Good Spring Fishing in the Butte and Bozeman Outdoor Report
By Matt Schauer

Posted: April 7, 2012

Hi, it’s ANGIE from Bob Ward & Sons, & here’s how fishing stacks up in the Butte & Bozeman areas!

We don’t actually NEED this nice Spring snowstorm we are getting over the next couple days…thanks to the Jan/Feb/Mar storms, we are 90-110% of snowpack on the year, which is just about PERFECT…we should not have LOW waters, nor should we have the extreme runoff or the lengthy period of COLOR we’ve had the last couple years…the weather warms up again next week anyway, & we expect the Baetis Mayfly, BWO & Midge hatches to be better than EVER, not to mention a pretty fine March Brown hatch in a couple weeks or so. Already seeing quite a bit of this on the YELLOWSTONE, the BOULDER, the RUBY, the GALLATIN & the BEAVERHEAD…getting mixed reports on the LOWER MADISON with some saying it is on fire, & some saying too much color still…so this may be one place you’ll have to check for yourself if we get a nice overcast day! In addition to the great Dry Fly activity on all these rivers, Streamers have churned up some of the bigger fish available…try your Articulated Bunny with the Purple Bling, or a White Fathead in a sz 2-4 for success!

As for “sweet spots”, we like the UPPER MADDY around Ennis, the YELLOWSTONE close to Gardiner, the GALLATIN from the Park to the Missouri (dip your Nymphs here for best action!) the BIG HOLE at the Salmon Fly Exit near Melrose, or anywhere around the shoreline at CLARK CANYON! We’d avoid the EAST GALLATIN, the JEFFERSON & “maybe” the LOWER MADISON for now, due to poor visibility. For you Bait or Spin anglers, choose among your sz 9 Rapallas, sz 6 or 9 Panther Martin Spinners, sz 2 or 3 Mepps or Blue Foxes, or go with Nightcrawlers for best performance on any of these waters! Go for the GOLD, SILVER or BRASS colors in these!

Get your KICKS in on the SKI HILLS this weekend, because out of DISCOVERY, BRIDGER BOWL, BIG SKY & MOONLIGHT, only BIG SKY will be open past April 8th…and they’ll be open only ONE extra week! BRIDGER has closed the Terrain Park for the season, and there are other limitations currently at all places, so check their respective websites before you head out!!

Come visit us in the BUTTE or BOZEMAN stores for the best of 2012 fishing needs…the new Rods, Reels, Wade Shoes or Waders, Dry Flys & Lures are all out, and ready for you to choose among! The Spring fishin’s gonna be spectacular this year, so gear up and get out! We’ll talk again next week. Happy Easter from your friends at Bob Wards!

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