Many anglers know about the magic of fly fishing the salmonfly hatch in June on the Madison River, or the excitement of the Mother's Day caddis hatch on the Yellowstone River, or in October chasing big brown trout with streamers on the Missouri River. But as the heat of summer begins to fade in late August, with longer, cooler nights but still plenty of sunshine to keep things comfortable, there's a unique window of fishing that occurs during these weeks of not-quite-fall-yet-not-quite-summer. Here are 5 top places to go fly fishing when it isn't yet fall, but summer is on the way out.
Yellowstone National Park
As late August comes, the nights become noticeably cooler and longer in Yellowstone National Park. The rivers and creeks in the northeast corner of Yellowstone National Park drain some of the highest-elevation mountains within a few hours of Bozeman, so they are often still experiencing hatches of caddis, Drakes, and trico mayflies in addition to consistent fishing with terrestrials. For anglers who have access to a motor boat, the fly fishing on Yellowstone Lake in late August and early September can be some of the best of the year. Other rivers and creeks to fish in Yellowstone National Park during this time are Soda Butte Creek, the upper Yellowstone River in the Grand or Black Canyons of the Yellowstone, Slough Creek, and the Lamar River.
Upper Madison River
With Hebgen Reservoir providing cold, bottom-release water, the Upper Madison River has gained a reputation as a world-famous trout river. Early mornings are still the best time to be fly fishing the Madison River, but for anglers willing to fish at sunrise, some of the largest fish of the year can be caught fishing dry flies just after daybreak. While there are fewer hatches on the Upper Madison in late August and early September compared to late June and early July, the bulk of the summer tourist season is over, and this is a good time to enjoy the Madison River without the summertime splash-and-giggle scene. Once the bulk of the major aquatic hatches run their course, the trout in the Upper Madison begin to become more opportunistic. This time of year can produce very good dry fly fishing once the trout begin to key in on terrestrials such as ants and beetles.
Paradise Valley Spring Creeks
Because these creeks emerge from the ground at a trout-friendly 52 degrees F, trout feed in the crystal clear water year-round. Late summer and early fall hatches on the creeks pale in comparison to the prolific hatches of Pale Morning Duns of late June and early July or Blue Winged Olives of spring and fall. However, trout are still there in the creeks, and because the water temperature is such, the trout still have to feed to maintain metabolism. Anglers looking for a unique experience can find some exciting shallow-water sight-fishing. The best tactic for the spring creeks in late summer and early fall is to walk and search for trout feeding on nymphs below the surface.
High-Country Lakes
In late summer and early fall, sometimes getting up in elevation can mean finding trout that are feeding in clear and cold mountain waters. While the big-name rivers like the Yellowstone, Missouri, and Madison get a lot of attention, for years, local anglers have been strapping on their hiking boots and hitting the trail for good fishing in late summer and early fall. Mountain lakes are generally crystal clear and can vary in depth from a few feet to a few hundred. Some are in broad mountain valleys surrounded by wetlands; others exist in cirques rimmed by craggy peaks. But for those anglers willing to put in some extra effort, they can provide some great fly fishing in Montana.
Missouri River below Holter Dam
With over 5,000 trout per mile it would make sense this would be a good river to fish during late summer and early fall. Because cool nights in late August generally average twenty minutes longer than early August, weather later in the month is actually more favorable than earlier in the month. Whether it is nymphing with two-fly weighted flies or targeting trout sipping on trico mayflies or prospecting with hoppers in the midday sunshine, August fly fishing on the Missouri River is surprisingly diverse. Terrestrial fishing rules the roost, and most anglers often choose to cover water on long floats to target riffles and fast banks.
We are often asked, "When is the best time to go fly fishing in Montana?" and we often respond with "any time you can." Whether you love the last few weeks of August and the first few weeks of September for fly fishing in Montana or have never experienced it, it is a unique time with less tourist traffic but ample opportunities to discover some new fly fishing trips.