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Winter still has its grip on the Stillwater River and it will for quite some time. We are at least a month out before this mountain freestone is back on the menu. It will be at least late March before we get excited to fish this small freestone again. Fishing on the Stillwater River in winter is really hit or miss. In the colder weather fish are going to be very lazy and not into feeding. The trout are in the deeper slots and nymphing can be productive if you are patient and can detect subtle strikes. Read some of our recent blog posts featuring: 5 Tips for Winter Fly Fishing, Winter Fly Fishing Tips that Go Beyond Just Dressing Warm, 5 Tips to Improve Your Fly Fishing with Streamers or Winter Fly Fishing Options Near Bozeman. Our tailwater fisheries of the Upper Madison and Missouri Rivers are good bets right now while a freestone river like the Yellowstone River may soon have shelf ice and where you can fish safely will be limited to certain sections.
The Month Ahead:
Fishing will be tough for at least a few more weeks until the ice clears.
Long Term Fishing Forecast:
The Stillwater is a relatively cold river and isn’t as productive as some other fisheries in the region in the winter months. April will result in better results but we wouldn’t recommend a long drive to get there until later in the spring when water temps produce more active fish.