The Madison River

You can spend your whole life fishing the Madison and still not have it fully figured out. Complexity is one of this river’s primary attributes. This river’s fickle, but often fair, rewarding knowledge and experience. The trout can sometimes be challenging to fool here, because the Madison supports such a rich diversity of bug life. Thankfully, the sheer density of fish means you have a good chance at success.

The Madison maintains some of the highest and most consistent trout populations in Montana. Trout live in good numbers from its headwaters in Yellowstone National Park to its confluence with the Missouri approximately 183 miles downstream. Though the Madison has four distinct sections separated by dams and reservoirs, the primary fishing waters are the Upper Madison (from Raynold’s Pass to Ennis Lake) and Lower Madison (from Ennis Dam to the Missouri). One of the most unique attributes of the Madison is how well it accommodates both drift and wade fishing. Abundant access points and relatively shallow average depths allow anglers without boats plenty of options. Most fishing days do utilize boats, though sometimes just as a means of transportation between productive areas.

To newcomers, even seasoned sticks, the Madison can present a puzzle at first. Instead of the obvious pools and runs anglers are used to fishing, the Madison appears to be an endless expanse of featureless shallows. But hidden within the miles of riffle are countless subtle breaks and depth changes. Fishing the Madison well requires you to accurately read water. If you can figure out how to intuit that language, you won’t find a finer trout river anywhere in Montana.

Bozeman Fly Fishing Guide Pro Tip: Find the buckets, find the fish.

The vast majority of the trout in the Madison River hold in midriver, streambed depressions. Instead of pounding the banks or obvious deep pools, look for subtle depth changes, weed lines, or color changes. Large trout will sit in surprisingly small and shallow buckets. Learn to see those, and you’ll catch fish.

The Yellowstone River

The Yellowstone remains the longest unobstructed river in the Lower 48 States. Instead of clearly delineated sections separated by reservoirs and impoundments, the Yellowstone gracefully shifts its character according to the ancient geology through which it must pass.

Much of the upper river in Yellowstone National Park is defined by steep, rocky canyon walls and dramatic waterfalls that pour from massive, painted cliffs. This area can only be fished on foot, and much of it requires long hikes deep into backcountry solitude. Anglers wishing to fish in Yellowstone National Park need to obtain a special fishing permit in addition to their Montana fishing license.

After leaving the Park, the river flows past the town of Gardiner and the outpost of Corwin Springs before entering the whitewater stretch of Yankee Jim Canyon. Fins and Feathers Guides spend a lot of time from the bottom of the canyon to the town of Big Timber. You won’t find finer float fishing anywhere in Montana.

Lucky anglers spend full days immersed in Paradise Valley—casting flies to wild trout while weaving between the Absaroka and Gallatin Mountain ranges, glimpsing different vistas with every change in river angle. This quintessential section of the Yellowstone boasts exceptional fishing with dry flies, nymphs, and streamers for healthy populations of rainbows, browns, whitefish, and native Yellowstone cutthroat trout.

Below Livingston, the river bends to the east and begins its transformation from muscular mountain tumble to meandering prairie flow. Here, you’re at the eastern edge of the Rockies, the gateway to the Great Plains. Between Livingston and Reed Point, the river holds excellent numbers of rainbow and brown trout. The further down you venture, however, the better chance you have at hooking into an unexpected warmer water species—like a silvery goldeneye (they love dry flies), a hard-fighting smallmouth bass, or a bruising common carp. Anglers who enjoy a little mystery and diversity can have a lot of fun on the lower Stone. You never quite know what you’ve got on the end of your line until it hits the net.

Bozeman Fly Fishing Guide Pro Tip: Straight and psychedelic (extra) terrestrials

Fishing hoppers, ants, beetles, and other terrestrials on the Yellowstone can be great fun in mid to late summer. Sometimes, however, the trout get cagey. If you’re not moving fish or are getting refusals, try a drab, natural hopper (tan or yellow) in a smaller size, followed by an ant or small parachute in gaudy colors (red, purple, pink and orange are good). You’ll be surprised at the number and size of fish that eat the audacious back fly.

The Missouri River

If you only measure the success of your fly fishing days by the number and size of trout hooked, you need not fish anywhere except the dozen miles of the Missouri River below Holter Dam. You simply won’t find a more productive stretch of trout water anywhere in Montana. When insect hatches are thick, entire shoals of trout elevate to the surface. But just because they’re plentiful, doesn’t make them easy. Even when the surface boils with rising fish, your cast, drift, leader, tippet, and fly selection have to be near perfect to fool one.

Whether the dry fly fishing is good or not, nymphing is almost always productive. Even anglers with very little experience can have exceptional days hooking numerous large trout fishing nymph and indicator rigs from boats with knowledgeable guides. If you’re a bit more seasoned, you can hunt for fish feeding subsurface over shallow weed beds and try your hand at sight-nymphing.

Depending on the conditions, streamer fly fishing can also be an extremely effective (not to mention fun) way to target some of the larger fish in the system. Strip them along the banks, slow drift them in deep slots under indicators, or swing them across shallow flats on two-handed rods—if they’re in the mood, Missouri River trout will respond.

No matter how you like to fly fish for trout, you can find opportunity—and fish—on the Missouri. While particularly popular during runoff in the spring and early summer when other Montana rivers are unfishable, the “Mo” fishes well nearly every day of the year.

Bozeman Fly Fishing Guide Pro Tip: Fish in the riffles

In the warmer months, you can catch a huge number of trout by targeting shallow water higher up in the riffles than you think. Find one of the many big riffles that drop into deep pools. No matter what your instincts tell you, ignore the deep pool. Fish from the bottom of the riffle (where it drops into deeper water) all the way up to the head of the riffle (where it speeds up from the previous tail out). You’ll be surprised at the quantity and quality of trout you find in skinny, fast water.

The Big Hole River

I consider the Big Hole archetypical. It’s not a trout river; it defines the look, sound, feel, and essence of a trout river. I’ll go out on a limb and call The Big Hole Valley the most beautiful in Montana. A bold statement, but if you’ve spent a day between those banks, you know.

The Upper Big Hole houses the last remaining population of wild, native, fluvial arctic grayling in Montana. If you’re lucky enough to catch one of these iridescent aquatic gems, treat it with reverence and release it quickly. The upper river also supports solid numbers of rainbow, brown, and brook trout. The upper sections offer languid, relaxed floats and a good chance at pods of rising fish prickling in slower water.

As you travel downstream, the flows speed up and the character of the river begins to change with bigger boulders and more pocket water. Below the canyon, (which you should only float if you have significant whitewater experience) the river spreads out and browns become the predominant species. While some of them can (and do) grow beyond the two-foot mark, this river is best known for its 16-20 inch battle tanks—thick, healthy, beautifully colored trout with voluptuous shoulders.

Bozeman Fly Fishing Guide Pro Tip: Don’t fear high water

Even when the water levels are high in the spring and early summer, the Big Hole generally remains clear enough for fish to see and feed. Cast big streamers (especially in yellow) into whatever slower water you can find. Aggressive trout can often be found right next to flooded streamside willows. Only float the river at high water if you’re a very experienced rower. Better yet, hire a guide and let someone else do the difficult, technical rowing while you fish safely.

Flyfish Montana Rivers with a Pro or DIY

I consider the rivers above to be the best of the best. That said, you can’t really go wrong; wherever you choose to go for a Montana fly fishing trip, chances are you’ll experience an incredible river amid stunning scenery. If you’d like some expert help planning and creating a custom Montana fly fishing experience tailored to your preferences and expectations, contact us at info@flyfishingbozeman.com.