Gallatin River Fishing Report
Date: 04/13/2026
Posted by: Toby SwankCurrent Conditions
The Gallatin River is a good choice right now. The river has a green tint through the canyon and into the valley, and gets dirtier further down towards Headwaters, and it’s fishing consistently.
Fish are still holding in the buckets and deeper runs, but they’re starting to spread out more. You can pick fish up moving between spots now, especially along softer edges, so it’s worth covering water instead of sitting in one place too long.
Nymphing has been the most consistent approach. pat’s rubberlegs paired with a pink or purple lite brite perdigon has been the go-to. Keep everything down and moving at the right speed. If you’re not occasionally ticking bottom, add weight before changing flies.
Streamer fishing has been productive, especially in the valley. Smaller patterns like mini dungeons, peanut envy, and baby gonga in olive have been getting eats. Fish them tight to structure and don’t rush the retrieve.
There are a few caddis starting to show higher in the canyon. It’s not something to plan your day around yet, but it’s worth watching in the afternoons.
Addtional Gallatin River Fly Fishing Resources:
- Gallatin River Fishing in Spring
- Bozeman Fly Fishing in April
Stream Flows
Flows
Recommended Flies
Purple Lite Brite Perdigon
Prince Nymph
Rainbow Spanish Bullet
Black Pat's Rubberleg
Purple Psycho Prince
Pheasant Tail
Brown Pat's Rubberleg
Black Zebra Midge
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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