East Gallatin River Fly Fishing in July
July mornings on the East Gallatin can offer the best fishing of the year. Late July trico hatches bring trout to the surface for several hours throughout the lower stretches of the river. Pods of rising trout offer anglers fishing with delicate dry fly setups challenge and reward.
Summer heat and irrigation demands increase water temps and reduce flows as July progresses. Afternoons are generally unproductive, and anglers should check conditions and water temperatures before fishing the East Gallatin later in the month.
East Gallatin River Fly Fishing Hatches in July
PMDs, caddis, tricos, and the occasional yellow sally hatch dominate the dry fly fishing on the East Gallatin River in July. PMD and trico mayfly emergences, followed by their spinner falls, bring rainbow and brown trout to the surface along defined current seams and in foamy back eddies.
Bozeman Fly Fishing Guide Pro Tip:
In late July, East Gallatin River fishing can be “lights out” when the trico spinner fall occurs during the late morning. Fishing before the spinner fall, while the adults are on the water, is not always productive—try a tan Elk Hair Caddis in a size 14 with a beaded trico spinner (sunken spinner) on 3-feet of 5x tippet tied off the bend of the dry fly hook. Fish this along seams in the deeper pools to find trout that are feeding while suspended in the water column. Once you see trout starting to rise consistently, switch to a single trico spinner.
East Gallatin River Fly Fishing Techniques in July
Clear, low, and slow water demand stealth and accuracy when fishing the East Gallatin River during mid-summer. Bright summer days require fine tippets and long leaders—whether you’re using dry flies or nymphs.
Prospecting with small hoppers, ants, beetles, and spruce moth patterns becomes more effective in the early afternoon. Add a small dropper nymph when trout don’t rise to a well-presented dry fly. Be mindful of underwater snags as there is a lot of debris in the river.
Light nymph fishing with 5X tippet and small, tandem fly rigs through deep holes and fast runs is productive as well. Our Montana fly fishing guides prefer to use small, pinch-on foam strike indicators around 4-feet above the first fly.
Be mindful of Hoot-Owl closures and elevated water temperatures, as this river often gets too warm for legal or ethical fishing in mid to late summer.
East Gallatin River Fly Box for July
Bozeman MT Fly Fishing trips in July
July is “primetime” on the varied Montana fly-fishing rivers near Bozeman. The Yellowstone, Madison, Gallatin, and Jefferson offer diverse and exceptional fly fishing experiences through mid-July. With over 23 years of experience outfitting Bozeman MT fly fishing trips, our guides look to July for the best fishing in Montana.
The East Gallatin becomes dewatered as the summer progresses, making the ideal fishing windows relatively short during the typical July day. Advanced anglers who are seeking “match the hatch” dry fly scenarios can expect a few hours of challenging fishing on the East Gallatin River in late July. Early morning nymphing produces a few fish as well, but the fishing will drop off dramatically by early afternoon.
Bozeman Montana fly fishing trips can be reserved with the expert Bozeman fly fishing guide team at Fins and Feathers Guide Service online, via e-mail, or by calling us at 1-406-468-5019.