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Spring Montana Spring Creek Fly Fishing Trips

Spring Montana Spring Creek Fly Fishing Trips

Montana Fly Fishing

Spring Fly Fishing on Montana’s Paradise Valley Spring Creeks

The fly fishing on the Paradise Valley Spring Creeks, particularly DePuy’s Spring Creek, is the only thing in Montana better than skiing in March. The weather has to play along, but when it does it can be as good of fly fishing for wild trout as you can find anywhere. And our Montana Spring Creek fly fishing guides have the experience needed to help you catch them.

March is pre-spawn on the Paradise Valley Spring Creeks, but many of the rainbow trout and cutthroat trout will move in from the Yellowstone River. In certain places it is common to see the shadows of dozens of fish in each run. Our guides and anglers both love it.

Fishing stays great through the end of May with hatches of midges and BWOs, but the creeks are critical spawning ground for native cutthroat trout so we avoid fishing once they are on their redds. It is unethical to fly fish to spawning fish and against what we stand for as a Montana fly fishing outfitter committed to conservation and fair angling tactics. We will leave it at that. Some of the Paradise Valley Spring Creek property owners close stretches with high densities of spawning fish and redds. There can be great fly fishing in between these spawning areas on the creeks that can make for great Montana Spring fly fishing trips.

Montana Fly Fishing Guides, Trips, and Outfitting

Montana Fly Fishing Guides, Trips, and Outfitting

Montana Fly Fishing

Montana Fly Fishing with the Montana Angling Company

Montana truly is the last best place to fly fish for wild trout. The blue ribbon waters of the Big Sky state draw anglers from all over the world to take part in the Montana fly fishing tradition. Rivers like the Yellowstone, Madison, Missouri, and Big Horn need no introduction. You can count on our Montana fly fishing guides to make your Montana fly fishing trip, truly your best yet.

Montana Fly Fishing Outfitting

The Montana Angling Company offers custom outfitting, expert guiding, and authentic Montana experiences. We understand that every angler has different preferences, needs, and expectations.

Our outfitter, Max Yzaguirre, personally handles all trip bookings and works closely with anglers to make sure their next fly fishing trip to Montana is their best yet. For some, this may mean putting together a multi-day package to fly fish several of Montana’s blue ribbon rivers and world-class lodging. For others this may mean a day trip to a local stream. We cater to anglers, seasoned and beginner alike, to put together their ultimate Montana fly fishing trip.

Professional Montana Fly Fishing Guides

Our Montana fly fishing guides are all experienced and hard working professionals that are committed to their anglers’ success. Our guide staff is composed of trusted Montana fly fishing guides that all bring a commitment to customer service and teaching every day to the water. We feel strongly that great fly fishing guides are also great teachers capable of working with beginner and expert anglers alike. All of our guides emphasize learning, safety, and having fun while doing it.

Our Montana Fly Fishing Trips

We share authentic Montana experiences as part of every fly fishing trip. World-class lodging partners and great local dining options complement our blue ribbon fishing and expert guiding services to make your Montana fly fishing trip truly authentic. We have lodging options for every budget and consider lodging to be an important part of our custom outfitting service. Our multi-day fishing and lodging packages are designed to make fly fishing in Montana comfortable, easy, and fun.

Spring Fly Fishing Trips in Montana

Spring Fly Fishing Trips in Montana

Montana Fly Fishing

Montana Spring Fly Fishing Overview

The first of March is the official start of fly fishing season for us in Montana. Our Montana fly fishing guides are back on the water, fishing licenses have to be renewed, ski racks are put away, and drift boats are hitched and ready to go to the river. It’s still normal to get snow through March but sunny days and warmer temperatures start to signal the end of Winter.

By April our fly fishing season is in full swing with guided fly fishing trips going out daily, happy fish eagerly rising to early hatches of Midges and Blue Winged Olives, and life is good when the wind is down. In May the weather really starts to stabilize, the fish start to spread out of their winter lies, and the fishing can be some of the best of the year.

