Montana Fly Fishing, Montana Fly Fishing Forecast
September Fly Fishing Overview
The winds of fall are in the air and our Montana fly fishing guides are looking forward to a great month ahead full of fly fishing and having fun on the water with our anglers. We have had a great past month of hopper fishing and it looks like there is no end in sight! Looking ahead we are excited to fish with many of our long time returning anglers in Bozeman, MT and on the Missouri River.
September is always a favorite month as hopper fishing transitions to the mayfly hatches of fall, and with it comes some of the best fly fishing of the season in Montana. With cooler morning temperatures we expect the window for good dry fly fishing to be pushed later into the morning, but anglers can expect excellent nymphing and often times great streamer fishing during the morning session. By 11:30AM the dry fly bite is good with hoppers on sunny days and mayflies on cloudy days.
Hoot-owl restrictions have been lifted on the Gallatin, Jefferson, and Lower Madison Rivers. We excited to be back on these great waters with anglers soon. All 3 offer great streamer fishing through the fall and are a great day 4 or 5 option on an extended Montana fly fishing trip.
Generally anglers will find the best fly fishing in September on the rivers near Bozeman, MT through the first half of the month, but by the 15th or 20th the Missouri River becomes the main event. The combination of lower elevation and mild late season weather as well as epic hatches of caddisflies and mayflies can make for some of the best fly fishing of the year on the Missouri River. The streamer bite is also generally strong, and anglers willing to commit to throwing buggers will often connect with truly trophy brown trout.
In Bozeman, MT anglers will have a lot to look forward to. Hopper fishing will continue to be strong on the Yellowstone River and Madison River most afternoons with the possibility of hooking into trophy trout most mornings with streamers. Wade fishing on the Gallatin and in Yellowstone National Park can also be great, with hatches of mayflies kicking off by the middle of the month. September is fly fishing in Montana at its best, with great fishing on all of our rivers and the crowds of summer a distant memory.
Our Montana fly fishing guides are just about fully booked for September and are thankful for the continued support of our anglers. We do still have a few openings the second half of the month and looking ahead into October, many of our top guides are available and ready to work. Anglers interested in a Fall fly fishing trip with the Montana Angling Company are encouraged to contact us today, to learn more and plan your next Montana fly fishing adventure. Fish On!
Montana Fly Fishing, Montana Fly Fishing Forecast
August 2020 Fly Fishing Overview
The hoppers have arrived on the rivers around Bozeman, MT and August is shaping up to be another great hopper season for our anglers and Montana fly fishing guides. We have already had some great fun-filled days of trout rising to terrestrials on the Yellowstone River and Madison River and look for conditions to only improve throughout the month. Hopper fishing rewards the committed, the anglers willing to fish through the lows for the highs, and the results speak for themselves: there is likely no better time to see the largest average sized trout on dry flies than during the prime window of hopper season.
Looking ahead warm weather in the forecast will continue to mean early on and early off the river. Most of our anglers have been meeting guides between 6:00AM-7:00AM and wrapping things up before the heat of the day. The fly fishing has been excellent in the early morning hours with great dry fly fishing right out of the gate. Look for this trend to continue if the warm weather sticks around.
Flows are ideal for wade fishing many of our smaller streams and float fishing our famous blue ribbon rivers. August is always a great month for exploring new water as anglers can count on good fishing across all but the warmest of our rivers. Streamer fishing can also be great on most our rivers as limited aquatic hatches force trout to consider alternate options.
The fly fishing has been excellent so far in 2020 on all of our rivers in Bozeman, MT and we look for the trend to continue in August. Look for our guides and anglers to spend most of their days on the Yellowstone River, Madison River, and in Yellowstone National Park. The Missouri River is also a great option during August and will continue to spoil anglers with challenging but rewarding dry fly fishing as tricos, hoppers, ants, and caddis are all on the menu.
Our Montana fly fishing outfitter and guides are just about fully booked for August, but we do still have availability towards the end of the month. Looking beyond that we have received a few cancellations for September that have opened prime slots on the Missouri River and on the rivers closer to Bozeman, MT. October dates are filling fast. Contact us today to book your 2020 Montana fly fishing trip.
