Email us your weekly fishing report to include it in this Montana fishing report compilation before the end of the day on Tuesday of each week here along with your name and website/email address you would like to see listed with your report.
Walleyes are being caught throughout the reservoir with the best action coming from the Hellgate and Confederate areas while fishing in 20 to 25 feet of water on bottom bouncers or slow-death rigs with a worm or various colored crankbaits. A few Rainbows and perch are being caught by anglers using walleye rigs in these same areas. Shore fishing is producing an occasional rainbow, walleye or perch on floating jigs or just a hook with worms between the north point of Silos and Pond 4. Troy Humphrey, FWP, Helena
Going to do a fishing report but I need to up date my story on the young man who caught the big walleye of the dock. His mother was in the women’s tournemet and in the closing minutes she caught a 11.5!
Fishing is still good, again a ton of large walleyes being caught.
The walleye bite is different do to the changing water temps and depths weed beds started forming when the lake was low around the 12 foot mark, the water is now 12 foot higher so the fish are hanging out in the 22 to 28 foot range so you need to adjust. The water temp in the spot I like to fish, two weeks ago was 76 degrees yesterday 65, the warm run off from rains is gone and know its the mountain run off.
Bottom nouncers with crawler, leaches or minnows working well, if you mark a large pod of walleyes try vertical jigging, johnny darters are working well.
Not many people fishing northerns a friend of mine said it was a tough bite. My guess is as soon as people start pulling cranks the northern bite will pick up.
As far as where to go, I don’t have answer probably HC to Snow Creek west and Gilbert Creek east or in front of the marina the fish all over.
Hell Creek General Recreation Information ( June 28, 2023)
The Yellowstone is slowly trending in the right direction but still has color. Within the next couple of week, expect the stone to start fishing very well! For now, fish streamers close to the bank and in slow water. Nymphing larger stoneflies, worms, eggs, and any of your other runoff favorites can be productive as well right now. Be safe and stay out of the water if you can, it is moving fast! If you plan to fish the Yellowstone, be sure to check FWP’s Restrictions and Closures page for up-to-date information regarding closures.
Suggested Fly Patterns
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Dry Fly
Parawulf Dennis BWO (16-20), Thorax BWO (18-20), Parachute Adams (14-20), Purple Haze (16-20), Film Critic BWO (16-20), Smoke Jumper (16-20), Extended Body BWO (16-20), Griffith’s Gnat (16-20), UV Sparkle Midge (18-20), Griffiths Gnat (16-20), Buzzball (16-18)
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Streamer
Woolly Bugger (4-12), Mini Dungeon Black/ Natural/ White (6), Complex Twist Bugger (2), Kreelex Minnow (4), Sparkle Minnow (4-8), Double Gonga Black/Rainbow (4), Urchin Bugger (4), Sculpzilla Black/ White/ Natural (4-8), Sculpinator (4-6)
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Nymph
Pat’s Rubber Legs (6-12), Zirdle Bug (6-12), Woolly Bugger Black/ Olive (4-12), Perdigon (14-18), Pheasant Tail (10-18), Jigster Baetis (14-18), Prince Nymph (10-18), BH Hare’s Ear (12-18), Sizzlin’ Hot Spot Squirrel (14-16), Zebra Midge (16-22), San Juan Worm, Matt’s Shagadelic Mop Tan/ Brown/ Green/ Cheeto (10), Hare’s Ear (14-18), Dirty Bird (12-16)
Fresno is full. Surface temp mainly in the 70s. Walleye fishing is good. Best depths are 8’-10’. Most methods are working when the fish are located. If you are having trouble locating fish fry pulling 8’-10’ running crank baits, when you catch a fish make several runs through that area or stop and jig. Nelson is full of water. Surface temps are in the 70s. Walleye fishing is good. Most methods are working especially along weed edges. Best depth is about 10’. Good fishing and good luck.
