MONTANA FLY FISHING
Our favorite thing about Montana fly fishing is the seemingly endless opportunities for exploration. Exploring new a new float, river, lake or even just a new hole is always exciting. A fly fishing trip in southwest Montana puts an angler within range of many of the best trout rivers in the west. We can arrange day trips, multi day trips or multi day, multi river adventures. Our most popular and best destinations for Montana fly fishing trips are the Madison River and the "Land of the Giants" section of the Missouri river but we offer plenty of other options. There are lesser known rivers like the Lower Madison and the Jefferson and small streams like the Ruby River and Gallatin River. The fly fishing on Montana's lakes like Holter Lake and Ennis Lake is largely under appreciated.
One of the most common questions we get is "when is the best time of year for a Montana fly fishing trip?" The answer depends on lots of factors including weather, snowpack and what river you are going to be fishing. The best time to fly fish a given river can also depend on the angler. An angler may prefer to dry fly fish, streamer fish, just catch fish or just catch big fish. The variety of fisheries that we have in Southwest Montana allows us to be a able to put anglers on a river that is fishing well at any point in the season. It seems that at any given point from April through October, one of our Montana rivers is producing great fishing. We always strive help people plan their Montana fly fishing vacation for a time and river that meets their needs and will put them in a position to succeed.
One of the most common questions we get is "when is the best time of year for a Montana fly fishing trip?" The answer depends on lots of factors including weather, snowpack and what river you are going to be fishing. The best time to fly fish a given river can also depend on the angler. An angler may prefer to dry fly fish, streamer fish, just catch fish or just catch big fish. The variety of fisheries that we have in Southwest Montana allows us to be a able to put anglers on a river that is fishing well at any point in the season. It seems that at any given point from April through October, one of our Montana rivers is producing great fishing. We always strive help people plan their Montana fly fishing vacation for a time and river that meets their needs and will put them in a position to succeed.
Montana Fly Fishing : Early Spring (April-May)
Most of Montana fly fishing guides will tell you that spring is the most under appreciated time to fish our rivers and lakes. When we talk about spring, we are referring to the period before the major snowmelt/runoff that usually starts at the end of May and carries though early June. The fish are not as fat as they are in summer and fall and the weather tends to be less reliable but the fish are dumb and hungry after a cold winter. Numbers and size of fish can be at their best on a nice day in April and May. There are plenty of days when the fishing is pretty "easy" as they feed hard on big flies. However, this is not the best time for all anglers to book a Montana fishing trip. Dry fly fishing tends to be very limited until just before the runoff in late May. Nymphs and streamers are staples this time of year. It is pretty nice to have a great day of fishing on one of Montana's most poplar fisheries with very few other people around.
The best rivers to target during the spring months are the Upper and Lower Madison rivers, the "land of the giants" section of the Missouri river and the Missouri river below Holter Lake near Craig Montana. The Jefferson, the Yellowstone, the Gallatin and the Ruby can also fish well but are not as reliable as the Madison and Missouri rivers.
The best rivers to target during the spring months are the Upper and Lower Madison rivers, the "land of the giants" section of the Missouri river and the Missouri river below Holter Lake near Craig Montana. The Jefferson, the Yellowstone, the Gallatin and the Ruby can also fish well but are not as reliable as the Madison and Missouri rivers.
Montana fly fishing : Early Summer (June-July)
Summer is the most popular time for fly fishing in Montana. When we talk about summer, we are talking about the warmer months after the spring runoff. One of the biggest draws of a summer fly fishing trip is the warm weather. June, July and August are without a doubt the warmest months here in Montana. When the snow melt slows most of our rivers will be dropping and clearing. As they drop, fishing tends to be really good with bigger wet flies and streamers. Aquatic insect hatches are largely triggered by warming water temperatures. As rivers warm we will start to see lots of bugs in the air and on the water. Consequently this is one of the best times of year for dry fly anglers, nymphers, streamer guys and the all time most common...people who just want to catch fish. This is a great time for families and kids as the fishing is easy and weather is nice.
