I have a 7 day trip to Montana booked in mid September. We will be fishing different rivers everyday unguided. The main rivers we will be targeting are the Gallatin, Madison,Jefferson, Missouri, Yellowstone, and creeks. I'm primarily a salty fly guy, but did ok this past season on the Guad. Just looking for advice from anyone who has fished these waters... Go to flies,techniques, or anything really for that matter lol. I will have a 4&5 with me. Should I be looking for a 6 as well? I hear it's pretty windy up there. I have an 8 but I don't think there's really any need for that(correct me if I'm wrong). Thanks in advance!

If fly fishing were a religion you are headed to one of it's finest cathedrals.

It's been years since I've been to Montana, but I do remember we fished the Blackfoot
outside of Missoula. Wyoming and Montana are far less populated than Colorado
it's not uncommon to not see another fisherman all day.That's great, but help can be a long way off.
If you are by yourself, it's a good idea to leave word with your hotel and where you are
headed and when you should be back. I've had some close calls when I was fishing by myself
including a very close lightning strike.

If I were you I would grab one of the latest
guide books on the state. Hit the local fly shops when you get there and picking up $20-$30
worth of flies from them will loosen a few lips on where to go and what to bring.

Leave the 8 at home, but definitely bring two rods and practice as much as possible
before you get up there.


Good luck!

Send me your email address

jonesy-

A 5 or 6 wt. rod will do just fine in Montana.

The last 2 years, my fishing buddy & I have fished the Madison and Gallatin Rivers in September. Most fly flingers hire a guide with a drift boat. There are places to wade, but adjoining property owners can get very protective of access to the rivers, that's why they drift fish. Public access is usually only at the bridges. Also, you can cover a lot of water with a drift boat. Wading can be an iffy thing given the water flows.

Look up Madison River Fishing Company in Ennis, MT; Beartooth Fly Fishing in Cameron, MT; Blue Ribbon Flies in MT; and they can set you up with a license, guides, flies, fishing gear, etc. Our best fishing has been with nymphs, and streamers. Midges and EHC's will work when there is a hatch going on.

Bozeman or Ennis, MT are usually the jumping off points for fishing those rivers that you want. The Yellowstone River inside of Yellowstone NP can be productive. Contact Beartooth for info. There are other fly shops around the area, but I have not dealt with them so I can't offer an opinion.

Good luck and tight lines.

Bill

A friend and I fished the Missouri in Craig.It was weedy. We tried a drift boat,and realized during the drift that there was decent access by car. There was one spot I somehow associate with California we could park and fish. It was a couple of miles downstream. It was good water for swinging soft hackles. Near evening, there were fish rising in smoother water near the bank, and we did catch a few on dry flies. I think foam hoppers would be good in Sept. We also caught trout and white fish on dries at another river right in Melrose, the Big Hole. I thought that town was cute, but the river may be too warm that late.

Thanks for all the advice guys!

Jonesy hit up Coloradofisherman.com I know its not montana but it has a good fly fishing section.

I have not fly fished montana but I do have a western division BASS tournament there this year lol