Before diving into the fishing report, check out this article that explains the difference between anglers and fishermen.
The Jefferson River in Montana is a beautiful, Cottonwood-lined stream that is often overlooked due to lower fish populations. Only a half hour from Bozeman, MT, and home to some of the larger trout in the area, this river has certain windows through the year where the angling can be good, typically spring and fall. The Jefferson River is a good option during the spring as long as it isn’t too dirty.
The river is a bit off-color currently but should clear up throughout the cooler weather this week.
It is pretty typical to only hook into a handful of trout on the Jefferson and anglers can normally expect it to be pretty tough as the river is deep and the fish can be spread out. The fish here hold deep and become lethargic, not moving far for their food. When the weather warms, you can find some decent fishing, it is normally due to being in the right place at the right time. The Lewis & Clark Canyon near Cardwell, MT, provides some of the better fishing with the Boulder and South Boulder rivers entering on this stretch. If you are in the area, it is worth fly fishing with nymphs or streamers. Effective patterns include San Juan worms, Zebra Midge Larvae, and Zirdles, fished under an indicator.
The river is open of ice and slush at the moment but is a bit off-color from all of the low-elevation snow melting. Look at some of our other Montana Fishing Reports to see how other areas are producing.
Hell Creek General Recreation Information (May 7, 2024)
Fly fishing Montana’s Gallatin River is one of the best options throughout the spring season. Being the closest blue-ribbon stream to Bozeman, MT, the Gallatin River offers many Montana anglers year-long fishing opportunities.
The river is clearing up a bit from this cooler weather, this could be one of the better options if you are headed out over the next few days as we expect heavy winds throughout most of Southwest Montana.
Fly fishing has been best from Cameron Bridge FAS to Big Sky, MT, and the Canyon stretch provides good protection from windy conditions. Wild Montana fish are most actively feeding mid-day, when the Sun is at its highest points so no need to get up too early. It is a good idea to contact a local Bozeman fly shop for the most current info regarding stream conditions.
Using nymph imitations throughout the Gallatin Canyon towards Big Sky, MT is the most effective method of angling. Anglers are finding success using Montana staples like the Prince Nymph, Pat’s Rubberleg, or Copper Johns. Drive south out of Gallatin Gateway, MT, and look for turnouts that provide easy access to water that is deep and moves slowly, these areas are stacked with wild Rainbow and Brown Trout right now. Be extra careful when wading around these large boulders especially when there is snow. Our Bozeman, MT fly fishing guides have found that purple worm patterns and black stoneflies have been greatly effective.
Fly fishing with streamers has been decent, especially on low-light days. Small olive or black patterns like a McCune’s Sculpin or a Crystal Bugger are getting attention.
Fly fishing Yellowstone Park is closed for the season so make sure you are outside of park boundaries if you head this way. It is always a good idea to stop by fly shops in Bozeman, MT for some info and flies before heading out on the water.
You can get an idea of the water conditions in the Big Sky area by viewing this webcam, hosted by our friends at Montana Whitewater.
Early spring is go time on the Yellowstone but as we warm and get moisture the water has and will continue to pick up color. Streamer fishing can move some really big fish this time of the year so don’t be afraid to go big with a Sluggo, Dragon, Dungeon or a Hum Dinger. Nymph rigs are a consistent way to boat some fish as well, worms, zirdles, hares ears, and flashy euro nymphs are our spring favorites on the Yellowstone. On warmer overcast days watch for bugs and rising fish, this time of the year it will be Baetis and Midges, small parachute patterns and Buzz Balls in the 16-20 range are our go to.
Suggested Fly Patterns
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Dry Fly
Parachute Adams (16-20), Purple Haze (16-18), Griffiths Gnat (16-20), Buzz Ball (16-14)
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Streamer
Woolly Bugger (4-12), Mini Dungeon Black/ Natural/ White (6), Montana Intruder (4), Sparkle Minnow JJ’s, Silver (4-8), Double Gonga Black/Rainbow (4), Sculpzilla Black/ White/ Natural (4-8)
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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), Matt’s Shagadelic Mop Tan/ Brown/ Green/ Cheeto (10), Hare’s Ear (14-18), Dirty Bird (12-16)
The lake is closed from April 1st until the 3rd Saturday of May.
