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Bozeman Fishing Reports

Date: 10/07/2024
Posted by: Toby Swank

Unusually mild weather has been settled over Southwest Montana for the last few weeks, giving anglers fishing near Bozeman a bit of an extended season.

The best fly fishing near Bozeman is subsurface, this time of year. Although our guides have been moving and catching some nice brown trout with streamers, the action has all been during the low-light morning hours.

Blue-winged olives are starting to show up on area rivers with some dry fly fishing periods later in the afternoons and along local river sections with more shade. The Gallatin Canyon is a good place to look for some rising fish in the early afternoons right now. 

Tandem nymph rigs have been the way to go for consistency on the rivers near Bozeman like the Madison, Gallatin, and Yellowstone. Small perdigons and mayfly nymph imitations in dark colors, fished about 5’ under a strike indicator along gentle, deeper current seams is the way to go right now.

Low, clear water is prevalent right now and requires stealthy approaches and finer tippets than anglers typically use when fly fishing in Montana, near Bozeman. Fluorocarbon tippet can be a real “game-changer” in these conditions.

It looks like we might get some clouds and rain towards the middle of the month – those are the conditions to look for if streamer fly fishing for brown trout is “up your alley.”

							  Frenchie nymph pattern for flyfishing Montana on the Gallatin River

Frenchie

							  Spanish Perdigon Dark Olive

Dark Olive Spanish Perdigon

							  Conehead jj special

Conehead JJ Special

							  BWO Hi Vis Parachute

BWO Hi-Vis Parachute

Fins and Feathers Guide Service has been outfitting Montana fly fishing trips near Bozeman since 2000. Bozeman MT fly fishing is famous for the diverse fisheries that are easily accessible for guided day trips.

Anglers typically stay in the area and fish with our guides for 1-5 days on the rivers near Bozeman Montana - our expert guides tailor each day to the skills and interests of our guests. The variety of water and fly fishing styles keeps every day feeling like a new experience for even the most seasoned angler.

We could be fishing to rising fish on a Yellowstone River back eddy one morning and streamer fly fishing the upper Madison the next. Finish a three-day trip on the lower Gallatin or Jefferson River to escape the summer crowds while targeting wild, trophy Brown Trout.

Read our "Bozeman Fly Fishing Guide" to learn more about the many Montana fly fishing options near Bozeman, along with our Montana fly fishing trips.


  • $695 for 1 or 2 Anglers Per Guide
  • Float Trips With Wading Opportunities
  • Use of All Fishing Equipment Is Included
  • Single And Multi-Day Trip Bookings Available
  • Meet In Bozeman, Blegrade, Livingston, Ennis, or Three Forks
  • Book Online or Contact Us To Learn More


Bozeman Fly Fishing

Bozeman is centrally located for convenient access to the best fly fishing in Montana on the Yellowstone, Madison, Gallatin, and Jefferson Rivers. Myriad small streams, mid-sized rivers, and reservoirs provide "off-the-beaten-path" opportunities for the adventurous angler fishing near Bozeman MT.

A year-round trout fishing destination, the Bozeman MT fly fishing options are endless. Learn more about fly fishing in Montana on our blue-ribbon waters in our "Bozeman Fly Fishing Guide" online.