season for us in Bozeman, MT and the first sign that fishing season is here. It makes me smile thinking about it now: digging out the fly rods, dusting off the waders, tying on my favorite midge cluster, and heading to the creek. Anglers can expect the bugs to start hatching as soon as winter breaks, generally in mid-late March. The midges come first and the BWOs begin to hatch in early April. This is classic spring creek sight fishing at its best: just you, the fish, the bugs, the cold spring air, and not a worry in the world.

9. Mothers Day Caddis Hatch on the Missouri River

If the river is too high, it doesn’t happen. If the weather is too cold, it doesn’t happen. This hatch is a sensitive one, but when it does go off, it goes off with a bang. When I think of the Mothers Day caddis hatch on the Missouri River I think of smokestacks of tan caddis flying on the river’s edge and a blanket of caddis dancing across the Mighty ‘Mo. The fish will eat tens at a time along the scum lines. Get yours in line and hold on for the ride. Truly a hatch you have to see to believe. The town of Craig, MT holds the Craig Caddis Festival every year to get the never-ending summer party started when the bugs start to hatch. One heck of a present for Mom.

10. BWO Hatch on the Yellowstone River

The BWO (Blue Winged Olive Mayfly) hatch on the Yellowstone River is a favorite hatch of many of our anglers and Bozeman, MT fly fishing guides. While this hatch isn’t the thickest, the bugs aren’t the biggest, and usually the fish rising to them are generally average size, it happens at a perfect time that coincides with solitude on the river. The BWOs hatch on the Yellowstone in April and again in October. If you have check out our Montana Fly Fishing Calendar you already know we love fly fishing in Montana this time of year. The rivers are quiet, days are cool, fish are happy, and anglers can find real solitude on the Yellowstone River. And the BWOs are hatching. These small, green mayflies vary in size from #16-#24 and bring plenty of fish to the surface to eat them. The hatch generally starts mid morning, peaks mid-day, and tapers off by late afternoon. No reason to get to the river early. While we do blind fish during this hatch, this can be some of the best sight fishing of the year to steadily rising trout on the Yellowstone River. And you will have the whole place to yourself.

Gearing up for 2018: Montana Fly Fishing Guide Approved Gear

Gearing up for 2018: Montana Fly Fishing Guide Approved Gear

Montana Fly Fishing

Best Montana Fly Fishing Gear for 2018

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.

Montana Fly Fishing Guide Approved Rods: Scott Fly Rods Flex Series

There are a lot of fine rod makers out there making great fly rods. We’ve used them all but few others can match up to the quality, durability, and personal touch found in Scott Fly Rods. All of their rods are made in the USA right in Montrose, Colorado. The Flex series is what you will find on my boat. Well priced, two reel seat locks, smooth casting, and enough back-bone to beat up on big Montana brown trout, this rod has quickly become a go-to for our Montana fly fishing guides. We like the 4-weight for Montana Spring Creek fly fishing where finesse and delicate presentation mean success for our anglers. The 5-weight is our go-to-rod for big river dryfly fishing. Mid-summer in Montana often means fishing large dryflies from boat ramp to boat ramp on our blue ribbon rivers. We trust our Flex rods to deliver the goods. The 6-weight Flex rods are our workhorse rods. They throw dryflies, dry-dropper rigs, nymph rigs, streamers, and anything else you’d tie on like it’s their job. And for us, it is. You can find two Flex-series 6 weights on my boat everyday, no matter what. From our seasoned anglers that have fished across the world, to our anglers that come to us to fly fish for their first time, the Flex series offers forgiving action and high-end quality that can be appreciated by every angler.

Montana Fly Fishing Guide Approved Reels: Hatch Fly Reels 4-Plus Finatic

We’ve been fishing with Hatch fly reels for 13 years, across the world, for both freshwater and saltwater fish, and they’ve more than proven themselves to us time and time-again. Our Montana fly fishing guides feel the Hatch 4-Plus Finatic is the perfect Montana trout fly fishing reel. The Finatic is durable, smooth, packs the fish stopping power to handle the even the hottest of runs our wild trout can dish out, and made in the USA. We are tough on our equipment. Our reels are wet, cold, hot, dropped, submerged, frequently dirty, and rarely cleaned. Despite all of this, Hatch fly reels keep performing and exceeding expectations. I still have my first Hatch fly reel that has seen more than 1,000 days on the water, and it still pulls the same as day 1. If quality and durability are what you value and you demand consistent performance from your fly fishing equipment, Hatch Fly Reels is your company.

