With summer in the rearview here in Montana, our focus now shifts to our consistently good fall fly fishing options. Nearly all of local rivers, streams, and lakes in the Bozeman, Montana area are good options for a fall fly fishing trip. Read one of our recent blog posts featuring Five Montana Rivers to Fish This Fall. The main hatches for fall fly fishing in Montana are Blue Winged Olives, October Caddis, and lingering terrestrial fishing. Through September, and in some years into October, we can have great grasshopper and terrestrial fishing. Our tailwater fisheries of the Upper Madison and Missouri Rivers are good bets right now while our freestone rivers like the Gallatin and Yellowstone Rivers are also showing signs of another exciting fall season. Another solid option for fishing right now are the Paradise Valley Spring Creeks or some of the many backcountry fishing options in Yellowstone National Park.
Southwest Montana Fishing Reports Overview
- Very Good
September is here and fall is just around the corner. Check out our recent blog on Five Rivers to Fish This Fall. All of our rivers are not in great shape to finish out the season--which will last into November! For fishing in southwest Montana right now terrestrials have been thick on our local...
Yellowstone River Fishing Report
- Very Good
The river is still in the summer mode with fish actively looking for hoppers, ants, and beetles. The good news is that the The Yellowstone River no longer has any hoot owl restrictions! Even with hoot owls being lifted most guides are getting on early and getting off before the hottest time of the...
Upper Madison River Fishing Report
- Very Good
The Upper Madison is starting to show its fall colors...and some big brown trout! Check out our Instagram to see some recent pics of big browns from the Madison. Fall is very much in the air with the cooler mornings and longer, cooler nights. Fishing action has been day to day with some cool...
Lower Madison River Fishing Report
- Fair
Even with the Lower Madison still under hoot owl restrictions the fishing in the morning has been consistent. Water temps are not rising to dangerous levels, but the forecast for this weekend is calling for hot weather to return, so it may be an additional week or so before the Hoot Owls are lifted...
Gallatin River Fishing Report
- Very Good
Of all the rivers we fish in the Bozeman and Big Sky area, the Gallatin River sees the fall season come first. The scenic Gallatin Canyon is going to fish better than any other section of the river. But, with the longer and cooler nights of early September compared to August, the river's hatches are...
Montana Spring Creeks Fishing Report
- Very Good
Current Conditions: It is late August and the Paradise Valley spring creeks can be as challenging as they get. For anglers willing to cover some ground and explore the creek, there has been OK fishing with terrestrials. A rising trout may eat a well presented ant or beetle. Additionally, walking...
Stillwater River Fishing Report
- Good
Current Conditions: The Stillwater River is a little below average for streamflows for this time of year. The floating is run and gun and the best fishing will be to pull over and work inside corners with slower water. The attractor dry fly fishing is hitting its stride. The Month Ahead: The...
Boulder River Fishing Report
- Good
Current Conditions: The Boulder River has dropped significantly the past few weeks and is getting pretty low for floating. Wading is a great option for anglers wanting to fish the Boulder River. Water temps are staying cold and fishing has been consistent on this mountain freestone river near...
Jefferson River Fishing Report
- Fair
The Jefferson River is no longer on Hoot Owl Restrictions! Streamflows are still very low so plan your fishing accordingly. If you choose a long float, be prepared to do some pushing through the less fishy water and focus on the water that will hold more fish this time of year...and that water is...
East Gallatin River Fishing Report
- Good
The East Gallatin River flows near Bozeman, Montana and is back in shape after being under Hoot Owl Restrictions for most of the last month. The East Gallatin River is known this time of year for providing some good Do-It-Yourself walk and wade fishing. The hard part about the East Gallatin is...
Missouri River Fishing Report
- Very Good
Current Conditions: The Missouri River near Helena and Craig, Montana is its reliable tailwater-self. Late August on the Missouri has served up a variety of conditions. The canyon section has been a little more productive than other sections as that water has more riffles and faster moving water...
Ruby River Fishing Report
- Good
The Ruby River near Virginia City and Twin Bridges, Montana is a good option for mid-summer fly fishing. The Ruby Dam helps to regulate flows which helps to regulate water temperature. The Ruby River also provides a lot of water for irrigation in late July, flows tend to run average when many other...
Montana Lakes Fishing Report
- Good
Current Conditions: Montana's Lakes and ranch ponds like the smaller private ranch lakes that we target like Burns and Sitz vary in fishing action at the moment due to lake depth, springs feeding into them, and shade cover along the banks. The bugs aren’t hatching in great abundance yet but trout...
Small Streams Fishing Report
- Good
Current Conditions: With hundreds of miles of small stream fishing in Montana, late summer can provide some exciting small stream fishing for those anglers with a sense of adventure. With the hot weather we've had of late, the best small stream fly fishing is going to be on higher elevation creeks...