Where to fish when rivers are icy

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Date: 01/01/2025

Rivers are full of slush and ice when a bitter cold snaps arrives, but there are some winter fishing options if cabin fever has you itching to get your fix. The snow cover and solitude makes for a peaceful experience. Another plus is that getting out on the river for a few hours is a good way to get out of the house for some fresh air.

The best choice is to pay for one of the private spring creeks. It’s worth the $40 winter rates to fish the creeks since water temperatures don’t dip much below 50 degrees. Fish come up out of the Yellowstone to find food when anchor ice is making for tough foraging on the river. When the ice starts to build up on your rod, you can dip it in the warm water to clear the ice that develops. It’s much easier than constantly chipping ice every couple of cast. Another good option is to fish the Upper Madison between Hebgen Dam and Quake Lake, or in the wade only section down below Quake around Raynolds Pass or $3 Bridge. Below Ennis Dam down to the powerhouse is another one of our cold weather favorites. The river there is warm enough coming off of the dam to keep ice and slush at a minimum. The fish stack up in that section during the winter to avoid some of the ice found down lower. The Missouri River below Holter Dam down to Craig is a great place to hit during the cold months of winter. Water is drawn from Holter Lake, which keeps the temps from getting much below 35 degrees.

Fortunately these super cold snaps usually don’t last too long, and more comfortable temps are on the way this week. You’ll still want to concentrate on these types of spots until it warms up enough to thaw out the slushy conditions.

Stop by our Bozeman fly shop for the latest info, and check out our selection of winter gear.