Gallatin River Fishing Report
Date: 01/01/2026
Posted by: Toby SwankCurrent Conditions
The Gallatin River has been fishing great with the warmer weather. Cold days and persistent wind have shaped how the river is fishing, and the best time to be out has been around midday when temperatures come up a bit and conditions are more manageable.
Nymphing is where most of the success has been coming from. Small attractor nymphs have been the focus. Rubberlegs and smaller stonefly patterns have worked well up front, with zebra midges, pheasant tails, and compact perdigons behind them. A 9-foot fluorocarbon leader of 3X or 4X has been a good setup, with enough weight to keep flies near the bottom.
Fish have been holding in deeper water where the current isn’t pushing too hard. Spending time fishing those sections has been more effective than moving around or fishing shallow water, which hasn’t offered much lately.
Streamer fishing has been harder to manage with the wind and colder conditions. It’s still an option if you want to mix things up, but nymphing has clearly been the better use of time right now.
Dry-fly fishing has been very limited. Midges are present at times, but surface activity has been minimal, especially on windy days.
Overall, the Gallatin River is still worth fishing in December. Plan on a later start, expect wind, focus on deeper water, and keep your setup simple.
Addtional Gallatin River Fly Fishing Resources:
- Gallatin River Fly Fishing In Winter
- Fly Fishing Bozeman In Winter
Stream Flows
Flows
Recommended Flies
Black Zebra Midge
Brown Pat's Rubberleg
Purple Lite Brite Perdigon
Purple Psycho Prince
Pheasant Tail
Rainbow Spanish Bullet
Black Pat's Rubberleg
Prince Nymph
Gallatin River Fishing
Read our "Gallatin River Fishing Guide" to learn more about fly fishing in Montana on the Gallatin River. It is a great resource for anglers fishing near Bozeman Montana and details the various river stretches and seasonal hatches with tips from our Bozeman fly fishing guides.
Additional Gallatin River Fly Fishing Resources
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Montana fly fishing trips on the Gallatin River with the team at Fins and Feathers Guide Service includes wading the canyon sections south of Bozeman and floating the lower river...
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