The water on the East Gallatin river near Bozeman is low right now and trout but the fishing has been good. Nymphing the deeper runs is definitely the ticket. The trout are highly concentrated in these buckets and not found in the rest of the river so if you aren’t fishing some depth then keep moving. Once you find a productive run you can often hook up on multiple fish. Slow stripping streamers can also produce from time to time, especially with a bit of cloud cover. For nymphs a small san juan worm trailed by a midge larva is a safe choice but dead drifting a big sculpins can also turn up some trout.
The Month Ahead:
The East should be a steady option all winter. The water on the lower river has more influences from spring creeks and spring seeps that helps to keep it open even during cold weather.
Long Term Fishing Forecast:
The East will stay in the winter pattern described above until April when a short but productive period of spring baetis hatches can produce great results just before the river hits run off (the East always runs off early).
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Considering a fly fishing trip to the Bozeman, Montana area? Read one of more recent blog posts: Five of the Best Rivers to Fish Near Bozeman, Montana.