Montana Fly Fishing, Montana Fly Fishing Forecast
July Fly Fishing Overview
July in Montana is always a favorite for fly fishing anglers, and July 2020 stands to be great one. Flows are shaping up well for excellent fly fishing daily on the rivers near Bozeman, MT as well as the Missouri River near Craig, MT. The salmonfly hatch has already kicked off on the Madison River and Yellowstone River, and the action looks to only improve through the first 10 days of July. Our Montana fly fishing guides are looking forward to great trips with anglers throughout the month.
July is freestone season in Montana. The Yellowstone River, Madison River, Jefferson River, Boulder River, Stillwater River, Gallatin River, and the many streams of Yellowstone National Park are all on the menu for anglers in Bozeman, MT on a daily basis. Strong hatches of stoneflies, caddisflies, and mayflies, as well as terrestrials by the end of the month, make July one of the premier months for dry fly fishing in Montana.
Higher than average flows on the Missouri River are set to come down by early-mid month, and when they do anglers can expect an extended dry fly season, with PMDs and caddisflies quickly transitioning to tricos, hoppers, and ants. Our fly fishing guides expect the fly fishing to remain great on the Missouri River through the end of the month, into August, and beyond in 2020.
July is the best month for hitting the road and exploring all of Montana’s great rivers. On a 7-day Montana fly fishing trip, anglers could expect to never fish the same body of water twice, and enjoy excellent fly fishing daily. Float fishing trips and wade fishing trips are both productive, with the widest diversity and destinations centered around Bozeman, MT.
Thanks to the overwhelming support of anglers during this crazy year, guide availability is limited for July. While there is still time to book a Montana fly fishing trip in July for 2020, anglers interested are encouraged to contact our outfitter today. See you on the water soon!
Montana Fly Fishing, Montana Fly Fishing Forecast
June Fly Fishing Overview
There is a lot to look forward to for anglers fly fishing in Montana in June 2020. Starting 6/1/2020 Montana is officially open to out-of-state travelers, which means anglers from all over will once again be able to enjoy fly fishing in the Big Sky State. Summer weather is also in the near-term forecast along with the first great summer hatches of caddisflies and Pale Morning Dun (PMD) mayflies that come with it. Put up your waders, grab your flip-flops and fly rods, and let’s go fishing.
Since the announcement of the re-opening of Montana for June we have been steadily busy booking Montana fly fishing trips for the summer and fall months. Our Montana fly fishing guides are looking forward to sharing great days on the rivers of Montana with our anglers safely and responsibly this season. Prime dates for June and July are just about re-booked back up and it is shaping up to be a great fall season. Our outfitter handles all bookings personally and is always available to talk fly fishing in Montana. Contact us today to book your 2020 Montana fly fishing trip.
We are looking to June 2020 as a fresh start. With the turmoil of the last few months behind us we will be on the water looking forward to reconnecting with life through fly fishing and the outdoors. There will also be plenty of lines connecting with trout too.
June is a favorite month for dry fly fishing in Montana. Flows are shaping up to be perfect for great hatches of caddisflies and PMDs on the Missouri River, which makes for some of the best sight fishing for trophy trout of the season. We are guessing the bugs will come sooner rather than later this year as summer weather has already arrived. Anglers with trips planned from June 10-30 should be right in the thick of it this year.
The annual salmonfly hatch is the main event for our anglers and fly fishing guides in Bozeman, MT the second half of June. When will the big bugs hatch on the Madison and Yellowstone Rivers? Still too early to call but runoff is well underway and we are hoping for bugs flying and trout rising by the 22nd of June on the Madison River and by the 28th of June on the Yellowstone River.
In the near-near term nymphing will continue to be king on the Missouri River. We have had guided trips out daily now for the better part of the last few weeks with anglers enjoying quality fly fishing with our guides on a daily basis. Sowbugs have been the top producing nymph on the upper river with good results on larger attractor flies including annelids and crayfish further downstream. The Dearborn River has been all over the map with flows but things are looking to stabilize moving forward and we expecting great fishing from Holter Dam all the way down to Cascade, MT in the coming weeks.
The entrances to Yellowstone National Park in Montana are set to open in June, and the fly fishing season will be in full swing on the Firehole River, Gibbon River, and Madison River when they do. These rivers make for the best most productive fly fishing for anglers looking to wade fish near Bozeman, MT until run-off subsides. You also cannot find a more picturesque destination to catch a wild trout than the Firehole River in early June. Strong hatches of caddisflies and PMDs make for exciting days of dry fly fishing to eager trout throughout the month.