The walleye bite has been great, and good numbers are being picked up in the Canyon near the Gates of the Mountains, the Clay Banks on the lower end of the reservoir, the smaller west side bays upstream from the dam, and around other points and weed beds while pitching various jigs tipped with leeches or crawlers, trolling bottom bouncers and crawler harness, and while slip bobber fishing in the warmer bays with leeches. Good numbers of rainbows are being caught out from the Gates of the Mountains while using small nymphs and on the lower end of the reservoir while trolling orange or red crankbaits, or cowbells with wedding rings tipped with a crawler. A few kokanee are showing up near the Dam while trolling dodgers with a double hook spinners tipped with shoepeg corn around 50 feet down in the water column. A few of perch are being found around the boat docks on the lower end of the reservoir, and in the small bays in the Canyon while using small jigs and crawlers. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena
Missouri River June Forecast
Weather
Rain. A total of 6 days historically. 2.62″ on the average. Hopefully more this year. Looking like an average month with equal chance higher or lower precipitation and the same for temps too.
Sunshine. Yes. Mostly. Average high temp of 76F and low temp of 46F. Still a month where you should be prepared for anything. I have seen snow on the 11th. Only 9″ though. Gone that afternoon. Raingear? Yep. Sunscreen. Certainly.
Flows
Currently in the approximately 8K club. But that may not last. It could bump up a bit? Or not. We will see the flows continue to drop as the inflows in conjunction with the snow pack slipping by us has left us needing the remaining high mountain snow to fulfill the lake needs.
Flow levels for the second half of June and July? We believe about average. But will not know, until the days have passed us by. Then, we will know. You will know, too. This author predicting a perfect storm.
Your Missouri River information source is Headhunters of Craig.
Flows from here on out are dependent on the rain that falls from the sky. We have had a pattern where the warmer than average May air temps have evaporated the waters. Check out the Snow Water Equivalent Map below and see what we are currently situated at.
Hatches
PMD’s are near. Water temps are nearing the correct temp for these summer hatching insects. They will become more of an issue as the month progresses. Historically the PMD pops on/about June 4, 5, or 6. Then 4 or 5 days until it is game on. This is my favorite fly fishing week on the Mighty Mo. Will the water be appropriate for rising fish this year?
Expect PMD action to increase all the way through the 4th of July. Then it may wane. But wait! It does not end until sometime in July. Late July on higher water years. Sooo…we will have to see what transpires.
Dry flies that will work for the front end include that classic parachute pattern you like. They are dumb easy in the beginning. Then they get more difficult every day. Cripples, spinners, and emergers rule this hatch. The Buzzball is a great pattern for both the caddis and PMD. Remember that our theme is generally presentation first. Fly Second. But if you like a ton of kick ass PMD patterns then look no further than your fly source on the Missouri River, Headhunters of Craig.
Caddis flies will come in better numbers as the month move ahead. Enough on the lower to see a few fish finding the top water caddis. IF you like that kind of action you may want to fish below Mid-Canon for the next couple weeks. It can, and will happen.
Downwinged patterns are popular because they work. those high wingers will get some fish early, but then you must fish it in the film man. CDC, short hair-winged patterns, and soft hackles will find you the best catch rates.
Ants. Fish them. Towards the end of the month you will need a selection of cinnamon, black, and bi-colored patterns on your person daily. Terrestrial play a big role throughout the summer months. Stock up today and fish them all season long!
Yellow Sallies will make an appearance in June as well. Have a few nymphs in your box along with a couple downwind Sally patterns. Although we do like the parachute versions for success. Put that fly in the film as well. And remember it is a stonefly. A small and yellow fellow.
The worm hatch will continue for those who like to soak their flies. All of your cool patterns that you tied all winter long are in play. Caddis Pupa and emergers. PMD techy nymphs like the Split Back and Two Bit Hooker. Fish them and enjoy getting the net wet. Iron Sally. A good one. GRHE too. Big PT’s? Sure. Small ones too. Zebra’s and small black PT’s will finish the month with the Trico on our minds. The nymphs are in play before the dry fly shows itself. Smart nymphers know that!
