Jefferson River Fishing Report
Date: 02/17/2025
Posted by: Toby SwankCurrent Conditions
With some extreme winter weather Montana’s Jefferson River is out of commission. The river is just about fully iced over making fishing basically impossible. It's time to focus your fishing on our tail water options as they fight the cold a little better.
Once we get through winter into early spring and the river opens up again nymphing will be the way to go. The fly menu will be fairly basic, a red Worm or Leech followed by a small Zebra Midge, Perdigon, or Mayfly pattern is a go-to setup. Make sure to focus your fishing on the slow deep holes and add some split shot to make sure you're getting down quickly.
Recommended Flies
Red San Juan Worm
Olive Micro May
Rainbow Spanish Bullet
Olive Mini Dungeon
Jefferson River Fishing Trips
Fins and Feathers Guide Service has been outfitting Montana fly fishing trips on the Jefferson River for over two decades. It is one of the favorite day trip options - when river conditions are ideal - of our Bozeman fly fishing guides when we have guests with previous fly fishing experience.
Streamer fly fishing the Jefferson during the early and late season produces a few legendary Montana brown trout for the skilled angler. Sporadic hatches of PMD and Brown Drakes in early summer will bring bigger trout into shallow, well-oxygenated riffles in the mornings and evenings.
Overall, Montana fish populations are low throughout the Jefferson River, so angler expectations should focus on "quality over quantity" regarding the fish that we are likely to hook into. Learn more about the river by reading our "Jefferson River Fishing Guide" online.
- $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, Three Forks, or Whitehall
- Book Online or Contact Us To Learn More
Jefferson River Fishing
The Jefferson River is a unique Montana fly fishing destination. It runs for around 80 miles, surrounded by the rugged landscapes of the Tobacco Root and Highland Mountain Ranges.
Formed where the Ruby, Big Hole, and Beaverhead Rivers converge, it meets the Madison and Gallatin Rivers to form the Missouri River near Three Forks, Montana.
Fishing conditions vary from year to year based on winter snowpack and summer moisture, but it offers solitude and the opportunity to catch big fish. Ideally suited for floating, the Jefferson River has low trout populations. Advanced anglers who are willing to work for a few good trout will enjoy fishing the Jefferson.
Our "Jefferson River Fishing Guide" is a comprehensive introduction to fly fishing in Montana on the Jefferson River from the Bozeman fly fishing guides with Fins and Feathers.