Gallatin River Fishing Report
Date: 07/25/2026
Posted by: Toby SwankCurrent Conditions
The Gallatin River is finally headed back in the right direction after a rough week. Most of the mud came out of Swan Creek, which pushed the river up and left it off-color for several days. That has started to change, and the canyon is beginning to clear with a green tint that's making the river fishable again.
It's not completely back yet, but every day should be better than the last if the weather stays settled. The upper river through the canyon is in the best shape and will continue to improve before the lower sections.
A dry-dropper is back on the menu. Fish a purple or royal chubby with a beadhead pat's rubberlegs or flashy perdigon underneath. If you're fishing some of the stretches that still have a little extra color, don't waste time changing flies. Add weight first and make sure you're getting down.
There have been a few fish looking up again, but the nymph has still been doing most of the work. As the river continues to clean up over the next several days, expect the dry fly fishing to improve right along with it.
The Gallatin is well on its way back. If you've been waiting for it to recover, this weekend should be the start of some good fishing, and conditions should only get better into next week.
Addtional Gallatin River Fly Fishing Resources:
- The Best Bozeman Fly Fishing in July
Stream Flows
View stream flow graph on USGS
Recommended Flies
Royal Chubby Chernobyl
Yellow Sally Stimi
Rainbow Spanish Bullet
X caddis
Pheasant Tail
Purple Psycho Prince
Brown Pat's Rubberleg
Purple Lite Brite Perdigon
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
Montana River Shuttles
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River shuttle services are an integral part of the Montana fly fishing scene as floating these legendary western rivers is the standard way to fish and experience them. Be sure...
Learn MoreMontana Fly Fishing Trip Photo Galleries
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Learn MoreGallatin River Guided Fly Fishing Trips
Post Date: 03/29/2025
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...
Learn MoreGallatin River Fly Fishing Area Map
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