Current Conditions via Fins and Feathers:
Early November has brought mild weather and light angling pressure across the Bozeman area. Clear water and stable river conditions are keeping fishing consistent through most of the day, and the mix of calm mornings and cloudy afternoons has made for comfortable days on the water. With fewer crowds and steady action, this is one of the best times of the year to be out before winter fully sets in.
Gallatin River
The Gallatin River continues to fish well through both the canyon and valley. Nymphing remains the most effective tactic—rubberlegs and wire worms followed by smaller droppers like rainbow warrior perdigons, spanish bullets, and zebra midges are producing consistently. Streamers are also getting attention in the lower valley, with mini dungeons, goldies, and sparkle minnows in olive or black working well during cloudy periods.
Upper Madison River
The Upper Madison near Ennis is in great shape and remains one of the better options this week. Trout are holding in deeper water and feeding steadily throughout the day. Rubberlegs, worms, and frenchies continue to be reliable, with droppers like the spanish bullet and duracell picking up fish behind them. Streamers such as sculpzillas, goldies, and sparkle minnows are effective during cloud cover or early in the morning.
Lower Madison River
The Lower Madison is fishing well and remains a consistent choice for anglers close to Bozeman. Nymphing has been the go-to with zirdles, zonkers, and small crayfish attractors followed by zebra midges or pill poppers. On afternoons with less wind and some cloud coverage, midges and a few BWOs have been showing up. Streamer fishing has also been solid, especially during overcast periods.
Yellowstone River
The Yellowstone continues to fish well through Paradise Valley and Livingston. Nymphing with smaller stonefly attractors, perdigons, and zebra midges has been steady. Streamers like mini dungeons, sparkle minnows, and goldies in olive, tan, or rust are producing when the light softens. Light blue-winged olive hatches are still popping on calm afternoons, offering some late-season dry-fly opportunities.
Overall, rivers across the Bozeman area are fishing consistently and offering great late-fall conditions. Whether you’re nymphing for numbers or covering water with streamers, there’s still plenty of time to enjoy reliable fishing before winter arrives.
