Category Archives: Fall Fishing

Visions of fly fishing in Montana in the fall conjure up leaves changing colors, mountain peaks dusted with fresh snow, and happy anglers holding large brown trout. The fall season in Montana is eagerly awaited each year by local and long-time visiting anglers. There are plenty of great months to go...

The most successful recipe to catch big trout--trout over 20 inches--contains equal parts patience, persistence, and skill, yet is best garnished with a dash of luck. Trophy-sized trout swim in many trout rivers across the world, but Montana has a very good argument for the home of the highest...

Montana locals and loyal anglers have always debated what is the best month for fly fishing in Montana. Because every month offers something unique, the answer is complex and personal. Some months feature consistent dry fly fishing while others serve up very high catch rates with subsurface nymphs...

Mayflies make up a large portion of any trout's diet. From the limestone creeks of the East to the untamed rivers of Chile, Argentina, and New Zealand, to our home waters in Montana, dozens of mayfly species provide food and forage for trout to grow healthy and large. Narrow the list of the dozens...

We have all heard it, “you should have been here yesterday.” Such a statement begs the question, “Why yesterday?” The reason yesterday was better most often relates to the environmental conditions of yesterday. A myriad of conditions heavily influence the behavior of trout. Where trout are found...

Many of our guides at Montana Angler enjoy chasing steelhead in the fall. Trips to the Pacific Northwest are priorities on some of our calendars, time chasing these elusive anadromous fish can be highly addictive! A fun aspect of being a steelhead angler is spending time tying flies for fish that...

September in the greater Yellowstone region is quickly becoming one of the most popular times to visit and fish. September is a great time to fish Yellowstone National Park because water temperatures are dropping into the optimal range and trout feel the urge to pack on the pounds for the upcoming...

For myself and many other local anglers, Montana’s fall run of Brown Trout is the most anticipated event of the year. Large, lake dwelling trout begin moving into the river systems during late September and October and are accessible to fly anglers during this pre-spawn period. Productive fishing...

Fall fishing has a cult following in Montana. Die hard anglers visit the Big Sky state in October every year hoping to hook up with the fish of a lifetime. For a variety of reasons, most angler put their fall fishing eggs in the October basket and ignore the late fall. Rivers in November are...

One of the most frequent questions I am asked when visiting anglers are planning their fishing trip to Montana is “when is the best time to come out”. That question is impossible to answer so I generally try to feel out what is most important to someone: nice weather, lots of action, dry fly fishing...