Dillon Montana Fly Fishing In May

Fly Fishing Near Dillon in May

Runoff season gets going in late April and May on most Montana rivers, making it difficult to plan detailed trip itineraries for this time of year. Expect good fishing conditions on limited sections of rivers through early May and more challenging conditions as the month progresses.

May Highlights

• The upper Beaverhead opens to fishing on the third Saturday of May every year. Those big brown and rainbow trout that live between high bridge and the dam are as easy to catch these first few days of May as they are all year. Anglers from around the region descend upon the campgrounds on the upper river with hopes of being the first of the year to hook into these legendary trout. Runoff is minimal in terms of water color, but expect high flows.
• The Big Hole and Ruby Rivers are both solid options in early May, but conditions vary yearly. When conditions are right, the Big Hole River can serve up some amazing dry fly fishing during blue-winged olive and March Brown mayfly hatches. The Mother’s Day Caddis hatch can be a true spectacle this time of year and usually precedes the runoff season by a day or two.

Bozeman Fly Fishing Guide Pro-Tip:

If you’ve never fished the upper Beaverhead River during “opening weekend,” be prepared for a truly different Montana fly fishing experience. Crowds of anglers will line the banks and boat ramps – this is not fly fishing for those anglers seeking solitude!

However, the trout are well-rested and feed willingly on small midge and Baetis nymph imitations during those first few hours of sunlight! Learn to fish a “pogo” rig with a little red midge and bwo nymph, followed by a few big split-shot, dropped about 6 inches below the last fly.

Dillon Montana Fly Fishing Trips in May

Early and late May Montana fly fishing trips near Dillon are worth consideration by experienced anglers. Variable water and weather conditions complicate advanced planning, but these can be nice “side trips” for our guests fishing with us for a few days near Bozeman.

The Big Hole and upper Jefferson are always on our Montana fishing guides’ minds as we head into the pre-runoff weeks of early May. Both of these rivers can fish well with streamers and dry flies as the water temperature warms and streamflow remains stable. These excursions are typically day trips that we recommend at the last minute as conditions can change daily.

Be sure to let us know that a day trip or two to the Dillon area is of interest to you when making your reservation. Booking can be secured online, through e-mail, or by calling us at 1-406-468-5019.

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