Good hatches and good weather make for easy living and some of the best fly fishing of the year in Montana in June. Our Montana fly fishing guides are beyond thankful for the support from local anglers over the past month and extremely thankful for our anglers that have remained flexible and held onto trip dates for June, in spite of so much uncertainty. These anglers are set to reap the rewards of uncrowded rivers, quality dry fly fishing, and memorable days on the water on their Montana fly fishing trips in June 2020. Fish on!
Montana Fly Fishing Forecast
April 2020 Fly Fishing Overview
A lot of uncertainty in the air as we move into April 2020. Our thoughts go out to everyone during these hard times. We are hoping recently put into place shelter in place orders are able to bring about positive change in the near future and we are all able to get back to living soon. Be well and stay safe.
Our guided fly fishing trips are on hold until at least 4/10/2020 when the Montana shelter in place and closure of non-essential business directive expires. We are still open and available to book trips and talk fishing. In the meantime, local anglers will still be able to get out and enjoy some great fly fishing. We would encourage all anglers to exercise caution and follow all CDC and State guidelines if they do choose to go outside.
Things we can count on in April: strong hatches of Blue Winged Olives (BWOs), solitude on the water, and quality dry fly fishing throughout April on our rivers in Bozeman, MT. The BWO hatch is the kick-off to the Montana spring fly fishing season. Anglers will find plenty of rising fish on the Yellowstone River, Madison River, and Missouri River throughout the month on a daily basis. Calm and overcast days will make for the best fishing. April fly fishing can be as good as it gets, but it’s good time of year to be the last one on the water. Have that extra cup of coffee, get out late, and stay out late.
Skwala stoneflies will also be on the menu through the month of April. Anglers that know when and where to look for them will be rewarded. By the end of the month we can expect the Mother’s Day Caddis hatch to kick off on the Madison River.
Nymphing will remain the most productive tactic most mornings. Streamer fishing will improve as water temps rise throughout the month. Dry fly and dry-dropper fishing will make for some exciting afternoons.
Our Spring Guide Trip Specials run through the month of April. It is anyone’s guess at this point if we will be back in business before the end of the month. If we are, we look forward to some great days on the water with our anglers. If not, then we will hope to see everyone in May. We are all in this together: stay local, stay apart, stay safe, and we will all be back on the water soon.
Montana Fly Fishing Forecast
March 2020 Fly Fishing Overview
Spring seems to be right around the corner in Bozeman, MT and it is shaping up to be an excellent March for fly fishing in Montana. Winter 2020 has been snowy but mild, leaving most of our rivers open to fly fishing throughout the past few months and setting things up nicely for both float and wade fishing trips in March. Our Montana fly fishing guides couldn’t be more excited to get back out on the water with anglers this March and will be spending the next week excavating drift boats from snow drifts, rigging up new gear, and tying the last of their winter flies all in preparation for the beginning of another great Montana fly fishing season.
March fly fishing in Montana is all about the experience. While early season conditions often present themselves and anglers should expect to fish in any and all conditions, there is a certain allure to early season fly fishing. Our rivers are quiet, mountain peaks still covered in snow, and anglers can find true solitude.
Looking at the Montana Snowpack report, pictured above, all of our river basins are just at or above average. A lot can change over the next few months, but as it stands now we are looking forward to another great season with cold water and good flows on all of our Montana fly fishing rivers.
March 2020 Fly Fishing Trips
Anglers joining us on trips this March have a lot to look forward to. Thanks to a mild winter, float trips on the Yellowstone River, Madison River, and the Missouri River will be good to go right out of the gate this year. Most floats will be available and we look forward to some excellent early spring midge hatches this year, which should make for some good dry fly fishing. The streamer fishing on the Yellowstone River is usually solid in March, and we expect 2020 to be no different.
Wade fishing trips on the Gallatin River and the Paradise Valley Spring Creeks will be the main focus throughout the month for our guides and anglers as they offer some of the best fly fishing of the year. Low flows on the Gallatin River make for great access, easy wading, and productive fly fishing close to Bozeman. Consistent water temperature on the Paradise Valley Spring Creeks and a large seasonal influx of trout that migrate from the Yellowstone River make them a great choice for anglers interested in a truly unique fly fishing experience.
Our Winter Trip Specials run through the end of March. Same great fly fishing, with the same great guides, and all at a really great rate. We would encourage all anglers interested in Montana fly fishing trips in March and beyond to contact us today to learn more and to book your next Montana fly fishing adventure.
