Hunting

October 18th archery season ends.

October 24th General Big Game season starts.

Get your tags now don’t wait till the last minute!

Bob Ward’s red tag sale now includes select optics and firearms up to $1000 off!

Bozeman Fishing

Gallatin River

The fish are holding in a variety of places, from slow deep holes to six inch riffles. Fishing caddis nymphs and tiny mayflys at the bottom is working well. The entire river has been fishing consistently with the cooler temperatures lately. October Caddis dries in the evenings are a good pattern for a little while longer since the air temps aren’t consistently dropping. These flies are nocturnal so look to use these in the later evening hours.

Madison River: Upper

Dry fly fishing with a variety of terrestrial patterns such as hoppers and stimulators can still catch fish. Purple Haze and Adams variations will work well this time of year for fishing the mayfly hatches. Delektables and Rubberlegs are two good flies for your nymph rigs. Streamer fishing is picking and will continue to improve.

Madison River: Lower

A hopper dropper rig will work well throughout the middle of the day. An October Caddis nymph will work well this time of year as a dropper. Clouser’s crayfish pattern will work well this time of year in the tan color. Streamer fishing has been good but inconsistent from day to day, some days are great other days are not so keep your options open.

Yellowstone River

Hoppers can still be heard below Livingston and chubbies are still drawing strikes. Beetle and ant patterns have also been performing consistently. Streamer fishing has become much more consistent, large black streamers swung and twitched slowly and deep through runs are producing some fine browns and rainbows. Don’t overlook small sparsely dressed patterns that will mimic minnows in the shallows.

Butte Fishing

Fly fisherman are having success on the Big Hole this past week stripping streamers. Articulated Streamers such as the Love Bunny or Sex Dungeon have worked well. Black and Yellow or Black and White are good colors. Evenings have been fishing better than mornings.

San bugs, San Juan worms, or salmon fly nymphs in size 12-16 have been productive on the Beaverhead River. Streamers such as Sparkle Minnows and Sex Dungeons have produced well.

Browns at Ruby Reservoir and Clark Canyon are in various stages of spawning. Bank fishing has been productive this past week. Rapala’s or bait in various forms produce well.

Georgetown is fishing as usual, producing to most baits and spinners. Worms and marshmallows are always good.