The best rivers to fish in early summer are the Upper Madison, the Jefferson, the "land of the giants" and the Missouri river. The Yellowstone and Gallatin rivers can be good options as well but are subject to extended spring runoff that can carry on until mid-late July. Most of the time when people ask where the best fishing is this time of year we point them to the upper Madison near Ennis, Montana. It is consistently good and fishing better than just about anywhere else.
The best rivers to fish in early summer are the Upper Madison, the Jefferson, the "land of the giants" and the Missouri river. The Yellowstone and Gallatin rivers can be good options as well but are subject to extended spring runoff that can carry on until mid-late July. Most of the time when people ask where the best fishing is this time of year we point them to the upper Madison near Ennis, Montana. It is consistently good and fishing better than just about anywhere else.
Montana fly fishing: Summer (late July-August)
Mid-late summer is still during the warmest period of fishing season. These months are typically thought of as the best to target for hopper fishing and nice weather. By late July all of our rivers will have dropped and cleared. There are still plenty of bugs around and this is a popular time for dry fly anglers. The Yellowstone river fishes at its best in late July and early August as the flows drop to a fishable level and the trout get enough water clarity to see a dry fly. The Madison River is a consistently good option as always. On a good water year, the Jefferson river can be an amazing place to throw a hopper dropper and have the river all to your self.
Montana fly fishing : Fall (September-October)
In September the hot summer weather subsides and the nights begin to cool. When things finally cool down, there are still hoppers around but the big fish seem to become more active on streamers. Early fall fly fishing in Montana is a great time for a mix of hopper fishing, streamer fishing and a shot at a big brown on a variety of our rivers. The Upper Madison, the Lower Madison, the Jefferson and the Land of the Giants usually are all fishing well.
Later in September, the hopper fishing will fade and give way to some excellent streamer and wet fly fishing for some of the biggest fish of the season. Dry fly fishing can still be really good on cloudy days but this is the time to target the big fish. When people ask "where is the best Montana fly fishing in the fall?" we always seem to be pointing them towards the "land of the giants" and the Madison river. They are among Montana's best streamer rivers and fish great through the fall.
Later in September, the hopper fishing will fade and give way to some excellent streamer and wet fly fishing for some of the biggest fish of the season. Dry fly fishing can still be really good on cloudy days but this is the time to target the big fish. When people ask "where is the best Montana fly fishing in the fall?" we always seem to be pointing them towards the "land of the giants" and the Madison river. They are among Montana's best streamer rivers and fish great through the fall.
What If we hit the Runoff?
Plenty of people are reluctant to book a Montana fly fishing trip in the spring or even early summer for fear of having muddy water ruin their fishing. This is a legitimate threat as many of Montana's best rivers will suffer a period of un-fishable muddy water every spring. Rivers like the Gallatin, Yellowstone and Jefferson tend to experience pretty heavy spring runoff that usually starts in late May and continues through early June. However, there is always some great fishing to be had during the runoff. Rivers with dams are going to have cleaner water than freestone rivers without dams. The Madison river usually has a really mild runoff and rarely becomes totally un-fishable. Late May when most of Montana's fly fishing destinations are muddy, the "land of the giants" is giving up some of the best fishing that Montana has to offer. Even on the biggest of runoff years, we always are able to produce great fishing on the Missouri River.
Risking some muddy water on some of our rivers on a spring trip can come with big rewards. Some of the best fishing on our rivers happens just before and after the runoff. The water is warm enough for the fish to be feeding heavily and the higher, tinted water makes the fishing conditions really forgiving.
Risking some muddy water on some of our rivers on a spring trip can come with big rewards. Some of the best fishing on our rivers happens just before and after the runoff. The water is warm enough for the fish to be feeding heavily and the higher, tinted water makes the fishing conditions really forgiving.
Where are the Biggest Fish?
Where are the biggest fish in Montana? When is the best time of year to catch big fish? Big fish get caught at any time of our season but spring and fall are the best times of year to catch big trout. The water is cool and the big fish are active. Of all of Montana's fly fishing waters, the biggest river fish that we have to offer are at the "land of the giants" section of the Missouri river. The fish of the day there can rival the fish of the season on many of our other rivers.
