Fly Fishing Blog

Bozeman Fly Fishing Guide To June

Posted by: Toby Swank
Date: 05/25/2025

The Bozeman fly fishing year kicks into high gear as the end of the runoff season coincides with the legendary salmonfly hatches which begin to take off on the Big Hole, Madison, Gallatin, and Yellowstone rivers.

Bozeman Fly Fishing: June

June marks a pivotal transition in the Bozeman fly fishing season. As spring runoff begins to wane, anglers are greeted with a dynamic mix of challenges and opportunities. The month unfolds with swollen rivers and high flows, gradually giving way to clearer waters and prolific hatches that signal the onset of summer fishing.

Early June: Navigating Runoff

The onset of June often presents anglers with high, turbid waters due to snowmelt. Freestone rivers like the Gallatin, Yellowstone, Big Hole, and Jefferson are typically heavily affected, making fishing conditions challenging. However, tailwaters such as the Madison, Missouri, and Beaverhead Rivers offer more stable conditions. The best fly fishing near Bozeman, during the runoff season, can be found on the Madison River.

Mid to Late June: The Emergence of Hatches

As the month progresses, water levels begin to stabilize, and clarity improves, setting the stage for some of the most anticipated hatches of the year.

  • Salmonfly Hatch: By mid to late June, the legendary salmonfly hatch commences on rivers like the Upper Madison and Gallatin. These large stoneflies draw significant attention from trout, leading to explosive surface action. Anglers targeting the Upper Madison during this period often find success fishing large dry flies tight to the banks. Early mornings and late evenings are particularly productive times to capitalize on this hatch.
  • Brown Drakes on the Lower Madison: Around Father's Day, the Lower Madison experiences a robust Brown Drake hatch. Evening spinner falls during this period can produce exceptional dry fly fishing, with large brown trout feeding aggressively in the shallows.
  • Golden Stones, Yellow Sallies, Green Drakes, and Pale Morning Duns: Although the big bugs draw the anglers, the myriad other hatching insects add to the activity to keep trout feeding actively throughout the day.

										Trophy Brown trout success on a dry fly while fly fishing in Montana on the Madison River.

Upper Madison River Fishing

Salmonflies steal the show toward the latter part of June when the big bugs bring big trout to the surface...

										Lower madison river guide trip brown trout

Lower Madison River Fishing

The Brown Drake hatch is one of the last, best-kept Madison River fishing secrets that Bozeman anglers...

										Salmonflies start in late June and make for epic Yellowstone River fishing with big dry flies

Yellowstone River Fishing

The upper river typically starts to fish at the tail end of June as salmonflies and golden stones emerge upstream...

										Gallatin River Brown Trout caught near the Taylor Fork

Gallatin River Fishing

Salmonflies and weeks of minimal angling pressure make for some great Bozeman fly fishing on the Gallatin...

										A legendary Jefferson River Brown Trout caught on a streamer while floating the river.

Jefferson River Fishing

June is the best month of the year for Montana fly fishing on the Jefferson River near Twin Bridges as the water...

										Lower Beaverhead River near Twin Bridges, MT.

Beaverhead River Fishing

Pale morning duns and yellow sallies emerge with warming weather, creating longer periods of feeding activity...


Planning and Preparation

June's changing conditions require flexibility. Anglers should monitor streamflows and weather forecasts, adjusting their plans when one river suddenly starts to fish well with dropping flows. Booking guided trips well in advance is recommended, especially during peak hatches like the salmonflies. With careful planning, June can offer some of the year's most memorable fly fishing experiences in Montana.

Bozeman Fly Fishing Trips in June

If you’re planning a fly fishing trip to Bozeman this June, expect to run into some high water conditions during the early weeks of the month. May was unusually cold, bringing more snow to the high country during a time of year when it is usually running down the mountains instead. Our Bozeman fly guides will be focusing on their efforts on the world-renowned Madison River - both lower and upper river sections - throughout the month. The Big Hole and Beaverhead rivers will be solid options for experienced anglers on multi-day guided trip itineraries during the early stages of the month. As the month progresses, the Yellowstone and Gallatin rivers will come into prime, early summer fly fishing conditions with heavy hatches and cooperative fish lining the banks.

Our Bozeman fly fishing guide service has been a premier Montana fly fishing outfitter since 2000. June marks the kickoff of our summer season with incredible hatches and dynamic fly fishing for the wild Montana trout on the legendary waters near Bozeman. This is an excellent time of year for intermediate to advanced fly anglers to experience some of the best fly fishing in Montana.

Bozeman fly fishing trips can be booked online, via e-mail, or by calling us at 1.406.468.5019.


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