The East Gallatin is the closest river to Bozeman and can be a very good option for fly fishing for the next few weeks. It can also fluctuate daily with flows if we get rain or a warm spell. It is suceptible to minor spikes as low elevation snowpack melts. If rain or warm temps occur, it can become muddy enough for tougher fishing, but even with rain and some warm, the night time temps are still cold enough to keep the water clear enough to fish.
On the East Gallatin River, hatches of Blue Winged Olives are occurring regularly, just tough part is knowing just where they are hatching AND being able to access the river. Fish are most active in the afternoons and nymphing will generally outproduce other methods. Trout are still concentrated in slower and deeper runs where they don't have to work hard to find food. Even though the East Gallatin is a freestone river, during the spring season it can fish similar to a spring creek compared to some of our other freestone rivers like the main Gallatin or Yellowstone. Smaller mayfly nymphs and midge larva are best so try things like yarn indicators to detect the subtle takes.
As we get into April, some early season stoneflies become more active as well and a rubber legs or small streamer dead drifted or slowly stripped can be effective.
For the Blue Winged Olive and March Brown hatches, the best times of the day are between Noon and 4 PM. Unlike the reliability of BWO hatches on the Missouri or Paradise Valley Spring Creeks, mayflies on the East Gallatin are more sporadic, but when they do occur trout on the East Gallatin often feed very intently and it can be some great dry fly fishing.
Flies for the East Gallatin River Right Now
Para Purple Haze in sizes 10-16
BWO Sparkle duns in sizes 12-16
Zebra Midge in black or red in sizes 18-22
Beadhead Pheasant Tails in size 14-22
Beadhead Little Green Machines in size 14-22
Beadhead Lightening Bugs in size 14-22
Beadhead King Princes in size 16-22
Sculpzilla in black, olilve, or white in sizes 6-10
Sparkle Minnow in gold/olive in size 6 and 8
Beadhead worms in size 10
The Month Ahead:
The East Gallatin will be a very solid local option. If daytime highs rise above 65 degrees and there is some rain in the forecast, keep your eye on streamflows as clarity can change quickly. When you do choose to fish the East Gallatin, focus your efforts during the hours after lunch when fish are most active or your best chance for a Blue Winged Olive hatch may occur.
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.