Spring is finally here and we have the signs to show it! Green valleys, snowcapped peaks, caddis hatches, guide rigs and local anglers rolling around town, and trout no longer in winter slumber mode. But often is the case with when spring finally gets here, our large freestones become day to day as the mountain snowpack starts to come out of the mountains during runoff. The Yellowstone River is the most dynamic during spring as flows can, and often do, change on a daily basis based on current weather conditions. Our tailwater rivers like the Madison and Missouri Rivers will fish well throughout spring. Paradise Valley Spring Creeks are consistent and a great option for hatch-hunters as hatches of Blue Winged Olives can be thick.
Hatches
A typical early spring day on a Montana stream or river can feature a smorgasbord of hatches. The most exciting hatch that signals spring is the Blue Winged Olive mayfly. These are prevalent in nearly every trout river in Montana and will hatch when water temperatures rise into the 40s. Blue Winged Olives also are more likely to hatch in rainy or snowy weather which can be common in spring.
Rounding out the list of hatches for early spring includes midges, March Browns, skwala stoneflies, and possibly some early season caddis.
Specific to individual rivers, the Gallatin River near Bozeman and Big Sky has notable hatches of Blue Winged Olives and skwala stoneflies. The tailwater fisheries on the Missouri and Madison Rivers can have exceptional hatches of Blue Winged Olives on a cloudy rainy or snowy day. The Yellowstone River near Livingston and through Paradise Valley will see a variety of hatches including March Browns, Blue Winged Olives, and possibly some early caddis.
Fly Selection
Even with all the talk of prolific hatches right now subsurface nymphing is still the most effective way to fish. Because trout may be feeding on a variety of insects on any given day, for any tandem nymph rig be sure to include one or both of the following patterns:
Pat’s Rubber Leg’s in sizes 8-16
Zirdles in sizes 8-16
Any beadhead rubber legged stonefly pattern in size 8-16
Beadhead PTs in sizes 14-18
Beadhead Hare’s Ear in size 14-18
Beadhead Rainbow Warrior in size 14-18
Any favorite scud, sowbug, or firebead in size 14-20
For dry flies a selection of Parachute patterns will work well for BWOs, including a Parachute Purple Haze in size 14-18 or a Hi-Vis Sprout’s in size 14-18. For March Browns choose similar patterns but bump up in sizes to 10 or 12. You can also try a Brindle Chute or your favorite March Brown pattern. For any early season stoneflies an olive or grey Chubby Chernobyl, Stimulator, or Bugmeister in size 10 or 12 is a good choice. Midges can also hatch right now and size 18 to 20 Paliminos or Griffiths gnats are good choices.
Streamers, whether stripped or dragged through deeper holes, can produce fish. Go with your favorite choice. Or, if you haven’t yet fished a Circus Peanut, Sparkle Minnow, or Sculpzilla, those are all good choices for this time of year.
Reading Water
Because snowmelt runoff has not yet commenced, streamflows often remain relatively consistent. There may be small daily fluctuations, but that doesn’t effect where trout will be found. Trout will migrate on a daily basis to locations in a river or stream based on the most available food source. Before any hatch occurs expect to find trout in deeper runs or holes, awaiting the hatch or feeding on insects that are staging. As a hatch progresses trout may move higher into the water column or towards bankside structure, so be prepared to adjust the depth at which your flies are being presented. If midges or Blue Winged Olives are abundant, hatching adults will collect in slower currents near structure or in slow pools or pockets.
In general focus on slower and deeper water unless a hatch is occurring, then target areas where bugs will collect such as pools and pockets of slower water or along or behind bankside structure.
Flow Data: Missouri River below Holter Dam near Wolf Creek, MT
The fishing on the Missouri has been excellent and this week the weather is slightly warmer and slightly less windy than around Bozeman. Midges and BWO’s are hatching in huge numbers daily and fish have been willing to eat them on the surface. Fish seem to be focused on midges early in the day but switch to BWO’s in the late afternoon when the baetis hatch really takes off. A Peacock Cluster or Griffith’s Gnat will get the job done early when fish are targeting midges. Later in the day A BWO Last chance cripple is tough to beat when fish that are keyed in on BWO’s. Nymphing has been off the chain. Scuds, sowbugs, and BWO nymphs are the aquatic bug imitations to use right now. Tailwater Sowbugs, Pill Poppers, Olive Micro May’s, and Olive Two Bit Hooker are a few of our favorite Missouri Nymphs. However, fish have been very willing to eat about anything dead drifted under an indicator. A worm in wine or red will also trick MO fish this time of the year. Swinging can be a good option all winter long with small buggers or streamers. The streamer fishing has been picking up as well. Kreelex, Sparkle Minnows and Skiddish Smolts produce well in the Spring. Keep an eye out for, and try to avoid spawning trout and their redds.