Lodging
CraigTroutCamp and CraigLodging are the two portals that you need for any lodging needs you may need fishing the Missouri River in Montana. 30+ lodging options for you to peruse. Book today with our booking agents at Headhunters Fly Shop and Guide Service in Craig Montana 406-235-3447. Lodging for two starting just over a hundred bucks. Lodging riverside for bit more. Lodging for groups. Lodging for every budget and need.
Guide Trips
Headhunters is the number one rated guide service on the Mighty Missouri River. Our annual return client rate is 78%. Strong. The best in Missouri River guides coupled with our famous Headhunters customer service gives you the best experience on the Mo!
Call today and we will fit you with the right fishing guide for your fly fishing desires. A dry fly guide to show you the difficult, albeit large, brown trout? Got it. A numbers man? Got it. A guide to educate your children, or your wife? Got that covered too. Let Julie, Sara, cater your trip to you! It’s what we love to do and it’s what we do best.
We are open daily at 7am. Earlier sooner than later. Open late too til at least 7pm nightly. Find your gear needs at Headhunters with the best fly selection on the river. We have rods, reels, fly lines, logo wear, accessories and trinkets too. We built our shop around our fly bins and the fly fishing enthusiast!
See you this June in Craig. Any questions or for bookings call 406-235-3447
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Lake Mary Ronan- nice perch 12 to 15 feet of water. Try small jigs tipped with worms or maggots. Salmon slow, try early morning jigging Swedish pimples in 30 feet of water.
Flathead River- dry fly action picking up, try, purple haze, Adams Flies, spin Fishing gold little cleo spoons.
Flathead River Sloughs- good pike, action, early morning with large plugs, bass and crappie good with topwater for bass. 
Ashley Lake- still good salmon, action, jigging and trolling.
Flathead Lake-  trolling Delta with Rapala’s in perch or gold colors. Try shallow early mornings. Try also Woods Bay point, mid lake bar, and Shelter Island areas.
Swan Lake- good rainbow, along shoreline, trolling.
Thompson River- good trout action on flies or small spinners.
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- Flathead Lake – Trolling between 80′-120′. Using Rapala Scatter Raps have been producing good fish numbers.
- Flathead River – The river flows are at 9500 cfs with good clarity. Great news for fly fishing. Try using purple prince nymphs and San Juan worms for cutties.
- Blanchard Lake – Some good slot limit pike being caught on dead bait or spinners. The crappie are still biting small grub baits and jigs.
- Church Slough – The pike are starting to bite on spinners and getting more aggressive. Look for largemouth bass in the main channels and use soft plastics for the hits.
- Echo Lake – Bass are heavily pressured. They are still biting Senko’s and craws. Try getting your rig between 6′-12′ deep around structure and docks.
- Lower Thompson – Kokanee bite is picking up. Hearing that small trolling squids and sling blade dodgers are working. Good numbers of perch being caught as well.
- Bitterroot Lake – Salmon bite is still going strong. Grab some pink or orange Zimmer Wannabe jigs or Hali’s tipped with corn and maggots. Both are good options.
- Smith Lake – The weeds are growing tall, keep that in mind. Try using top water baits like frogs or poppers. The tried and true dead bait on a quick strike rig is a good option also.
This Kootenai River Montana fishing report is being brought to you by Orvis Endorsed Linehan Outfitting. This report will be updated weekly to provide current conditions, weather, hatches, patterns, and flows to our local waters and across the state.
Flows from Libby Dam: 4000cfs
Water temperature at Libby Dam: 42 degrees
Hatches: midge, baetis
patterns: zebra midge, parachute Adams, parachute pmd, Rosenbauer’s olive rabbit foot emerger, purple haze, purple chubby, red chubby, olive sparkle dun,bh prince, soft SJ worm, bh pheasant tail, bh rubber legged stonefly, big streamers in white, pink and olive, circus peanut, black conehead buggers
It’s not quite spring up here in Kootenai River country but we have good news. Flows from Libby Dam have been reduced and will be stable at 4000cfs through the end of March for now. That means there’s some great early season fishing available right now.
