Category Archives: Fishing by Time of Year

August is an extremely popular time to visit and flyfish the Madison River. The Madison can fish well during all 12 months of the year, and each month sees a different set of challenges for fishermen to solve. During August, those challenges can include warm, sunny weather, fishing pressure, and in...

The fishing season in Yellowstone National Park begins at daybreak on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend each year. For me, this is a special occasion viewed with much anticipation. The park was the site of my first fly fishing trip as a young kid. I spent my college summers working and living...

Montana is filled with a variety of different rivers, spring creeks and lakes. The diversity of fishing is staggering and the complexity and variety only increases as we consider different times of year as each fishery changes dramatically in how and where the fish are found over the course of the...

As a fishing guide in Yellowstone National Park, I am often asked questions like, “Where can I fish close to West Yellowstone in August?” or “What rivers near Gardiner fish well in early June?”. I pick these examples because, frankly, you would be very disappointed with the answer to each one. While...

For myself and many other local anglers, Montana’s fall run of Brown Trout is the most anticipated event of the year. Large, lake dwelling trout begin moving into the river systems during late September and October and are accessible to fly anglers during this pre-spawn period. Productive fishing...

October is when we really see the seasons shifting here in Yellowstone Country. While we typically get at least some warm, Indian Summer days, chilly weather and sub freezing mornings become the norm. October is the definitive big fish time in Yellowstone National Park. Migratory fish are moving out...

Simply put, July is a prime time to fish in Yellowstone National Park. As run-off subsides early in the month, anglers have a chance to target fish that have not seen flies since the previous fishing season. Both water levels and temperatures are at prime levels and the hatches are both thick and...

The annual Mother’s Day Caddis hatch in early May is one of the most anticipated events here in Southwest Montana. While it may not be quite as famous as the Salmon Fly hatch, the fishing can be every bit as good, if not even better. The sheer number of bugs that take to the air during the peak of...

Spring is unquestionably the most underrated time of year to fish the Yellowstone River. As water temperatures rise, the trouts’ metabolism begins to increase, putting them on the hunt for food. Fishing pressure is low during spring, and most trout on the ‘Stone haven’t seen a fly in months. While...

Fishing regulation changes for 2016 have opened up some great new options for anglers on the Madison River. Previously, much of the river was closed between the end of February and the 3rd Saturday in May. Now, the entire river from Hebgen Lake to the Missouri River, nearly 100 miles of productive...