Montana Fly Fishing Rivers
Madison River
Hooked Outfitting is based on the Upper Madison River near Ennis, Montana. Our guides are all experts on the Madison river and it produces some of the most consistently good fishing in our area. The upper Madison usually fishes well from the first warm days of spring in April until the colder days of fall near the end of October. The Madison is known as the “ninety mile riffle” because of its' shallow, quick flowing, water. This river moves fast and there is always something new to cast at with fishy water from bank to bank. The quick currents of the Madison give fish little time to inspect fly presentations as they drift by, which makes the upper Madison a very forgiving river for beginners to perfect their fly fishing abilities.
As one of the most consistent rivers in Montana, we often find that the best time to fly fish the Madison river is whenever you can. However, our favorite times on the Madison are before and after runoff. The timing of Madison river runoff typically depends on snow pack levels and warming spring weather but the runoff usually comes some time during the last week of May or first week of June. After runoff the Madison experiences a huge variety of insect hatches. Salmon flies and caddis are the first post runoff bugs to hatch on the Madison. As the salmon flies move up river, golden stone flies are followed by PMDs, yellow sallies and more caddis. The last week of June to the last week of July is a great month to fly fish the Madison. There are lots of hatches, plenty of water and usually a pretty darn impressive trout bite!
The upper Madison river flows through the town of Ennis, Montana. Ennis is the place to stay if you are planning to fish the Madison and its central location puts you in position to fish other rivers like the Jefferson, Ruby, Yellowstone, Gallatin and Land of the Giants. Only 850 people live here but Ennis has plenty of lodging options, five bars and some good restaurants. Often described as "where fly fisherman meets cowboy" you will likely find Ennis a comfortable, interesting and uniquely Montana place to stay and fish.
As one of the most consistent rivers in Montana, we often find that the best time to fly fish the Madison river is whenever you can. However, our favorite times on the Madison are before and after runoff. The timing of Madison river runoff typically depends on snow pack levels and warming spring weather but the runoff usually comes some time during the last week of May or first week of June. After runoff the Madison experiences a huge variety of insect hatches. Salmon flies and caddis are the first post runoff bugs to hatch on the Madison. As the salmon flies move up river, golden stone flies are followed by PMDs, yellow sallies and more caddis. The last week of June to the last week of July is a great month to fly fish the Madison. There are lots of hatches, plenty of water and usually a pretty darn impressive trout bite!
The upper Madison river flows through the town of Ennis, Montana. Ennis is the place to stay if you are planning to fish the Madison and its central location puts you in position to fish other rivers like the Jefferson, Ruby, Yellowstone, Gallatin and Land of the Giants. Only 850 people live here but Ennis has plenty of lodging options, five bars and some good restaurants. Often described as "where fly fisherman meets cowboy" you will likely find Ennis a comfortable, interesting and uniquely Montana place to stay and fish.
Lower Madison River
The lower Madison refers to the section of Madison river that flows north from Ennis lake. The river flows from the dam at Ennis Lake through a 12 mile section of wilderness called the Bear Trap Canyon. We fish the Lower Madison river from just downstream of the bear trap wilderness to the Madison’s confluence with the Missouri River near Three Forks Montana. Below the Canyon, the Madison changes character. Boulder-filled rocky riffles give way to softer currents and finer gravel covered with large beds of moss. Hatches and fishing are still very good in this stretch but it is less productive in the heat of the summer as the water temperatures can rise to the point that fish activity slows.
This stretch of the Madison river fishes well from April to just after the runoff around the end of June. We give the fish down here a rest during the summer heat and don’t begin to fish it again until the water temperatures drop in early September. Just after the water temperatures drop down to a fishable level in September is a great time to fish the lower Madison. The fish are usually still eating grass hoppers and they have been harassed very little over the course of the summer, which makes them the best kind of fish…dumb.
This stretch of the Madison river fishes well from April to just after the runoff around the end of June. We give the fish down here a rest during the summer heat and don’t begin to fish it again until the water temperatures drop in early September. Just after the water temperatures drop down to a fishable level in September is a great time to fish the lower Madison. The fish are usually still eating grass hoppers and they have been harassed very little over the course of the summer, which makes them the best kind of fish…dumb.
