You’ve heard it before and time and time again: the Madison River is world-famous, the Missouri River has Montana’s biggest trout, and Bozeman is the epicenter of fly fishing in Montana. Well…you aren’t going to find much argument from us on those points. There are plenty of rivers, creeks, and lakes out there that can provide some consistently good springtime fishing options in Montana. With hatches of Blue Winged Olives, caddis, and early season stoneflies, if you live or are planning to visit Montana during the months of March, April, May, and early June, the following rivers, creeks, and lakes will provide enough options to keep any angler happy.
The Yellowstone River
Known more for its prolific salmonfly hatch and late-summer terrestrial fishing with grasshoppers, the Yellowstone River is Montana’s largest freestone. Anglers wanting a unique experience on the Montana’s Yellowstone River should consider fishing this large river before runoff commences in mid-May. By late March most of the river’s large ice shelves have melted and the first early season skwala stonefly hatches are spotted. Local anglers know March is still hit-or-miss and it isn’t until April comes that fishing the Yellowstone River is a legitimate option. April brings hatches of Blue Winged Olives and the prospect of some early Mother’s Day caddis. Anglers desiring some large brown trout may find a deep and slow-stripped streamer might hook into some of the Yellowstone River’s trophy-sized brown trout. Unlike the consistency of a tailwater fishery, the spring-time fishing on the Yellowstone River takes some no-frills local knowledge or hooking up with the right Montana fly fishing guide.
The Lower Madison
As the closest large river to the Gallatin Valley and Big Sky, the Lower Madison could be best described as the spunky little brother to the world-famous Upper Madison closer to Ennis and Yellowstone National Park. During April the Lower Madison can be a dry fly angler’s user-friendly get-away. Much of this river is also very accessible, making it an ideal place for anglers ready to leave winter in the rearview for another year. The river can fish quite well in March as early season stoneflies such as skwalas and capnias can hatch, but the Lower Madison really shows its spring goodness with hatches of Blue Winged Olives in early April and with caddis later in the month and into May with the well-known Mother’s Day caddis hatch.
The Paradise Valley Spring Creeks
Less than 30 minutes from downtown Bozeman flow two fishy and famous small streams. DePuy’s and Armstrong’s are two ranches that allow access to one of the best places to fish in the spring in all of Montana. Flowing through the two ranches is a spring-fed creek that produces hatches of midges and Blue Winged Olives. The creek begins on the Armstrong ranch and flows for approximately one mile before it enters into the DePuy ranch and flows for approximately three miles before it empties into the Yellowstone River. Anglers can fish the creeks by paying a trespass fee. Because these creeks can be technical fishing and/or require some real-time local knowledge, it is wise to consider investing in a fishing guide if you plan to fish these special waters.
Public and Private Lakes
Southwest Montana is scattered with lakes and ponds of all sizes. Swimming in these stillwaters are populations of rainbow, brown, brook, and cutthroat trout. Some lakes and ponds even have arctic grayling. The largest public lakes–Hebgen, Ennis, Hyalite, and Harrison Lake can all be fished from shore in spring, but having a boat with power will certainly increase your odds of catching fish. Hatches of midges and spring Callibeatis can be quite strong. Slowly stripping leeches can prove very good through early June. Spring is also a great time to fish any of the many private ranch lakes and ponds, such as Burns, Sitz, Nelson lakes, and many other private ranch waters. If your spring fishing desires include chasing some truly large trout, opting for a public or private lake or pond can hedge your bets to a big reward.
The Gallatin River
Flowing from Yellowstone National Park and down through Big Sky to eventually meet the Madison and Jefferson Rivers to make the Missouri River, the Gallatin River is a walk-and-wade anglers dream in spring. Look for warm sunny days in March to energize the fish between 11am and 3pm. Girdle bugs, little golden stones, midges, Blue Winged Olives, attractor nymphs, worms, and eggs are all productive. Warm overcast days are excellent for BWO hatches usually starting in mid-April. Be sure to bring a variety of size 18 mayfly nymphs, emergers, and duns. The best days are warm fronts later in spring, which bring light drizzle and temperatures in the mid to high 50's. These days typically bring consistent BWO hatches in the afternoon and exciting dry fly fishing to follow. Even in late May when runoff takes a hold of the Gallatin River, anglers that venture above the Taylor Fork can find clear water to fish.
The Upper Madison River
As one of Montana’s most popular rivers, the Upper Madison's reputation precedes itself. With fish counts well over 4,000 fish per mile, this is a productive river and the spring is no different than the more popular summer season. During spring, Blue Winged Olives can hatch best on cloudy days with no wind, but you should be able to find some scattered pockets of rising fish even on sunny days. The nymph fishing can be consistent throughout the spring season, especially as the river begins to rise and warm in late April and into May. Stonefly nymphs start to get very active and the higher water concentrates trout in the slower buckets. Catch rates can be off the charts at times. The most popular access points in this section are at the bridge at Raynold’s Pass and the fabled $3 Bridge. Unlike some of the area freestone rivers, the Upper Madison often runs clear enough to fish through the entire spring and summer season.
When spring hits Montana, eager anglers are always looking for the best places to fish. Home to dozens of world-class trout waters including rivers, lakes, spring creeks, and small streams, the fly fishing in Montana in spring can be as consistent and productive as the busy summer months. The cooler and more inclement weather keeps the summer tourist crowds away, so dedicated anglers looking to focus solely on fishing should look into these spring season fishing options in Montana when deciding when is the best time to fish in Montana.