Winter is here on the Stillwater River and it will be for quite some time 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. This is a colder river and once the temperatures drop a bit more the big ice shelves will form, causing the fishing to get tough and also the walk-and-wade angling to possibly be dangerous. 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 most of the winter if it gets full with ice shelves and slush.
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.