Western Green Drake Hatches in Montana

The nymphs crawl along the river bottom, preferring rocky riffles with fast currents. These large mayflies often struggle during their emergence, making cripple fly patterns a Montana fly box essential throughout June. They are easy to identify with their dark wings and large, upright wings which appear black when the insects are in flight.

They emerge as adults during June and early, providing a brief but spectacular window of dry fly action. They are widespread among the famed Montana fly fishing rivers and streams. They hatch at the same time as salmonflies and golden stones and are often overlooked by Montana anglers.

Green Drakes, however, are the main attraction on the Henry’s Fork River in Idaho, attracting anglers from around the world to experience the hatch on the legendary Railroad Ranch in Harriman State Park.

Flavs are often confused for Green Drakes as they are similar in color, but closer to a size 14 than their larger cousins. Flavs are important to anglers fly fishing the Madison River in July as their spinners bring myriad trout to the surface near twilight on its upper reaches.

Top 3 Montana Rivers for Fly Fishing the Green Drake Hatch

Madison River : The upper Madison River near Ennis has the most prolific Green Drake hatch in Southwest Montana. The rocky bottom and endless series of riffles is ideal habitat. The stretches between Raynold’s Pass and Storey Ditch are the best Madison River fly fishing sections during the Green Drake hatch in late June.

Yellowstone River : The Yellowstone River drops and starts to come into fishable shape towards the end of June. Salmonflies, golden stones, caddis, yellow sallies, and Green Drakes all hatch in prolific numbers as the water levels drop below 8000 CFS. Large Green Drake imitations are highly effective during the mid-day hours for anglers fly fishing the Paradise Valley sections.

Gallatin River : The fast, clean water of the Gallatin River are home to an impressive Green Drake hatch in early-mid July. The canyon sections between Big Sky and Gallatin Gateway are best for anglers targeting the hatch.

Other Notable Rivers

Green Drake hatches can be found on many world-renowned Montana fly fishing rivers. Often overshadowed by poor water conditions or competing hatches, these hatches are a low priority for most anglers fly fishing in Montana during the early summer. However, they are important to the trout which will often take a well-presented Green Drake dry fly over the best looking salmonfly drift. The Bitterroot, Clark Fork, Rock Creek, and Boulder rivers can each offer outstanding dry fly fishing in Montana during the Green Drake hatch.

Top 6 Flies for Fly Fishing the Green Drake Hatch

Green Drake Dry Fly Patterns (Size 10-12)

1. Green Drake Missing Link : This Mike Mercer original is a killer pattern for wade anglers fly fishing the Madison River near $3 Bridge in late June. It can be fished as a dun or cripple pattern and is one of our Bozeman fly fishing guide’s standard picks when fly fishing near Bozeman during the early summer.

2. Green Drake Paradrake : Designed to mimic the mayfly’s elongated body, this fly excels in calm water where trout have time to inspect their prey. This low-profile dry fly works well in back eddies and side channels with mellow flows.

3. Hairwing Green Drake : The deer hair wings keep this high floating imitation on the water surface when fishing fast pocket water and riffles on the Montana freestone rivers where these hatches are best.

4. Green Drake Parachute : This realistic imitation of a natural green drake dun is a great choice on warm, cloudy days when the hatch is at its best. The dark colored parachute post is highly visible to the angler when surface glare is an issue.

5.Nealley’s Green Drake : A high floating green drake adult or cripple pattern that works really well in the fast water of the Boulder, Gallatin, and upper Madison rivers. The rubberlegs give it lifelike motion while helping to keep it upright through riffles and runs.

Green Drake Nymph Patterns (Size 10-14)

6. Hare’s Ear : This buggy classic works great as a dropper or under a strike indicator during the pre-hatch hours. Using this fly under a salmonfly dry can be highly effective on rivers with a steady, fast current like Rock Creek and the upper Madison.

7. The Fly Formerly Known as Prince : The tinsel wings give added flash which is often needed when water conditions are less than ideal. Fish this pattern as the lead fly on a tandem nymph rig or as a dropper off of big dry fly like a Chubby Chernobyl

Pro Tips for Fly Fishing the Green Drake Hatch

Timing Matters : Green Drakes typically emerge on Montana Rivers during late morning and early afternoons from late June through mid-July.

Presentation Techniques : Most anglers focus on dead drift presentations, but subtle twitches over rising trout can elicit aggressive strike from some very large trout.

Rod and Fly Line Recommendations : A 9-foot, 5-weight fly rod with a fast action is preferred for fly fishing in Montana during the peak of Green Drake activity. Some of our Montana fishing guides’ top picks for this style of fishing are the Sage Igniter, St. Croix Evos, and G. Loomis Asquith. Slower, more moderate action fly rods – like the G. Loomis NRX+ LP are preferred by anglers fishing this hatch on the Henry’s Fork as this action is preferred when delicate presentations are essential. Pair any of these fly rods with an Elite Rio Gold fly line for top-tier performance and versatility.

Stay Observant : Although every angler hopes to find steadily rising trout neatly lined up along a gentle bank, the reality is that trout will feed on green drakes in a variety of water types. Watch for repeatedly rising trout to tell the difference between fish feeding selectively on mayfly duns versus opportunistically on salmonfly adults. Try a cripple pattern over rising fish that aren’t quite “showing” their heads and backs when feeding near the surface.

Book Your Montana Fly Fishing Trip

Late June through mid-July is the premier time of year for dry fly fishing in Montana on the rivers near Bozeman. Prolific hatches of mayflies, stoneflies, and caddis bring fish to the surface. Water temperatures and conditions are typically at their best of the season, keeping fish feeding throughout the day.

Whether you just love fishing dry flies or prefer hunting for rising trout and choosing your targets, the rivers near Bozeman have unmatched variety for the dry fly angler during this time of year.

Fins and Feathers Guide Service has been outfitting Montana fly fishing trips for over two decades. When Green Drakes are hatching, anglers can expect to find trout rising throughout the day on these and many other aquatic insects.

Join our team of professional Montana fly fishing guides during late June or early July for a few days of exceptional dry fly fishing. Reservations can be placed online, through e-mail, or by calling us at 1-406-468-5019.