South Western Montana

Southwest Montana, September 7th, 2024

As the day warms up, ant and hopper patterns are best bets for action on the Madison River. Speckled dun activity on Hebgen Lake is winding down, but tricos remain active during mornings. During evenings, try presenting streamer patterns along the upper portions of the Hebgen’s Madison Arm. Browns and rainbows are staging there to begin their fall run into the river drainage in Yellowstone Park.

Grayling, the prized salmonid in Centennial Valley streams (see above photo), is heading down to the lakes as base level flows, shorter day times, and cooler air and waters signal it to do so.

Southwestern Montana, September 4th, 2024

Ant patterns are the way to great top water fishing just about everywhere. That includes Hebgen Lake where callibaetis and tricos are not as numerous as during a few weeks ago. 

Centennial Valley streams are at base level, meaning low flows, cooler nights, and less daylight. These will tell resident cutthroat trout and grayling the time to head back to Upper and Lower Red Rock Lakes is coming. Elk Lake will continue to offer good fishing for west slope cutts for weeks to come.  Concentrate your fly fishing efforts along vegetated shorelines where ants and hoppers are around.

Flies to fish:

• Bionic Ant Brown
• Chubby Cubby-Black

Southwest Montana, August 31st, 2024

The Big Hole River will be closed to fishing in its entirety starting today because of low flows and an expected spike in daily high temperatures.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) said persistent low river flows, high water temperatures and an “unseasonably warm and dry forecast” led to the full closure decision. FWP implements hoot-owl restrictions and fishing closures when rivers reach certain temperature thresholds that can be harmful to cold-water fish like trout.

During the past week and a half, FWP has lifted hoot-owl restrictions on the Beaverhead, Ruby, Smith, Jefferson, Bitterroot, Clark Fork, and portions of the Madison rivers as cooler temperatures and some rain moved through Montana. A hoot owl restriction remains on the Madison River from Hebgen Lake upstream to the Yellowstone Park boundary.

Southwest Montana, August 24th, 2024

Ants are becoming very important for foraging trout in the Madison and Gallatin Rivers. A diminishing number of mutant golden stoneflies are emerging
from the Madison River in the no boating section. Taylor Fork thunder showers can still muddy the Gallatin River. Hebgen Lake still host good numbers of tricos
and speckled duns, but weather determines whether or not fish feed on them. Thunder showers are keeping Centennial Valley stream cool, but water is
generally below seasonal flow levels. Early arrival and stealth is required for fly fishing success on these waters

Southwest Montana, August 17th, 2024

Ant patterns are becoming important for success not only on the Gallatin and Madison Rivers, but on the upper end of Quake Lake and around Hebgen Lake shore lines. Speckled dun and morning trico activities remain good on Hebgen Lake. Thundershowers can impact fishing success on most waters, but also can discolor some. The Taylor Fork of the Gallatin River is notorious for doing this after thunder showers hit its upstream drainage. These result in discolored flow into the main West Gallatin, so if any are in the area, consider this possibility.

Southwest Montana, August 10th, 2024

Spruce Moth

Thunder showers have slowed Hebgen Lake gulper fishing from time to time, but morning trico activity is coming on. Spruce moths are coming out along forested reaches of the Madison and Gallatin Rivers. Add this to active stream-side ants, hoppers and afternoon caddis activities, and these rivers are currently great for top water fly fishing. The West Fork of the Madison river has spruce moth activity for those fly fishers favoring small streams.

Flies to fish:

• Koichi’s Snowshoe Spruce Moth
• Indicator Para Trico
• Chubby Cubby-Black

Southwest Montana, August 8th, 2024

Thunder showers slow gulper activity on Hebgen Lake.  Try damsel fly nymphs around weed beds in sheltered bays along the south side of the lake any time of the day.  As terrestrial insect populations grow inlet area of Quake Lake can offer good fishing until wind comes up. Spruce moths should show up any day.

Flies to fish:

• Lancer Damsel
• Corn Fed Spruce Moth
• Chubby Cubby-Black

Southwest Montana, August 3rd, 2024

Thunder showers have slowed morning gulper fishing on Hebgen Lake, but storm free days are ahead and gulpers will pickup again. Ants, beetles and hoppers have made afternoon fishing good on the Gallatin and Madison Rivers. No significant spruce moths appearances on either of these streams (and the West Fork of the Madison) to date. Hoot Owl restrictions still apply to many streams. Check on fwp.mt.gov to see where.

Centennial Valley streams have flows considerable below normal making fishing success a bit difficult.

Southwest Montana, July 31st, 2024

Gulpers on Hebgen Lake’s Madison Arm are currently the big fly fishing attraction in south western Montana. Maybe not to the same extent as on Hebgen, other lakes have gulper action. The south end of Ennis Lake, bays on Hidden Lake, and the north end of Elk Lake are examples. These are much less attended by fly fishers than Hebgen’s famed gulper activity, so a visit to one would be much less hectic..

Flies to fish:

• Harrop’s Mayfly Nymph-Callibaetis
• Stealth Link-Callibaetis

Southwest Montana, July 27th, 2024

Big news here is that gulpers are going good during mornings on the Madison Arm with some on the South Fork Arm of Hebgen Lake. The trout will be working on these until around noon or until the wind comes up. So get ready with your callibaetis life cycle patterns, then switch to leech patterns of choice later or when wind gets going.