Rodgers Lake- excellent Grayling bite. Try small jigs tip with maggots or small spinners. Fly fishing – try leach or nymph patterns.
Echo Lake- good Bass action, try jerk baits or crank bait. Few nice pike in the bays.
East Bay (Flathead Lake)- Still catching perch in bay 3 to 5 feet of water, try small jigs tipped with worms.
Lake Mary Ronan- few perch starting starting to hit, try jigging 15 to 20 feet of water.
Beaver Chain Lakes- good trout action offshore. Orange power bait or small Thomas spoons.
Flathead Lake- delta Fishing well trolling flasher and spin fish or Brad‘s super baits. Large flatfish near Woods Bay good also.
Bitterroot Lake- low water, but good trout action on big flies or Dave’s PlugIt Plugs, try late afternoon.
- Flathead Lake – Laker bite is hot right now! Good jigging off the delta in 50′-80′ of water using VMC hair jigs. Trolling shallow with Rapala Scatter Raps has been a good option as well.
- Echo Lake – Bass bite is getting good. The fish are moving up shallow so try suspending jerk baits or shallow cranks to encourage a bite.
- Lake Koocanusa – Rainbows have been biting on Wise Flies with planer boards. The Bulls are biting on Rapala Taildancers or flatfish in about 40′-60′ of water.
- Church Slough – Bass fishing has been picking up. Try working structure with Senkos or craw patterns.
- McGregor Lake – Laker fishing has been good. Most action has been fishing off Champion Bay jigging drop offs around 80′ down.
- Flathead River – Flows remain high at around 12000 cfs, not good fishing.
- Swan Lake – Lakers are still biting in about 70′-80′ of water using pearl tubes and dead bait.
- Murray Lake – Good trout fishing from shore. Try using lil Cleos and Powerbait.
The Jefferson River in Montana is a beautiful, Cottonwood-lined stream that is often overlooked due to lower fish populations. Only a half hour from Bozeman, MT, and home to some of the larger trout in the area, this river has certain windows through the year where the angling can be good, typically spring and fall. The Jefferson River is a good option during the spring as long as it isn’t too dirty.
The river is a bit off-color currently but should clear up throughout the cooler weather this week.
It is pretty typical to only hook into a handful of trout on the Jefferson and anglers can normally expect it to be pretty tough as the river is deep and the fish can be spread out. The fish here hold deep and become lethargic, not moving far for their food. When the weather warms, you can find some decent fishing, it is normally due to being in the right place at the right time. The Lewis & Clark Canyon near Cardwell, MT, provides some of the better fishing with the Boulder and South Boulder rivers entering on this stretch. If you are in the area, it is worth fly fishing with nymphs or streamers. Effective patterns include San Juan worms, Zebra Midge Larvae, and Zirdles, fished under an indicator.
The river is open of ice and slush at the moment but is a bit off-color from all of the low-elevation snow melting. Look at some of our other Montana Fishing Reports to see how other areas are producing.
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/
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Dry fly opportunities remain solid here. Baetis and midges are out in numbers most afternoons, and as long as the wind isn’t crazy then fish have been up and feeding. A dry with a dropper can be a very effective way to fish through the shallower riffles, too, and with a few caddis on the horizon, a larger dry with a small nymph below is a good bet.