Montana Fly Fishing Guide Approved Tippet: RIO Products Powerflex Tippet Guide Spools

When it comes to tippet we have tried it all and RIO Powerflex is what we count on. Their guide spools are the best balance of quality and price on the market.  $9.99 for 110 yards of some of the most durable and high-tensile tippet around is a deal you’d be hard to beat. While we do use their fluorocarbon tippet for spring creek nymphing, Powerflex monofilament is what we count on for everything else. From 0x to 7x, we have found that it holds well and great for dryfly, streamer, and nymphing applications. We go through spools and spools over the course of our Montana fly fishing season and it has never let us down.

Montana Fly Fishing Guide Approved Waders: Simms G4Z Waders

When it comes to our waders we count on the wader makers at Simms and their G4Z waders to keep us dry on the river all year long. Bomb-proof, breathable, comfortable, and guide-tested, the Simms G4Z waders have proven themselves in every situation we have thrown at them. The zipper allows us to stay dry even when wade fishing deeper than would should be, but un-zip and be comfortable while rowing or during the summer when the water is cold but air is hot. We have found they will protect you against everything short of barbed wire. And it may handle that too. I have a pair of Simms waders that are still kicking after 14 years. While my G4Z are newer, they seem to show no sign of wearing out any sooner. When you throw your waders through the ringer, tears and leaks will happen. Simms waders stand the abuse better than the rest and are easily patched to last for years after your leg rubs up on the barbed wire fence on the way to wade fish the Bighorn River. We would know.

Montana Fly Fishing Guide Approved Wading Jacket: Simms G3 Guide Wading Jacket

Just as important as a good pair of waders is a good wading jacket to go with them for when the Montana skies turn from sun to rain and snow. The Simms G3 wading jacket is our Montana fly fishing guides’ first choice for reliable and durable protection against the worst that nature can dish out. Simms doesn’t skimp out when it comes to materials and design: Gore-Tex weather protection, adjustable hood, intuitive pocket layout, and built-in gear zingers make this jacket an indispensible fly fishing tool. Like my Simms waders, my G3 guide wading jacket is what I bring on my boat and on the river everyday. From cold and rainy days on the Missouri River in the spring to a Madison River October north wind, I count on my jacket to stand up to all of this and more. From personal experience it’ll handle anything short of a bored bird dog chewing it up. But count on Simms customer service to take care of you when it does.

Montana Fly Fishing Guide Approved Drift Boat: Adipose Boatworks Flow Driftboat

The Adipose Flow is our driftboat of choice for floating and fly fishing the blue ribbon rivers of Montana. I count on my Adipose Flow to handle the use and abuse of guiding 150+ plus days a year. From banging off rocks on the Madison River to holding a line against a Missouri River north wind, the Adipose flow does it all. The interior is comfortable, intuitive, and made with the professional guide and fly fishing angler in mind. Adjustable seats, removable casting braces, and custom interior storage options allow for personal fit. Adipose boats are made by hand in Helena, Montana and you can count on their team to deliver a quality boat and great service. We know their attention to detail is what separates their boats from the rest of the pack. One look at their premium trailers and you will too. If you need a driftboat that rows smooth, handles abuse, and fights the Montana wind, checkout the Adipose Flow.

Montana Fly Fishing Guide Approved Sunglasses: Smith Optics Guide’s Choice

A good Montana fly fishing guide can be spotted in a crowd by a raccoon-eye tan line earned from time on the water. Our tan lines are the shape of the Smith Optics Guide’s Choice. Durable, comfortable, and great lens options make these sunshades our first choice. We prefer plastic lenses to glass lenses for the weight saving, but plastic lenses normally means scratches and poor construction. Smith Optics’ polycarbonate ChromaPop lenses are anything but. Durable and high-quality construction means great color contrast, great scratch-resistance, and hinges that won’t wear out. We need sunglasses that will protect us against a hot Montana summer sun, flies flying through the air, and hold up to the corrosive combination of sweat, sunscreen, and bug spray. The Guide’s Choice handles all of this with style and we count on them to help us spot rising trout for our anglers all season long.