What to Expect on a Spring Fly Fishing Trip in Montana

Spring fly fishing in Montana can be a special experience. Like the Fall, crowds are thin, the air is cool, wildlife is out and about, snow is in the Mountains, and the trout are happy as can be. Low pressure and cool water can make for red-hot fish fighting action.

This time of year we are usually guiding on the Yellowstone River, the Madison River, the Paradise Valley Spring Creeks, and the Missouri River. All are great fly fishing options this time of year. Dates and lodging for guided Montana fly fishing on the Missouri River in May book early and fast so consider booking well in advance. If you are interested in Montana Spring fly fishing trips check out our Winter/Spring Guide Trip Special. Same great fly fishing experience, at a price that works for everyone. Fish On!

Bozeman, Montana Fly Fishing Report 5/23/18

Bozeman, Montana Fly Fishing Report 5/23/18

Fishing Reports, Gallatin River Fishing Reports, Madison River Fishing Reports, Missouri River Fishing Reports, Paradise Valley and Spring Creeks Fishing Reports, Yellowstone River Fishing Reports

Bozeman Fly Fishing Overview

Rain today, 80 degrees yesterday, and they are calling for 85 degrees in Craig, MT by Friday. Sounds like Spring to me! The fishing gods have been generous to us this past week. Despite variable flows, changing weather, and all of our major freestone rivers remaining blown out (check back in July), our anglers and Montana fly fishing guides were treated to consistently great fly fishing this past week. The Missouri River fished as well as it ever has for us and the Paradise Valley Spring Creeks had good hatches on the more overcast and rainy days. This will be our story for the next month. For clean water and great fly fishing, our local tailwaters and spring creeks will be your best bet. Want to learn how to fish the Missouri River at 15000+ CFS? Give us a shout to hire a guide for the day.

Missouri River Fly Fishing Report:

The Missouri River is running high but clear, and has been spoiling our anglers and guides on a daily basis. We are lucky to have such an amazing Spring trout fishery in our backyard. Flows hit 15000+ CFS. And the trout couldn’t be happier. More water means more food for our Missouri River trout, and great fishing for our anglers. The Missouri River is fishing great from Holter Dam all the way down to Cascade now. Lots of bugs hatching, but high water makes for limited, if any, dry fly opportunities. To consistently catch Missouri River trout above 9500 CFS, you’ve got to get down and dirty. Go deep in the traditional mid-river spots or shorten up and fish back towards the bank. Worms, scuds, sows, mayflies, caddis, and crayfish patterns are all getting it done. At these flows the holding water isn’t obvious to the untrained eye. 2018 will be a good year to hire a pair of Missouri River trained guide eyes if yours aren’t. Or wait until 2019 when flows drop again. A couple big river deep nymphing tricks: Set on everything, every time; if you aren’t hitting bottom every once in a while you aren’t deep enough; pile on the split shot; and don’t “group shoot” i.e. the river may be big but you still have to fish the right water, at the right depth, with the right flies.

Paradise Valley Spring Creek Fly Fishing Report:

Still the best wade fishing option in the state as of May 23rd. The water is clean, trout are rising, and fishing is good. You may have to pay-to-play on the creeks, but we feel it is worth every penny. Traffic has been lighter on the creeks as we shift between hatches, but BWOs and midges continue to hatch on the cooler and wetter days. Nymphing the riffles has continued to produce fish for our anglers both before and after hatches. PTs, midges, sowbugs, scuds, and caddis pupa have all produced fish. To consistently catch fish on the creeks you have to think like a fish. Where are they holding, when are they feeding, what are they eating, and how wary are they are all important questions to ask yourself. And don’t forget your 6x.‍

Madison River Fly Fishing Report:

Flows are coming up on the Madison River. Be careful wading and floating out there. Northwestern Energy will be raising flows to a flushing flow level (~3500 CFS at Kirby Ranch) for an extended period of time over the course of the next week or so. Navigating the Sunwest and Wolf Creek bridges can become dangerous at these levels. Anchoring safely becomes a challenge. Wade fisherman should exercise extreme caution on all parts of the Madison River. Anglers wanting to fish the river over the upcoming weeks will need to go deeper, heaving, and bigger than normal to find fish. Time to break out the bobbers or big streamers and sink tip lines. Worms, stonefly nymphs, big prince nymphs, and sculpins can all get it done. Don’t be afraid to put on an extra piece of split shot. Fish the softest water you can find for the most consistent results. This is a great time of year to get out on the Lower Madison River before the annual summer toob hatch. Get it while the getting is good!

