Montana Fishing Reports

Fall is about to come sneaking in very soon. As we transition from summer into fall and with that each day is going to be a little different--some days will feel like fall while some days will feel like summer. Many of us refer to these days as "Heat in the morning and AC in the afternoon." The long, bright sunny days of summer are behind, but the fish are still looking up for hoppers but the hint of fall weather is felt each morning.

Overall streamflows are lower than average, but with a few cold fronts that have moved through with just the right amount of moisture and cooler weather, our main rivers are fishing well and producing plenty of big fish. Mountain freestone rivers and creeks are fishing well, including the waters in the northeast corner of Yellowstone National Park. 

The best fishing right now is mostly with terrestrials and subsurface nymph rigs. A few fish are being caught on streamers but that is the exception not the rule. The Missouri River is fishing a little more consistent than the spring creeks as by August the hatches on the spring creeks begin to dwindle. Morning and evening caddis on the Gallatin River is providing action and the spruce moths are primed to provide some great dry fly fishing. The Lamar, Slough Creek, Soda Butte, and the Yellowstone River in the northeast corner of Yellowstone National Park are perhaps the best place right now for regularly consistent dry fly fishing for the walk-and-wade angler or the DIY angler. For floating rivers, our Montana Fly Fishing Guides are sticking to the Yellowstone or Upper Madison Rivers.