Montana Fly Fishing Forecast
November Fly Fishing Overview
The winds of winter are in the air as we move into the home stretch of the 2019 Montana fly fishing season. And what a season it has been. Our anglers have enjoyed some of the best dry fly fishing in recent memory on their Montana fly fishing trips. Our Montana fly fishing guides enjoyed a great season filled with time spent on the water with so many great people. We are looking to closing our season out strong with a great end-of October and November.
It has been a cold and snowy Fall so far in Montana. While it has made for generally favorable conditions for great hatches of BWOs and a good streamer bite, we did miss the normal Fall weather this year. Very few days that were sunny and 60 degrees. But that is just how it goes in Montana. Some years you get fall, some years you get a late summer, this year we got winter. Will the trend of cooler temps and snow continue into November? Who knows! But our guides are prepared for whatever lays in store and excited to share our love for fly fishing in Montana with anglers, regardless of conditions.
As for the fly fishing, anglers can expect good fishing on most of our area rivers through the end of the month. For years, we have had a big group of anglers that fish over Thanksgiving week. We have fished all over the state and seen every condition imaginable. One common thread: lots of fun regardless.
November 2019 Fly Fishing Trips
Our guides will be found spending most of their time on the Missouri River, the Yellowstone River, and the Paradise Valley Spring Creeks through the month of October. These fisheries are generally the most reliable late season options. Hatches of BWOs and Midges will remain strong through the early part of the month, but taper off if temperatures drop. Last year we enjoyed great dry fly fishing on Thanksgiving day on the Missouri River on a cold but calm and sunny day. Looking forward to more of the same this year.
Anglers looking for targeting trophy trout on our rivers will find streamer fishing to be the best bet through the month of November. This means giving up quantity of fish, in favor of quality of fish. Streamer anglers wanting to net the largest of Montana brown trout have to be willing to commit to long days, filled with lots of casting, and through all conditions.
What to Expect in November
We are often asked by anglers if November is a good month to fly fish in Montana. Our answer? For the right angler absolutely. Anglers can count on empty rivers, a good bite, and fun days on the water. Are there the best hatches, catch rates, or conditions we get? Nope. Hatches are often unpredictable, catch rates aren’t nearly as high as the spring and summer months, and conditions are often tough. But there may very well be no better time for anglers that appreciate the little things: hard fighting trout, incredible scenery, complete solitude, and the hunt for wild trout.
If you are interested in a November fly fishing trip to Montana, give us a shout anytime to talk fishing. Bookings are also starting to roll in for 2020, if you have dates in mind or want to try and hit the best hatches, contact us today to plan your next Montana fly fishing trip with the Montana Angling Company. See you on the water soon!
Montana Fly Fishing Forecast
It’s going to be a good one folks. Looking forward into October our Montana fly fishing guides are excited for what’s to come. We have had a taste of winter with all-time early season snow storms moving through Montana, but looks like classic fall weather will be back this week and the trout will be on the feed.
Fly fishing was great across all of our area waters through the end of September with BWOs hatching on the Missouri River, Yellowstone River, and Madison River daily as well as some of the best streamer fishing in recent memory. Look for all of this to only improve as we move through the month. We found whole banks boiling with rising fish during this last cold spell and expecting this to become a regular event in the weeks to come.
We often get asked: where is the best place to fly fish in Montana in October? The answer really is there is no wrong answer. Weather permitting anglers can expect a solid bite, great scenery, and strong hatches all throughout our region. For true solitude we recommend the waters around Bozeman, MT. For the best catching there is nowhere better to be than the Missouri River.
For anglers interested in targeting the biggest and baddest of Montana brown trout, October is one of our favorite months for fly fishing with streamers in pursuit of trophy trout. Anglers can expect to fish hard but be rewarded with quality fish. Our guides always recommend hitting the water early for the best streamer bite as the action generally tapers off as bugs (BWOs, caddis, etc.) begin to hatch. We often have to spend the afternoons sight fishing to rising fish. Tough problem to have!
Looking at our guide calendar we do have some availability in October for 2019 but many of our guides are just about booked up. If you are interested in an October fly fishing trip, contact us and we would be happy to answer any and all questions. See you on the water!
Montana Fly Fishing Forecast
September 2019 Montana Fly Fishing Forecast
Fall is in the air and we are looking forward to a great September full of fly fishing. 2019 has been the year of the hopper with some of the best hopper fishing in recent years. The bite should continue on through the middle of the month and into early October. Exciting news for our anglers and just as exciting for our Montana fly fishing guides.
Both our Bozeman Fly Fishing Basecamp and Missouri River Basecamp offer great fly fishing in the month of September. Anglers visiting Bozeman will have the widest variety of water to fish while those visiting our Missouri River Basecamp can expect some of the best fly fishing of the year on the Missouri River and the Blackfoot River. Still time to plan your 2019 September fly fishing trip.
September is always one of the best months for the dry fly angler as hoppers, stoneflies, mayflies, caddisflies, and small terrestrials are all in play. The bugs get smaller through the end of September with BWOs becoming significant to trout, anglers, and our guides by the last week. Strong hatches of bugs on the Missouri River make for great sight fishing to actively rising fish. Cooler days and quiet rivers are a bonus too.