Yellowstone River, Gallatin River, and other local freestone Fly Fishing Report:

Still big, still muddy, still unfishable. Don’t hold your breathe waiting for our freestone rivers to come back into shape. Snowpack levels are still well above average. Runoff is here and here to stay. Our magic 8 ball is telling us the Yellowstone will be good to go by July 25th +/- a week. Or it could be August 10th if the rains and cooler weather stick around. Only time will tell. I was able to get a day of rafting in on the Yellowstone River last week. Flows are very high and all floaters should exercise extreme caution. And I wouldn’t take out at the Hwy 89 bridge. Big water and a tight squeeze.

What to Expect on a Guided Fly Fishing Trip

What to Expect on a Guided Fly Fishing Trip

Montana Fly Fishing

Montana Guided Fly Fishing Trip Overview

You are thinking about booking a day of guided fly fishing in Montana but don’t know what to expect. You’ve looked through our trip offerings, FAQs, gear list, and river descriptions. You get the specifics but want to know how it all comes together, what the full experience of fly fishing in Montana with the Montana Angling Company entails. Here is our rundown:

For us, every fly fishing trip is important. We put our heart and soul into our work. From booking, while on the water, and until you are back home, our goal is to make sure your Montana fly fishing experience is your best yet.

We pride ourselves on personal service and our Montana fly fishing guides are all courteous professionals who work hard for our anglers everyday. We treat each guided fly fishing trip as custom. We build your trip to your needs. That being said we are asked a lot what a “normal” day of guided fly fishing entails.

A day of guided fly fishing starts when you first reach out to book your trip. Our outfitter, Max Yzaguirre, guides you through the booking process: where to fish, when to fish, where to stay, and how to get there.  You come up with your perfect Montana guided fly fishing trip, and it becomes our job to execute it.

Daily Breakdown and Guided Trip Specifics

The day of your trip starts waking up at one of our many great lodging options. An early breakfast, hot coffee, and great hospitality make your day of fishing great right from the start. From here you meet your guide at the pre-arranged pick-up point. Many times this means your guide will be at your front door, other times you may meet at a local fly shop, and sometimes at the river. This is all arranged to best accommodate our anglers.

You’ve met your guide and you are headed to the river. You arrive after a short drive. Your guide gives you the rundown on what is in store for the day. If you need to polish up on casting or learn a new technique, we try and address this and teach our anglers the requisite skills before the boat is ever even in the water. Your guide will rig rods, provide flies, help you down to the river, and just like that you’ll be fishing.

Montana Float Fishing Trips

A day of float fly fishing means you will experience a great stretch of some of Montana’s finest blue ribbon trout water. Wildlife, great scenery, and ample fishing are to be expected. Everyday on the river is different but our goal is to provide you with great fishing opportunities throughout your day. Our guides will work hard for you to make this happen. A nice streamside lunch provides a great break during the day to slow down and enjoy everything Montana’s outdoors has to offer.

After lunch fishing continues all the way to your take out. Memories have been made, laughs shared, and another great day on the water comes to an end. Your guide will help you off the river, Drive you home, and wish you farewell until next time. Our outfitter does his best to personally follow up with all of our anglers. Your experience is what is important to us and we do our best to continually improve it.

Montana Fly Fishing Trip Summary

Guided fly fishing in Montana is an experience that is hard to put into words, but we have made an effort. What are lost in our words are the special moments fly fishing, the scale of the landscape, and the peace of the river. But you’ll just have to come and experience that for yourself. Fish On!