Jefferson River
When guests ask their guide “where do you like to fish on your day off?” often the Jefferson river tops the list. The Jefferson is a bit of a “sleeper.” This river does not see the traffic of Montana's more famous fly fishing waters and many days we do not see another boat on our floats. Despite having the lowest number of fish per mile of any river that we fish, the Jefferson can produce some of the most exciting fishing days of a season.
The Jefferson is a “fishy” looking river. Cut banks with logs and roots hanging from them are prime brown trout structure. Tall grasses lean over the water creating textbook hopper banks. It is one of our smaller rivers and in mid-summer its flows are usually around half of those on the Madison. The serpentine nature of the Jefferson creates a maze of channels, riffles and holes to explore. Not every hole on the Jefferson river holds the biggest brown trout of the trip but they certainly all feel like they should. This river produces some huge browns and you never know what you might hook up with on a cloudy streamer day.
Moose, deer and eagles are common sights in the rural Jefferson valley. This valley is not nearly as populated as the Yellowstone and Gallatin valleys and houses along the river are an infrequent sight. Lewis and Clark traveled the full length of the river. Consequently there are historic sites and campgrounds along some of the stretches that we float. Ennis, Montana is a great place to stay if you want to fish Jefferson. Ennis is in a unique location that allows anglers to access several points on the Jefferson without a grueling drive. West of Ennis the upper stretches of the Jefferson are only forty five minutes away and north of Ennis the lower part of the river is also just a forty five minute drive.
Lower numbers of trout per mile and warmer summer water make the river a less consistent river than the Madison. However, the good days on the Jefferson are something that guests are still talking about years later. Like the lower Madison, some years the river can get too warm to fish in the heat of the summer (late July-August) but if the water levels don’t get too low it can be one of the best places to throw a hopper in August.
The best times to fish the Jefferson, before and after runoff or after the waters cool in the fall. April-June, September are my favorites, although if the water temperatures stay low enough during August, hopper fishing on the Jefferson can be a blast. This may not be the river to target on a one day Montana fly fishing trip but it could end up being the best day of a multi-day, multi-river journey. Hitting a good day on the Jefferson can be one of the most exciting fly fishing experiences in Montana…with nobody else around to obstruct your view.
The Jefferson is a “fishy” looking river. Cut banks with logs and roots hanging from them are prime brown trout structure. Tall grasses lean over the water creating textbook hopper banks. It is one of our smaller rivers and in mid-summer its flows are usually around half of those on the Madison. The serpentine nature of the Jefferson creates a maze of channels, riffles and holes to explore. Not every hole on the Jefferson river holds the biggest brown trout of the trip but they certainly all feel like they should. This river produces some huge browns and you never know what you might hook up with on a cloudy streamer day.
Moose, deer and eagles are common sights in the rural Jefferson valley. This valley is not nearly as populated as the Yellowstone and Gallatin valleys and houses along the river are an infrequent sight. Lewis and Clark traveled the full length of the river. Consequently there are historic sites and campgrounds along some of the stretches that we float. Ennis, Montana is a great place to stay if you want to fish Jefferson. Ennis is in a unique location that allows anglers to access several points on the Jefferson without a grueling drive. West of Ennis the upper stretches of the Jefferson are only forty five minutes away and north of Ennis the lower part of the river is also just a forty five minute drive.
Lower numbers of trout per mile and warmer summer water make the river a less consistent river than the Madison. However, the good days on the Jefferson are something that guests are still talking about years later. Like the lower Madison, some years the river can get too warm to fish in the heat of the summer (late July-August) but if the water levels don’t get too low it can be one of the best places to throw a hopper in August.
The best times to fish the Jefferson, before and after runoff or after the waters cool in the fall. April-June, September are my favorites, although if the water temperatures stay low enough during August, hopper fishing on the Jefferson can be a blast. This may not be the river to target on a one day Montana fly fishing trip but it could end up being the best day of a multi-day, multi-river journey. Hitting a good day on the Jefferson can be one of the most exciting fly fishing experiences in Montana…with nobody else around to obstruct your view.
