Montana Angler Fly Fishing

Season:

April and early May
Early spring offers some of the most explosive dry fly fishing of the season as blizzard hatches of Mother's Day Caddis fill the air. Thick hatches of blue winged olives or March brown mayflies can be equally important. In addition to great match the hatch fishing early spring also offers some of the best trophy fishing of the year stripping big streamers for river browns or leaches for massive rainbows on private ranches. Early spring weather in the Rockies can range from t-shirt weather to a late snow so anglers should prepare with layered clothing.

Mid May to mid June
Rivers begin rising in mid May as Montana's snowpack begins to melt. While some rivers become too high to safely fish, others are moderated by dams and produce the highest catch rates of the season. Water temperatures are on the rise and the prime feeding windows begin can last for ours. This is a great time to rack up high catch rates. Anglers focus on tailwaters, spring creeks and private lakes with few other anglers to contend with. Late spring weather is generally very pleasant but late Pacific storms can produce a steady drizzle when they roll in so anglers should be prepared for both rain and shine.

Mid June to mid July
Early summer produces another bonanza of aquatic insect hatches. The famous salmon fly hatch gains much of the attention as massive 3” insects land clumsily on the water where big browns and rainbows are on patrol. Spring creeks come alive as thick hatches of pale morning duns entice sophisticated trout to go on a feeding spree and let there guard down. Add in multiple caddis species, yellow sallies, and golden stones and many Montana rivers literally become a fly soup. Stillwaters can produce equally exciting fishing as well fed trophy trout patrol private lakes while hunting hatching damsel fly nymphs and adults. Weather is typically perfect with cool mornings and sunny afternoons.

Mid July to mid September
As aquatic hatches wind down trout begin to focus on terrestrials such as ants, beetles and hoppers. While float fishing remains good on the big rivers this is also the peak season for incredible attractor dry fly fishing on many of Montana Angler Fly Fishing's exclusive private ranch waters. Throwing hoppers to deep undercut banks on classic meadow streams or scrambling over boulders in remote canyons can provide for a memorable and rewarding day. This is also a great time to enjoy a classic float camping trip or perhaps ride into the mountains to target gin clear back country streams. Weather is typically cool in the morning and warm and sunny in the afternoon. Afternoon showers are always a possibility in the late summer anywhere in Montana.

Late September to mid November
This is the time of year to swing for the fences and target trout as long as your arm. Big brown trout begin moving out of lakes and into streams and rivers. Giant browns that were in rivers all year long but were nearly impossible to catch begin to let their guard down as the become more aggressive leading up to the spawn. Dry fly fishing is still an option with late season terrestrials providing great hopper action on warm days and fall baetis mayflies producing pods of rising trout on cloudy days.

Species:

We target wild trout in our local spring creeks, mountain streams, rivers, and lakes. Each fishery has its own unique composition of fish species and we may encounter browns, rainbows, cutthroats or brook trout depending on where we are fishing on a given day. On our larger rivers browns and rainbows are most common. On our smaller streams we often find native cutthroat trout as well as brook trout. .

Region/Terrain:

Southwest and Central Montana offers an incredible variety of fishing opportunities. Guests have opportunities to fish the Yellowstone, Madison, Smith, Boulder, Stillwater, Bighorn, Missouri, Jefferson, Ruby, Gallatin, East Gallatin, Slough Creek, Soda Butte, Lamar, Gardner and more. In addition to larger rivers Montana Angler offers an extensive private water leasing program where guests can gain exclusive access to large ranches with lightly fished streams, lakes and spring creeks.

Typical Weather:

Rocky Mountain weather is notoriously dynamic in nature. It can be sunny and in the high 80s one minute and cold and rainy ten minutes later. We fish year round but most of our guests plan trips between mid April and early November. Our warmest months are June, July, August, and September. Spring and fall tend to be cooler and guests should plan to bring a warmer layer such as a fleece along with a wind breaker. Although Montana has a relatively dry climate, a rain coat can come in handy (our guides carry extras in case you forget yours!).

Rates:

You can find all pricing information at: https://www.montanaangler.com/information/rates

What is Provided:

Provided on all day trips: Lunch, beverages, rods, flies, and terminal tackle.

Provide on all-inclusive multi day trips: Everything!

Gear Recommendations:

Standard fly fishing for trout gear is all you need for the fly-fishing opportunities around Bozeman. If you are able to bring one fly rod, a 9-foot 5-weight in a medium to fast action is the way to go, paired with a good reel and a floating fly line. A 9-foot 6-weight in a fast action can be very helpful for nymphing and throwing streamers on windy days. Our guides provide all of the terminal tackle and flies, so there is no need to bring any along. Breathable waders with rubber (non-studded) or felt soles are recommended for early and late season trips. Wet wading is the standard during the summer months, so plan on picking up some neoprene socks to pair with your standard wading boots. We highly recommend sandals or wet-wading shoes if you plan to just fish from the boats as you will still need to get your feet wet at times during the day.

What to Bring:

We are happy to completely outfit all Montana Angler guests with rods, tackle, waders, etc. Many of our guests choose to bring their own equipment that they are familiar with. We most commonly use 9 foot rods with floating lines. Our most commonly used rod weights are 5 and 6 wt. rods 6 wt. are great for nymph fishing and 5 wt. are ideal for most dry-fly scenarios. We also use 3 or 4 wt. for spring creeks and small technical waters. Finally a 7 wt. makes a great streamer rod.

The most important items to pack our clothing suited to the weather. Sun protection is always important and if your trip is in the spring or fall make sure to have some layers. We can provide any fishing or camping gear that you may need on our trips.

Additional Activities:

Montana offers a wealth of non angling activities for "off days". Explore Yellowstone National Park, raft a white water river, hike, ride horses, explore great small towns, etc.