Gallatin River Fishing Report
Date: 10/20/2024
Posted by: Toby Swank
Gallatin River fishing has improved since this last cold front passed through late last week. Partly cloudy conditions the next few days should keep the trout feeding with more regularity than we were seeing earlier in the month.
Blue-winged olive and midge hatches have been happening with more frequency, creating longer "windows" of opportunity for the dry fly angler. Fly fishing the river in the Gallatin Canyon, in between the Lava Lake turnoff and Big Sky, during the late mornings has been good for a few of our dry fly only friends.
Nymph fishing is the most productive fly fishing technique throughout the Gallatin River, currently. Tandem nymph rigs with a prince nymph variation like the Psycho Prince or a King Prince in sizes #12-14 followed by a small perdigon in a size 16 are the standard rigs for our guides, right now.
This unsettled weather is a great time to throw streamers as cloud cover gives the trout a sense of security during this low water time of year. Work the undercut banks and deep holes next to structures like logjams and boulders with lightly colored, articulated flies. The Gallatin River sections near Gallatin Gateway are great places to do some walk-wading and streamer fly fishing near Bozeman.
You can get an idea of the water conditions in the Big Sky area by viewing this webcam, hosted by our friends at Montana Whitewater.
Click to enlarge
Flows
407 CFS
On 2024-10-20
Purple Psycho Prince
King Prince
Pink Lite Brite Perdigon
White Peanut Envy
Montana fly fishing trips on the Gallatin River with the team at Fins and Feathers Guide Service focus on the lower stretches. Floating the lower Gallatin River offers access to blue-ribbon trout waters that receive much less angling pressure than the upper river. Hazardous obstructions in the river are constantly shifting, making floating here more challenging than other rivers near Bozeman.
Trophy Rainbow and Brown Trout are here for the experienced angler willing to streamer fly fish during early summer days. Novice anglers quickly improve their skills as our guides patiently coach them through the intricacies of reading water and fishing near structures on this wild stretch of river.
- $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, Four-Corners, Belgrade, or Manhattan
- Book Online or Contact Us To Learn More
Gallatin River Fishing
The Gallatin River starts small in YNP and becomes a medium-sized western river below Big Sky, Montana. It flows through Gallatin Canyon with swift pockets and fast runs. The river is known for its clean, cold water and offers over 75 miles of blue-ribbon trout water accessible at turnouts along HWY 191 and throughout the Gallatin Valley. The Gallatin River joins the Jefferson and Madison Rivers to form the Missouri River near Three Forks, Montana.
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.