Expect more clammy cloudy weather through the weekend and into next week. March continues to come in like a lion and we’ve yet to see the lamb. Rain and snow mix will dominate forecast. Fortunately daytime temps will ooch into the forties which is at least a small sign of spring around here.
At the moment the river is clear and in good shape. Don’t expect much in the way of dry fly fishing and insect activity until we get some substantially warmer daytime temperatures. The water is still cold but trout will start to feed a bit in the coming weeks.
This is always a good time of year for nymphing. With low flows you don’t need a heavy rig. You just need to get the flies down in softer runs and pools where trout are most likely to be holding this time of year. Don’t spend a ton of time fishing fast riffles.
Streamer fishing is also productive this time of year especially since bigger fish will be hungry after laying low for a couple months during the dead of winter. Keep in mind they will not necessarily want to move too fast or too far to get a meal. Get your streamers down and fish them slowly and erratically. Nothing like a wounded minnow to get a big rainbow interested in at least a sniff.
In Boston Red Sox news, it’s PLAY BALL! After several weeks of a lockout the players union owners have finally come to an agreement. Spring training will start immediately and while opening day was and remains delayed until April 7, the season will still be 162 games. For now the Sox have managed to keep essentially the same playoff roster they had last season. Infielders Dalbec, Arroyo, Bogaerts, and Devers are key players. In the outfield Jackie Bradley Jr. has returned to Boston and Kike Hernandez and Verdugo will anchor the deep green. Ace Chris Sale will hopefully be healthy and other starters from last year will hopefully pick up where they left off in October. Go Sox!!!
Give a call anytime if you need more Kootenai River details or information on any of our hunting or fishing adventures. And please check out our e-commerce site for all Linehan Outfitting branded swag and Orvis gear. https://linehan-outfitting.myshopify.com/
We look forward to hearing from you. 406-295-4872
Happy official summer! While we consider Memorial Day the “start” of the summer season, now the solstice is in the rear view and we are game on for all our favorite summer activities. We’ve been having a cool and wet June, but more “summery” weather is in the forecast. July and all its festivities is right around the corner.
Runoff is still very much in play on our freestone rivers here in Montana, but don’t let that get you down. Here’s what’s happening around the Livingston area:
YELLOWSTONE RIVER
Still muddy. However… Flows are coming down and have been steadily on the drop for a while. If you look at it just right, you can almost see a hint of green in the river. Visibility is still unfishable, but it likely won’t be long. Stay tuned.
MADISON RIVER
Salmonflies are on everyone’s mind on the Madison River these days. We’re hearing some scattered reports here and there, but this cool weather isn’t great for the hatch. Meanwhile though, the fishing has been really good.
Now would be a great time to fish a big stonefly nymph right on the bank. As the Salmonfly hatch approaches the bugs will be moving to the edges and staging up. Don’t miss the opportunity. Dead drifted streamers, mayfly nymphs and even some caddis pupa have been taking fish as well. Dry fly action has been scattered, with subsurface providing the best action. If you’re into streamers, this is a great time of year to be throwing them.
The Lower Madison has been more consistent for dry fly action lately. PMDs and yellow sallies are out and about, and keep an eye out for some larger drakes in the afternoons/evenings. If you aren’t seeing risers, small stoneflies, crayfish, and PMD hatchbacks should be on the menu. Streamers have been getting into some much bigger fish lately as well.
As temps warm up, expect to see more recreational floater traffic on the Lower.
GALLATIN RIVER
The Gallatin has dropped to a fishable condition, but flows are still elevated and visibility is that famous Gallatin Green color. Expect things to dirty up again with larger storms that move through, but above Taylor’s Fork should still be clear.
Fish the big stuff on the soft edges. Stonefly patterns, big attractor nymphs, dead drifted streamers and the like. You might see some PMDs here and there, but everyone is waiting on the salmonflies. The Gallatin can get overlooked in terms of the salmonfly hatch but it can be a lot of fun and very productive. Stay tuned on that.