GO-TO FLIES:
-On-Point Baetis #20
-Hi-Vis Griffith’s Gnat #20
-Elk Hair Caddis Olive #14
-Jig Spanish Bullet Quill #18
-Holo Flash Midge Black #18
Flow Data: Bighorn River near St. Xaiver, MT
The Bighorn is fishing well. Nymphing is the best and most consistent option with the current flows. There have been a few BWO’s and midges hatching and the occasional fish slurping them down on the surface. Fish have been a bit picky so a good first drift is imperative. Flies to use to trick these risers include but are not limited to the Quill Gordon BWO and BWO CDC Biot Comparadun. In the event that you find fish rising to midges a Peacock Cluster or Griffith’s Gnat will fool a consistently rising fish with a good cast and presentation. Nymphing has been the best strategy to catch fish recently. Scuds, sowbugs, worms, and midges are Bighorn spring fare to imitate. Ray Charles, Pill Poppers, Tailwater sowbugs are great choices followed by a Manhattan midge or Zebra Midge. BWO nymphs have been working when the aforementioned flies have not been getting it done. You can nearly always count on a Wire Worm or a Squirmy Worm to trick a few trout. Small streamers swung or fished deep and slow can pick up fish as well. Streamer fishing has been relatively slow overall.
999 CFS @ Kirby. The Upper is a solid bet right now. There are a few Baetis, Caddis, and midges around, and nymph fishing will remain solid, even as water clarity will most likely worsen over the next week or two. Big stonefly nymphs trailed by small perdigons will be effective throughout the river, and keep an eye out for a few risers after noon.
GO-TO FLIES:
All Season Caddis Olive #16
Parachute BWO #18
$3 Dip Crystal #16
Matchstick Quill Jig Olive #18
Rubberlegs Black #8-12
Hump Day Missouri River Summer Water Projections
NOPE. This is stock file PHOTO. The Dearborn is not blown. We will not see this kind of runoff this year 2024. Unless we have a large rain event in the Rockies. Stock Photo 2021
Local information along with the dam knob controllers state 4100cfs for the summer.
Bouncing between 3500cfs and 4200cfs. Should get us through the summer. Average flows.
That is it. More rain will not move the needle. More snow may help a bit.
Are we lower than average today? Flows? Yes. Historically we have begun our runoff period. Not this year. Yes, we have begun, but the melt will not manifest itself in higher water levels that we generally see in May and June.
Will the flows rise significantly this spring? No, we do not believe so. Not just we, the water managers believe that too. Mother Nature makes the ultimate call.
Waders Unite!
The Little Prickly Pear running 64 cfs. Historically 144 cfs. Half of average for both of our feeder creeks locally. The Dearborn coming in at 158 cfs. Historic average today 317 cfs.
Inflows at Toston MT about 700 cfs below normal. Currently 5280 cfs and historically near 6K.
Current Conditions:
The Gallatin River near Big Sky and Bozeman is dropping fast and back to fishing mode. Tandem nymph rigs are the ticket until Mother’s Day caddis come off.
Check our Lower Madison or Upper Madison or Missouri River report for some other options in the Bozeman and Yellowstone National Park area.
Look for warm sunny days in March to energize the fish between 11am and 3pm. Girdle bugs, little golden stones, midges, baetis nymphs, attractor nymphs, worms, and eggs are all productive. Warm overcast days are excellent for baetis hatches usually starting in mid-April. Be sure to bring a variety of size 18 baetis nymphs, emergers, and duns. My favorite days are warm fronts later in spring, which bring light drizzle and temperatures in the mid to high 50’s. These days typically bring consistent BWO hatches in the afternoon and exciting dry fly fishing to follow. Avoid fishing during or just after cold fronts.
Our Fly Staff Picks for the Weekend:
Pat’s Rubberlegs in brown/black in size 10 or 12
Beadhead FKA Prince in size 10
Hares Ear in size 14—if water isn’t too dirty
Olive McCune’s Scuplin size 8
Little Green Machine in pheasant tail in size 12—if not too dirty
Black Blowtorch in pheasant tail in size 12-16
Sparkle Dun in size 14 or 16
Sculpzilla in black in size 4 or 6
The Month Ahead:
Snowmelt runoff could be started on the Gallatin River…but things can, and often do, change on this freestone. With a cold, dry weather pattern the Gallatin River can fish quite well in May. There will certainly be some windows of fishability in the coming month, but it is best to check our report or inquire locally.
3/5
The Big Horn River near Fort Smith, MT, is some of the best fly fishing in the state. The tailwater provides an extremely healthy trout population that offers Montana anglers opportunities throughout the year and is a prime option during spring, as temperatures here are typically much milder versus the Bozeman area.
