Gallatin River Fishing Report
Date: 12/29/2025
Posted by: Toby SwankCurrent Conditions
The Gallatin River remains a solid winter option right now, even with colder days settling in. Recent weather has kept conditions stable, and while mornings have been slow, the river has been fishing best around midday when temperatures come up a bit. Planning a later start has made a noticeable difference.
Nymphing is where almost all the action is coming from. Small attractor nymphs have been the most consistent producers. Patterns like rubberlegs paired with smaller perdigons, pheasant tails, or zebra midges have been working well when fished deep. A 9-foot fluorocarbon leader of 3X or 4X is a good all-around setup. Making sure your flies are down near the bottom has mattered more than changing patterns.
Fish have been holding in deeper sections where the water has some push but isn’t moving too fast. Spending time fishing those areas thoroughly has been more effective than covering a lot of ground. Shallow water hasn’t offered much lately.
Streamer fishing has taken a back seat with the colder water. It’s still an option if you want to mix things up, but nymphing has clearly been the more reliable choice.
Dry-fly fishing has been very limited. Midges are present at times, but surface activity has been minimal.
Overall, the Gallatin River is still worth fishing in December. Focus on the middle of the day, keep your setup simple, and stick with nymphs for the most consistent results.
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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