September 16, 2023 Gallatin River Fishing Report
Date: 09/16/2023
Posted by: Toby Swank
Cool nights and clear water has made for some improved, mid-day fishing in the Gallatin Canyon stretches this past week with small nymphs running through deeper pools and pockets. The best nymph rigs have been tandem setups, fished a few feet below a strike indicator on 5x tippet with about 18" between the two flies. There are still some fish that will come up and eat a dry fly throughout the day as well - especially later in the morning as the air warms up. The forecast is calling for cooler weather and rain later in the week, while some cooler weather and clouds should make for some streamer opportunities, the rain could bring more off-color days late next week.
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
546 CFS
On 2023-9-16
Orange Psycho Prince Jig
Poxyback Golden Microstone
Purple Lite Brite Perdigon
Parachute Adams
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.