STILLWATERS
Lake fishing can be awesome this time of year. We’ve got a ton of options from private ponds to reservoirs and even lower elevation mountain lakes. Get the boat out, go walk the shore, whatever works for you. It’s Callibaetis time, so bring a few options. The basic patterns like a Parachute Adams can be deadly this time of year. Leeches, brassies, copper johns, hare’s ears… slow strip those just under the surface and have fun. A lot of people can overlook lakes but until they start getting weedy and hot in the summer heat they are great producers.
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
Like last week, the NE corner of the Park is still off, primarily due to the recents rains we’ve been experiencing. We’re not going to complain about moisture, but if we can catch a break from the rains, the Lamar, Slough, and Soda Butte will start fishing. The western side of the park is fishing well with most of the action on the Madison, Gibbon and Firehole. Baetis and caddis are showing up well, with some scattered PMDs. Be on the lookout for salmonflies in the Firehole Canyon and on the Madison in the coming weeks…
LIVINGSTON AND THE SHOP
The next two weeks are some of the most packed of the entire year in Livingston! We’ve got art walks, farmer’s markets, live music, great food, and of course the famous 4th of July parade and rodeo coming up. This is a great time of year to be in Montana.
The shop is now on our summer hours, opening at 8am. We’re full of the best gear from your favorite brands and ready to supply you with the right equipment and knowledge. Tight lines this week!
The walleye bite has turned on, and fish are being found below Canyon Ferry Dam and from the Causeway Arm to Black Sandy while pitching various jigs, trolling bottom bouncers and crawler harnesses, or while slip bobber fishing with leeches. Rainbow fishing has also been good below Canyon Ferry Dam, around York Bridge, and out from Black Sandy while using nightcrawlers, Power Bait, Marabou jigs, and while trolling cowbells with a wedding ring. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena
The Bighorn is rolling along at 16K CFS and fishing remains excellent! Water clarity is good, above Soap Creek but there is some sediment in the water with the higher flows. Please be careful rowing out there. There has already been one boat sunk and hopefully no more.
WORMS are on the menu and the fish are taking full advantage of them. San Juans, Squirmys, Wire worms, they’ll all work! Put a bunch of 3/0 shot on and you should be finding fish.
Streamer fishing has actually been spotty, as good as the river looks for it. The fish seemed glued to the bottom and not willing to move for much.
We just finished hosting our annual trip for Warriors Afield. Lots of fish were caught and new stories were made . Check out their great operation!
D.H.: Fort Peck didn’t fish great for us last week but our first day there my nephew hooked this 31” fatty.
This Yellowstone River fishing report is valid from June 25 through July 4.
The Yellowstone River almost reached fishable levels and clarity on Friday the 23, then it rained two inches and blew the river out completely again. We might have one more big pulse of high water Monday through Thursday this coming week due to forecast rains, but after that the river will green up and be ready to rock.
For the first few days after it comes in, or if you want to try fishing the banks now (the area near Gardiner is “fishable” if you’re a mountain goat as long as flows are under 10,000cfs and there’s even a tinge of green, but it isn’t “guidable”), fish stonefly and large attractor nymphs. The Salmonflies will likely pop fast and hard once warm weather hits, probably Friday or Saturday next weekend. Given a forecast abrupt warmup, it now seems likely the Salmonflies will emerge everywhere between Mallard’s Rest Access (closed, but the lowest there are decent numbers of Salmonflies on the Yellowstone) almost to Gardiner all at once, which is a shame. We like it when the hatch spreads out a bit, so it lasts longer.
Our next Yellowstone River fishing report will drop when the river comes completely into shape OR we hear about or see the first legit Salmonfly hatch, whichever comes first.
Learn more about fishing the Yellowstone River (in Montana).
Info about our float trips, a majority of which take place on the Yellowstone.
Info about our Montana walk & wade trips, which in winter and early spring take place on the Yellowstone.
