Category Archives: Spring Fishing

Montana locals and loyal anglers have always debated what is the best month for fly fishing in Montana. Because every month offers something unique, the answer is complex and personal. Some months feature consistent dry fly fishing while others serve up very high catch rates with subsurface nymphs...

Fly fishing in Montana is known for broad valleys with views that go on for miles, rugged canyons with picturesque rivers, and waters that are home to several species of wild and native trout. The Smith River epitomizes the many great things about fly fishing in Big Sky country. Beginning in the...

We have all heard it, “you should have been here yesterday.” Such a statement begs the question, “Why yesterday?” The reason yesterday was better most often relates to the environmental conditions of yesterday. A myriad of conditions heavily influence the behavior of trout. Where trout are found...

Cut to the scene: snowcapped mountains backdrop green valley bottoms while clouds build on the horizon. It is spring season here in Montana. Each day brings the potential for sunshine, snow, rain, and more sunshine. For those that know the Montana fly fishing, spring season is a long time favorite...

If there was a time of year that strikes despair and fear into any anglers heart it would be fishing rivers at their high water or runoff stage. A perception of doom and gloom can occur in such a time, but often opportunities to fish during runoff exist...just a little extra effort might be in order...

For many fly anglers, late winter and early spring is a time of dreaming about fly fishing during warm summer days. For those who might want to get an earlier start on their fishing season, midges provide a great fly-fishing opportunity. Midge fishing can be productive as early as January on the...

The Mother’s Day caddis emergence is one of the most prolific aquatic insect hatches that anglers can expect to encounter on the larger rivers in Montana. This hatch is particularly strong on the Yellowstone River within Montana. The Mother’s Day caddis is an early season hatch that generally begins...

The annual Mother’s Day Caddis hatch 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 the hatch is...

When discussing fly fishing in Montana, May can be a double edged sword. On the positive side, the angler is presented with abundant hatches, ice free rivers, and hungry trout that are eager to feed and put on body mass. On the other hand, mountain snowpack is beginning to melt resulting in...

May in Big Sky Country is a magical month. The trees are full of buds, the grass is green, the mountains are still white, and the fish are feeding. May marks a season of change in Montana. Spring and summer both readily characterize the weather observed in May, with sunshine, snow, rain, wind and...