Land Of The Giants
The Land of the Giants is a short three-mile section of river that flows from Hauser Reservoir dam to Upper Holter lake. This section of the Missouri river is just outside of Helena, which puts it roughly half an hour from the town of Craig and just less than two hours from Ennis or Bozeman. The river flows through a stunning canyon with steep walls, which has no boat ramps to allow for drift boat access. Consequently we are forced to access the Land of the Giants by jet boat from upper Holter lake and power up stream to the fishing. As one might suspect The Land of the Giants is named for the size of the trout that live there. This location has some of the largest trout that Montana fly fishing has to offer. An average fish here is often in the same class as a "fish of the day" on our other rivers. The numbers of fish are among the highest of the rivers we fish. The scenery is no slouch either. The cliffs along the river are steep with colorful rocks and large ponderosa pines line the river. Eagles are a frequent sight and if you look hard enough and it is possible to see mountain goats climbing the cliff wall. Lewis and Clark traveled through this area and noted its beauty in their journals.
Missouri River
The Missouri River is one of the best tail-waters (it comes out of a dam) fishery in the west. It fishes like a giant spring creek with lots of hatches, lots of bugs and lots of big fish analyzing them in the slow smooth currents. Recently rumors started circulating about how the fish counts near the dam below Holter Reservoir have reached levels as high as seven to eight thousand trout per mile. Whether or not these counts are accurate, it certainly seems to be justified when you experience a good day of catching on the Mo.
The Missouri river is one of our top picks for any spring or fall Montana fly fishing trip. The Missouri may not be the best option in the heat of summer but in the early and late parts of the Montana fishing seasons stable temperatures make the Missouri a very consistent producer when other rivers may be suffering from dirty or frigid water conditions.
The most popular fishing section of the Missouri (below Holter Dam near Craig Montana) is not the only great piece of water on this river. The Mo has four dams in our fishing area with widely different fishing below three of them. Upstream from Holter Reservoir is a short three-mile section of river that flows from Hauser Reservoir dam to Upper Holter lake. This section is known as the Land of the Giants and it has earned its name. Read more about it here.
The top tail-water section of the Missouri river is below a small irrigation dam near the town of Toston. The stretch of river from here to Canyon Ferry Reservoir is mostly known as a great carp fishery despite the presence of a fair number of large trout. This can be a pretty fun float to throw some hopper droppers at sighted carp during the dog days of summer.
The Missouri river is one of our top picks for any spring or fall Montana fly fishing trip. The Missouri may not be the best option in the heat of summer but in the early and late parts of the Montana fishing seasons stable temperatures make the Missouri a very consistent producer when other rivers may be suffering from dirty or frigid water conditions.
The most popular fishing section of the Missouri (below Holter Dam near Craig Montana) is not the only great piece of water on this river. The Mo has four dams in our fishing area with widely different fishing below three of them. Upstream from Holter Reservoir is a short three-mile section of river that flows from Hauser Reservoir dam to Upper Holter lake. This section is known as the Land of the Giants and it has earned its name. Read more about it here.
The top tail-water section of the Missouri river is below a small irrigation dam near the town of Toston. The stretch of river from here to Canyon Ferry Reservoir is mostly known as a great carp fishery despite the presence of a fair number of large trout. This can be a pretty fun float to throw some hopper droppers at sighted carp during the dog days of summer.
Yellowstone River
The Yellowstone is our largest freestone river. It has enough good trout water to float for a week and never see the same stretch twice. The Yellowstone is among the best hopper rivers that Montana's fly fishing has to offer. However, the good fishing can begin as early as April and May. Spring streamer fishing in April is a good option on warmer days but the first good dry fly action usually begins just before the runoff at the end of May for the Mother’s Day caddis hatch. This is one occasion when bugs can be so thick that you may question whether you can see the water at all or if you are only seeing a blanket of caddis. However, due to its close proximity to the snowmelt, the Mother's Day hatch can be hard to hit without having the river blow out and when the Yellowstone blows out, it goes big. It is not uncommon for the Yellowstone to reach flows up to, and beyond, 20 thousand cubic feet per second. Consequently, spring fishing on the Stone can be a very difficult to time because it is simply not a safe fishing option until the flows drop back down to around nine thousand cubic feet per second.
