The snowpack continues to be very strong as we head into the 2023 fly-fishing season in Southwest Montana. Earlier in the winter, it was looking like the mountains were headed towards a record snow year, which sounds good until July gets here and the rivers are all still high and muddy! Current conditions in the Yellowstone and Gallatin drainages are close to normal whereas the Madison River drainage is loaded up near 115% of the historical average.

In summary, we are currently on a “normal” trajectory that looks like a runoff season that will significantly impact fishing conditions for a 3 or 4-week period. Historically, this is between mid-May and mid-June on the Madison and Gallatin rivers. The Yellowstone River drainage is much larger with a more protracted runoff beginning in early May and lasting through late May.

We are expecting to have good water conditions this spring through early May on the fly-fishing waters around Bozeman. The Madison should fish well in mid-June and be in good shape throughout the summer given the current, higher than average snowpack. The Yellowstone should settle into good fishing conditions in late June with a summer lull in late June and early August – however, much could change and we aren’t certain as to how the impacts of the floods in 2022 will affect the water conditions on the Yellowstone River throughout the 2023 season.

Please reach out to us via e-mail with any questions around planning the timing of your Bozeman fly-fishing trip in 2023. We have been guiding these waters for over 23 years and have seen the impacts of everything from extreme drought to historical flooding on our fisheries. Our expertise and experience ensures that our guests are always set for success when it comes to understanding how water conditions relate to planning a fly-fishing trip to Bozeman.