Montana Fly Fishing Guide Approved Cooler: YETI Cooler Tundra 65

You can’t beat the durability and reliability of a Yeti Cooler. A Yeti Tundra 65 lives in my Adipose Flow driftboat, outside, 365 days a year. It gets thrown around, beat up, stood on, and handles it all. It holds ice for days on end in the Winter, Spring, and Fall. This cooler is the workhorse of boat coolers and what every other cooler wants to be. Do yourself a favor and if you need a new cooler for your boat or the back of truck, buy a Yeti. It could be the last cooler you ever need to buy.

Missouri River Fall Fly Fishing Trips

Missouri River Fall Fly Fishing Trips

Missouri River Fly Fishing

Fall Fly Fishing Trips on Montana’s Missouri River

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.

Hatches of BWOs, callibaetis, and midges all have the fish looking up. Terrestrials are also still around and account for some of the larger brown trout caught each fall. River flows are also generally low enough to get out of the drift boat and wade fish to groups of rising fish.  And if catching numbers is your game the nymphing at the dam and streamer fishing can be silly good. Sowbugs, scuds, micro-mayfly-midges, and the rest of usual tailwater fare account for most of the subsurface activity.

Some of our Missouri River fly fishing guides’ most memorable days fly fishing anywhere in Montana have been on the Missouri River in late October when hunters are off chasing elk in the hills, the recreational floaters have headed back to Helena, and we get the whole river to ourselves, chasing after wild Missouri River trout.

Bozeman, MT October 2018 Fly Fishing Forecast

Bozeman, MT October 2018 Fly Fishing Forecast

Montana Fly Fishing Forecast

October 2018 Montana Fly Fishing Overview

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.

October has always been a favorite for our anglers and Bozeman fly fishing guides: low pressure and great fishing. We expect this year to be the same. BWOs have started to show up on the Missouri River in great numbers, as well as the Madison and Yellowstone Rivers. Expect these hatches to only improve as the bugs increase in size throughout the month. Fishing on the Paradise Valley Spring Creeks has also been great and will only improve as the month progresses.

There is something for every angler in October in Montana. No need to get out early. Wait until the morning cold breaks, then hit the water. Nymphing is generally outstanding and some of the largest fish of the year will be taken on streamers. For the dry fly junkies, great hatches of BWOs and midges will make for good action all afternoon. Good time of year to bring all of your layers, jackets, and long johns along. You never know what mother nature will throw at you. Whiskey and hand warmers help too. Come prepared and enjoy fall fly fishing in Montana at its finest.

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Bozeman, Montana August 2018 Fly Fishing Forecast

Bozeman, Montana August 2018 Fly Fishing Forecast

Montana Fly Fishing Forecast

August 2018 Montana Fly Fishing Overview

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.

August 2018 is going to be one heck of a hopper year. The bushes are alive and the hoppers are at the waters edge. We have already had some great days on all of our local rivers fishing single hoppers from ramp to ramp and we look for this to only get better as August goes on. We’ve been busy running around from the Yellowstone River, to the Madison River, to the Missouri River, to Yellowstone National Park, and all points in between. And we’ve seen great fish attacking hoppers across them all.

Need some fishing advice for August? Start early and cut off your dropper. Mid-day water temps have been crossing 68F on warmer brighter days and the bite tends to taper off once they hit this mark. Start early and be done by 2 or 3. Better fishing for you and much less stress for our wild trout. Say no to the dropper! You can’t get your hopper in close enough in many of the better trout lies or get quality drifts in skinny water with a bead head dragging behind. You will find you will get significantly more dryfly eats if you fish a single dry. Can’t beat those hopper eats.

Wanting to get out on the water this August with one of our Montana fly fishing guides? Give us a call today and we’ll get you squared away. We still have a few dates available at the end of the month. A few left in September too. Going to a great late summer and early fall to fly fish in Montana. Remember to thank the snow gods every day.