The Yellowstone (some years) can be fishable as early as the end of June but could continue to rage until early August. The best way to find out what is in store is to give us a call and we can usually make some predictions based on snow pack reports and weather trends. The Yellowstone has a reputation as a great hopper fishing river and many years it is justified. A good day in August on the Stone can be some of the best hopper fishing we see all year. If the fish are not looking up look out for whitefish, the Yellowstone has near biblical numbers of them and they are on a mission to eat anything you put under a bobber!
The Yellowstone (some years) can be fishable as early as the end of June but could continue to rage until early August. The best way to find out what is in store is to give us a call and we can usually make some predictions based on snow pack reports and weather trends. The Yellowstone has a reputation as a great hopper fishing river and many years it is justified. A good day in August on the Stone can be some of the best hopper fishing we see all year. If the fish are not looking up look out for whitefish, the Yellowstone has near biblical numbers of them and they are on a mission to eat anything you put under a bobber!
Ennis Lake
Ennis Lake is located just minutes from Ennis, Montana which makes it a great addition to an Ennis based, Madison river fly fishing trip. Ennis Lake is an amazing and under appreciated fishery. The southern half of Ennis lake is shallow and easily wadable in many places. Pods of large trout cruise the shallows where the Madison river flows into Ennis lake. In July and August a morning on Ennis lake is a frenzy of large trout rising to intense hatches of callibaetis and tricos. We arrive by boat and wade the flats to stalk the rising fish. The fish in Ennis lake are as spooky as they are large but if you make some good cast to a group of risers one will choose your fly from the swarm of natural bugs and tear line off your reel. In the heat of the day hatches usually fade and if a breeze hits the water we usually leave Ennis lake and finish the day with a short float on the Madison river near Ennis. Ennis lake usually fishes well from spring through fall but the best hatches come in July and August.
The rising fish in Ennis lake are often called gulpers because of the loud slurping sound that they make on the quiet surface of the lake during a calm morning. Ennis lake is a large lake and the best fishing is usually near where the Madison river empties into the lake on the south end, which is halfway across the lake from the nearest boat ramp. We use a motor boat which gives us the ability to motor to the best fishing without having to row half way across the lake. Using a motorized watercraft also allows us to bail out quick if the wind kicks up. There is nothing fun about watching your guide spend an hour rowing across a lake in heavy chop at the end of a day. The amount of bug life in Ennis Lake and the size of the trout eating during a hatch are amazing sights. This head hunting and sight casting at its best!
The rising fish in Ennis lake are often called gulpers because of the loud slurping sound that they make on the quiet surface of the lake during a calm morning. Ennis lake is a large lake and the best fishing is usually near where the Madison river empties into the lake on the south end, which is halfway across the lake from the nearest boat ramp. We use a motor boat which gives us the ability to motor to the best fishing without having to row half way across the lake. Using a motorized watercraft also allows us to bail out quick if the wind kicks up. There is nothing fun about watching your guide spend an hour rowing across a lake in heavy chop at the end of a day. The amount of bug life in Ennis Lake and the size of the trout eating during a hatch are amazing sights. This head hunting and sight casting at its best!
Ruby River
The Ruby river flows from the Beaverhead National Forest, through the scenic Ruby Valley to its confluence with the Beaverhead river near Twin Bridges Montana. Of Montana's fly fishing waters, the Ruby is one of the most under rated. A small wade fishing river, the Ruby is a great option for anglers who want to work an intimate wading experience into their Montana fly fishing vacation. After floating some of our bigger rivers, working in a day of wading small water can be a lot of fun. Fish here range from 10 to 20 inches and produce good action on both dry-flys and smaller nymphs. For those staying in Ennis, Montana, the Ruby is only about 30 minutes away. Access on this river is limited, so having an intimate knowledge of county road crossings and a knowledge of Montana's stream access law is key. Likewise, we recommend an early start to avoid fishing behind other anglers.