The Yellowstone River is another great September option as flows are perfect for wade fishing, pressure is low, and hatches remain strong. Streamer fishing also picks up on the Yellowstone River as well as the Madison River, giving anglers shots as some of the biggest fish of the year. Hard to imagine a better time to fly fish in Montana.
Planning a 2020 Montana fly fishing trip? Bookings have started to roll in already for prime dates. Give us a call at 406-579-9553 anytime with questions or to book your trip.
Montana Fly Fishing Forecast
August 2019 Montana Fly Fishing Forecast
Great days on the river have kept us busy with anglers and away from the computer, but the fly fishing has been great so far in August 2019 all across Montana and looks to remain the same through the end of the months. Hoppers, hoppers, and more hoppers this year making for great dry fly action on all of our local waters. The Yellowstone River and Madison River have been giving it up daily, making for one of the best Augusts in recent memory. The Missouri River has rewarded the skilled and patient. Will the hopper fishing remain great through the end of the month and in to September? Almost certainly.
Anglers joining us on custom multi-day adventures have and will continue to enjoy great fly fishing across all of our rivers. 5 rivers in 5 days? Yellowstone River, Madison River, Stillwater River, Yellowstone National Park, and Jefferson River. Great fly fishing for our anglers with our Montana fly fishing guides. August 2019 has been kind to the dry fly angler. Terrestrials and strong hatches of stoneflies, ants, caddisflies, and mayflies have made dry fly fishing great on a daily basis. Look for conditions to only improve through the end of month as average temperatures drop.
Interested in a trip in late August, September, or October of 2019? Still some availability. Book today before your dates are booked. Hopper fishing should be great through the end of September and solid flows will make for a great October. See you on the water!
Montana Fly Fishing Forecast
July 2019 Fly Fishing in Montana
Better late than never. The excellent fly fishing our anglers and Montana fly fishing guides have been enjoying as of late has been keeping us plenty busy on the water and away from the computer. July is here and with it comes some of the best fly fishing of the year, particularly dry fly fishing on the rivers near Bozeman, MT. Check out our Bozeman Basecamp Trips to learn more about fly fishing trips with our local Bozeman fly fishing guides.
The Madison River and Gallatin River are already crawling with Salmonflies. The Yellowstone River and our other freestone rivers will be in great shape by the end of the week with strong hatches of stoneflies available as soon as they can be floated. The PMD hatch on the Missouri River came late this year, but has stuck around, keeping the trout looking up and giving anglers lots of shots throughout the day.
By Mid-month our anglers and guides will have pick of the litter when it comes to options. All of our rivers will be fishing well, and our strong snow pack as well as cooler weather will keep them flowing cold and strong well through the end of the month. Dry fly fishing will be king on all of our rivers this year. Salmonflies and goldenstones will stay on the menu at least through the 20th of the month. PMDs, caddisflies, yellow sallies, and drakes will be around through the end. By the last week ants and hoppers will become important. Will 2019 bring the same great hopper fishing of 2018? Very likely. Already seeing lots of small ones around.
Our guide calendars are just about booked for the month. If you are planning a last minute trip, be in touch sooner rather than later. We are starting to take bookings for 2020 already. June trips at our Missouri River Basecamp are booking quickly. If custom trips, overnight trips, or adventure trips are on your mind, it is best to consider booking now for 2020.
Montana Fly Fishing Forecast
June Forecast
June is right around the corner and with it will come some of the best fly fishing of the season in Montana. Looking into the upcoming month, dry flies are sure to be on the menu on all of our area rivers. PMDs, Caddis, and the granddaddy of them all: the Salmonfly, will all be hatching by mid-month. June is probably the best time of the year to target trophy trout with dry flies as the big fish take chances and get sloppy with all of the food around.
Expect to find our Montana fly fishing guides and anglers primarily fly fishing on and around the Missouri River most of the month. May has been wet and cold, delaying runoff on our rivers closer to Bozeman to what will likely be the end of June. Great time to head to Craig, MT and join us at our Missouri River Basecamp for a fly fishing trip. Flows below 10K will keep our Missouri River trout looking up and on the feed. Salmonflies will be on the Blackfoot River before you know it. Flows are looking to be right for good fishing and great floating on the Dearborn River through the middle of the month.
2019 Salmonfly Hatch
Salmonfly madness always starts up in June in Montana. The big bugs will start to show up on some of our smaller, lower elevation rivers by the 1st of the month and by the end of the month, will have passed through or be hatching on just about every freestone river in the state. Need to know where to go?
June 1-15:
• Rock Creek
• Blackfoot River
• Bitterroot River
• Firehole River
June 15-30:
• Madison River
• Big Hole River
• Yellowstone River
• Gallatin River
There are lot’s of other places to find them off the beaten path as well. You can bet when these bugs hatch, even the biggest of brown trout will be looking up for them. The hatch on the Madison River is one of our favorites for targeting big fish. Pick your favorite flies, tie on some 0x tippet, and hold on!
While the Salmonfly hatch certainly gets most of the hype for anglers in Montana, the PMD and Caddis hatch on the Missouri River can’t be overlooked. Some of the best sight fishing of the year for big trout goes down in June. The Missouri River will be fishing well from top to bottom. Find your fish and make your first cast count.
There is a reason many of our guides are booked a year in advanced or more for June: the fishing in Montana is just that good. We still have some availability, but would recommend booking your trip sooner rather than later if you are thinking about a Montana fly fishing trip in June 2019. Look forward to seeing you on the water soon.
