Bozeman, Montana Fly Fishing Overview
Fall is in the air in Bozeman, MT and our Montana fly fishing guides and anglers have been enjoying great fly fishing on a daily basis. We’ve received our first taste of cooler and wetter weather over the past week and were treated to great hatches of Blue Winged Olives (BWOs) and Fall Drakes on our Bozeman area rivers. Anglers can expect this pattern to continue through the end of the month: cooler overcast and rainy days will mean good mayfly hatches while warmer and sunnier days will continue to produce good hopper fishing. Smaller terrestrials will also continue to be important for dry fly anglers and trout as flying ants and beetles will stay on the menu. Streamer fishing has started to pick up across Montana as has the fall nymph bite on the Missouri River. Look for hatches and the fly fishing to only get better through the end of the month. Late September is one of our favorite times of the year to fly fish in Montana: quiet river and strong hatches make for fun days on the river. Our guide’s calendars are just about booked for September but still time to plan your Fall fly fishing trip to Bozeman or the Missouri River in October.
Yellowstone River Fly Fishing Report
The main event around Bozeman, MT from now through October. The hopper bite has remained strong and excellent hatches of BWOs and Fall Drakes on the more overcast days have meant excellent dry fly fishing for our guides and anglers. Flows are low enough that wading has become a great option. We expect for fishing only to improve through the end of the month as mayfly hatches improve and the streamer bite picks up with the cooler weather. Nymphing has remained productive with dead-drifted streamers, stonefly nymphs, and larger caddis and mayfly nymphs producing well, trout and whitefish alike. Nowhere bad to fish right now with the Yellowstone fishing well from Gardiner to Columbus.
Madison River Fly Fishing Report
Will hopper madness on the Madison River continue though the end of the month? Looks like it. While the fish on the Upper Madison have certainly become more wary than they were in late-July and early August, we have still had a good hopper bite on an almost daily basis. Cooler, wetter, and overcast weather will make for tougher hopper fishing. On these days anglers are better off sticking to nymphing, streamer fishing, or targeting slower pools and look for fish rising to BWOs. October caddis have started to show up as well. The Lower Madison has also come into shape again, making for great fishing close to home.
Missouri River Fly Fishing Report
Mother ‘Mo always provides and this September will be no exception. Weeds will persist downstream until later in the fall, but expect for good hatches of BWOs and callibaetis to pick up over the next month and make for great dry fly fishing up and downstream from Craig, MT. Hoppers and Ants will also stay on the menu through the end of the month. Nymphing on the upper river from Holter Dam to Craig has been good and will only get better. Going deep in the morning and short in the afternoon should keep your rod bent all day. Sowbugs, Czech nymphs zebra midges and small mayfly nymphs should have you covered.
Yellowstone National Park Fly Fishing Report
September is a great month to be an angler in Yellowstone National Park. Our guides focus primarily on the Lamar Valley region through the early-fall where the Lamar River drainage offers great hatches and fly fishing for native Cutthroat trout. Fall drakes are the main attraction, generally hatching mid-morning through mid-afternoon. The best hatches can be expected on colder, wetter days, but patient anglers should be able to coax fish to the surface under all conditions. Hoppers and beetles will stay on the menu through the end of the month. Anglers headed west can also expect good fishing on the Madison River drainage with great streamer fishing on the Madison River and solid hatches on the Firehole River. It’s swing season on the west side for wet fly enthusiasts.
Paradise Valley Spring Creek Fly Fishing Report
Hatches have been thin overall, but hatches of sulphurs will keep things interesting and BWOs will only improve through the end of the month on cooler and overcast days. Nymphing will be the key to consistent success right now on the spring creeks. Small mayfly nymphs, zebras, and sowbugs on 6x and 7x fluorocarbon will produce. Conditions are not easy on the spring creeks, but anglers can expect challenging but rewarding fishing.
Gallatin River Fly Fishing Report
Flows are perfect for wade fishing from top to bottom and the East Gallatin. Dry fly fishing has been great and will continue to be for the foreseeable future. Hopper fishing has been the main attraction on sunnier days and mayfly attractors will get it done on cooler overcast days. Nymphing and streamer fishing will only get better as we move through the month as the larger brown trout become more aggressive.
