June is primetime for fly fishing in Montana on the Beaverhead and Big Hole Rivers near Dillon. Myriad hatches and ideal water temperatures keep fish feeding throughout the day, both on top and subsurface.
The abundance of options near Dillon is apparent in early June as the Jefferson, Big Hole, Beaverhead, and Ruby River by all come into shape when the runoff subsides. Small streams like Red Rock and Sheep Creek start to fish well for adventurous anglers too.
As the days get longer and the summer heat settles in by late June, water temperatures and reduced streamflow start to weigh heavily on the Big Hole, Jefferson, and lower Ruby rivers. The Beaverhead, however, continues to fish well through July – especially on the upper sections near Clark Canyon Reservoir.
Salmonflies erupt sometime between late May and early June on the Big Hole River. This is one of the most iconic Montana dry fly fishing events, attracting anglers from around the globe to Melrose, MT for a couple of weeks every year.
Yellow sally, caddis, and PMD hatches take off in mid-June on the Beaverhead River, creating a few weeks of terrific nymphing through mid-July. The dry fly fishing is sporadic on the Beaverhead during this time, but the skilled angler can have several shots a day at subtle risers over 20”
If we could fly fish in Montana, near Dillon for any two-week period of the year it would most certainly be the first two weeks of June. Dry flies on the Big Hole, nymphing for big fish on the Beaverhead, and streamer fly fishing in solitude on the Jefferson River is a combo that is hard to beat and they are all at their best during this two-week period.
Late May through mid-June is our Montana fishing guides’ favorite time of year to be on the legendary trout waters near Dillon. The rivers are busy, but the fish and bugs are as active as ever.
Regulations limit commercial and non-resident angling activity on these two rivers during their peak times. Special permits enable Fins & Feathers to operate on the Big Hole and Beaverhead, expanding our area of operation to include the Dillon area. The Big Hole is high on our list in early June, while the Beaverhead remains a solid choice through late July.
We recommend these trips to anglers with previous fly-fishing experience as the techniques required vary from simple dry fly fishing to technical nymphing in tight quarters. All these trips are float trips from either rafts or drift boats – dependent on water levels.
Contact us to learn more about the Montana fly fishing options near Dillon and consider adding a day trip to one of these fine fisheries when fishing with Fins and Feathers on the Montana rivers near Bozeman.