The Bighorn is fishing well most days, the flows just dropped down to around 5,500 CFS as they were a bit higher than usual for this time of year. Nymphing has been the ticket with your typical springtime flies like a HB Ray Charles #16, tan Carpet Bugs, and pink Jellybeans fished about 5 ft under an indicator. There are plenty of BWOs out right now so fishing Baetis nymphs is a good idea as well. Dry fly fishing has been difficult as fish are being picky and only hanging out in selective areas. There are high wind warnings for Southwest Montana the next few days, it is advised to check the weather before headed out on the river.
Fly fishing with streamers has been hit or miss, mainly depending on the conditions. Some anglers are finding success with white or two-tone flies like a Barley Legal. Our Bozeman fly fishing guides have found that using a sinking tip line and making medium-length strips has been best.
Make sure you stop by some of the fly shops in Fort Smith, MT like the Bighorn Angler and the Bighorn Trout Shop to get the latest information and conditions regarding the river.
The Spring creeks have still been fishing well. If the wind is low, expect to see fish rising to midges and BWO’s. Caddis coming soon on the creeks! Conditions this week could provide some good dry fly action. If you find risers they will likely take a Peacock Cluster, Miracle Midge, or Griffith’s Gnat with a good drift and presentation. If these patterns are not working a Slick Midge or Smoke Jumper will be the answer. There are a few BWO’s on the water in the afternoons and a few fish rising to them. A 401k Baetis or Stealth Link have successfully tricked these picky Spring Creek trout. Small scuds, sowbugs, and midges work well under a dry fly or under an indicator this time of the year. Any midge nymph with a white or flashy wing such as the Manhattan Midge seems to get a but more attention than other patterns. BWO nymphs and emergers will be in play once again. Nymphing will be pretty consistent in the event that the trout do not want to cooperate and eat bugs from the surface.
The fishing around Bozeman, MT has been good, some options are better than others right now with certain areas experiencing change of flows and decreased visibility. The Gallatin was fairly off-color the last couple days, the Yellowstone has been good but expect some color to ensue after the last couple of water days. The forecast for the week is overcast, cool, and some rain. Expect this weather to reset the rivers back to prime conditions as this will force flows to drop and water to clear.
The Madison River fishing has been solid near Three Dollar Bridge and Raynolds Bridge FAS, about 40 minutes south of Ennis, MT. Using nymphs like Pat’s Rubberlegs, San Juan Worms, Spanish Bullets, and Zebra Midges have been hot sub-surface. The dry fly fishing has been very good as of late with Midge adults and BWO’s, expect this to continue until we start to see some snow melt.
Missouri River fishing has been good near Holter Dam, near Craig, MT. This area provides a healthy population of Rainbow and Brown trout that feed on sowbugs, scuds, midges, and small mayflies. Our Bozeman fly fishing guides say that pink and red are the best colors.
The Gallatin River fly fishing has been good through the Canyon, north of Big Sky, MT. This national forest area provides a lot of access to deep holes and slow-moving runs where trout will hold. Stoneflies, worms, and Midges are the golden ticket when fishing the Gallatin River. The river had some sediment turning the river off color but this plug should move through the system quickly.
Yellowstone River fishing is getting better every day as temperatures warm. The flows spiked up a bit after some snow and rain this last week but the river looks to be on the drop and the fishing could be good. Find a day with low wind and head over to the Yellowstone River near Livingston, MT. Fishing with nymphs that imitate Stoneflies, Midge Larvae, and Caddis are effective. This is a good time to fish with streamers as well, smaller sculpin imitations can catch some larger trout.
*Flow Data: Yellowstone River near Livingston, MT
Caddis were the name of the game. They will be again when air temperatures hit the 70’s this weekend. Olive X2 Caddis in a size #14 worked great this past weekend. March browns and BWO’s are still flying around and you will likely be able to find fish rising to them once the wind dies. A dead drifted sculpin can trick a few fish here and there. Lightning bugs or Prince nymphs are a few go-to patterns in the early spring. Caddis Pupa, such as the Jig Antifreeze have also worked great under an indicator recently. They can keep an angler busy with whitey’s when the trout are not on them. If everything else seems to falls short a San Juan worm is a pretty safe bet all the way into runoff. Streamer fishing has been good with the Lil’ Kim, Goldie, and Yellow Barred Mini Dungeon.
