Well, it’s two days after St.Valentines day and I’ve already fished about 15 days this year. The mild winter up here has kept most of the rivers ice free which is good for those of us who enjoy rising fish and solitude on the rivers. What a difference a year makes! Last year at this time we were waist deep skiing powder, this year we’re waist deep in the rivers.
We’ve been fishing the Yellowstone pretty much anytime the wind isn’t blowing. It’s a great time to be out swinging streamers or looking for rising fish. Dry fly fishing has been much more productive on cloudy days. When the sun is out we’ve been able to pick fish up on small zebra midges, blood worms, and emerging midge patterns.
We’ll be on the Upper Madison tomorrow with an update soon to follow! (We’re hearing reports of big fish being caught on midge dries!!)
This article was written, by Eric Adams and edited by Blake Maxwell, for The Bozeman Magie Dec 23, 2010 | Vol: 1 and can be viewed in it’s entirety here.
Montana presents a number of great locations to test your adventurous spirit and bask in the warmth of knowledge. Many of Montana’s Rivers are open to fishing year round, but make sure to check the official State of Montana Fishing Regulations as some streams and major rivers have seasonal closures.
Remember a trout’s metabolism in near-freezing water doesn’t allow for aggressive feeding. So the initial step is finding the most obvious places where a trout can feed, but not have to exert unneeded energy. These areas tend to be the opposite of a trout’s typical summer habitat. Look for warmer water temperatures or slower moving water. Finding a location combining these characteristics will stack the odds in your favor.
Southwest Montana boasts some of the richest spring-fed trout streams in the world. These springs flow directly out of the ground and typically maintain a water temperature of about 52 degrees, often a full 18 degrees warmer than non-spring fed rivers. While most of these creeks are located on private land, the landowners of Armstrong’s, DePuy’s and Nelson’s spring creeks do offer access for a small wintertime fee.
For larger waterways in our backyard around Bozeman/Livingston, the mighty Yellowstone River and the Madison River have numerous warm springs that flow into the main channels. Concentrate your fishing on these junctions and be patient. Look for small surface disturbances that might reveal a subtle rise to a dry or the tip of a nymphing fish’s tail. One good location is on the Yellowstone River near Corwin Springs where warmer springs seep into the main river. Another hotspot on the Upper Madison River, the stretch from Quake Lake to Lyon’s Bridge can produce large browns and rainbows on the right day (see trip photo 3, below). Again be sure to check the regulations, as this area is only open from the third Saturday in May until the end of February.
Along with the numerous spring creeks and freestone rivers, tailwaters such as those on the Bighorn, Missouri (below Holter Dam) and the Beaverhead (below Pipe Organ Bridge) offer many miles of good wintertime water. Many of the larger tailwaters, like Missouri, provides, have long sections of slower water. Concentrate on the slowest water you can find and be patient. One particular location on Missouri is just up from the Craig Bridge on river left. It has some ideal slow water, and it’s only a few hundred yards from Joe’s Bar in case a little liquid back-up is in order.
The best advice we have is this: next time you’re looking to satisfy that wintertime fishing itch, get out there. Be adventurous and fish wisely. Go explore. What else are you going to do on a beautiful winter day, sit inside and tie flies? Well, sometimes we do that too.
This article was written, by Eric Adams and edited by Blake Maxwell, for The Bozeman Magie Dec 23, 2010 | Vol: 1 and can be viewed in it’s entirety here.
Montana fly fishing and winter? Seems to be a verbal paradox, but good opportunities are out there for the patient and adventurous angler. Most believe fly fishing possibilities hibernate through winter, but for many anglers, the season signifies quality, un-crowded fishing. So we thought in celebration of winter’s official onset it was time to discuss some winter fishing. First, we’d like to convey an experienced approach to winter fishing and describe the ideal scenarios yielding the best results. Second, we’ll review several safety recommendations that you’ll want to consider. Finally, we’ll reveal some of the best places in our part of Montana to fly fish in the winter months. Regarding why someone would voluntarily fish Montana during winter – if you’ve taken the time to read past the title, you are either morbidly curious or you already belong in the category of ‘adventurous.’ With that in mind, let’s discuss the best ways to scratch that fishing itch with the cold and snow.
Again, patience is key, and that means waiting for the right kind of winter weather. Many people picture Montana winters as arctic landscapes with piles of snow and even igloos for shelter. Those of you who haven’t visited here during the winter might be surprised; most of the weather is relatively mild. While arctic cold fronts can and do inundate us with sub-zero temperatures and blizzard conditions, the Livingston area average daytime highs hover around 40 degrees. That may not strike you as overly warm, but with low winds, sunshine and (normally) low humidity, the days can be surprisingly pleasant. As we’ve always said, “We’ll take 20 degrees in Montana over 35 degrees in the cold and humid upper Midwest any day.” If you have the patience to wait out the weather and time to pick your days, Mother Nature shouldn’t be a limiting factor.
Not only should you wait for conducive weather, but the time of day is also important to your fishing goals. Daylight in Montana is limited during the winter to about eight hours between sunrise and sunset – a dream for those “sophisticated” anglers who prefer to savor their morning coffee. The hours between noon and 3 pm are typically the warmest part of the winter days. This is noteworthy for several reasons. First, trout are cold-blooded animals, which generically means that their environment directly affects their metabolism. By fishing during the warmest part of the day, you’ll increase your exposure to active fish. Second, the majority of southwest Montana’s wintertime hatches occur during the warmest part of the day. These hatches are predominantly midges along with the occasional Baetis or Psuedocleon mayflies. For those not up on your entomology, we encourage the use of a good selection of flies such as Buzz Balls, Griffith’s Gnats, small parachutes in darker colors, Brassie’s, Miracle Midges, Zebra Midges and the like in sizes 16 through 24.
A bend in the rod sure warms the soul
The second key to fly fishing Montana in the winter is an adventurous spirit sufficient to brave the elements. Gear helps; the advances in breathable waders, layering, portable heaters, hand warmers, and weatherproof materials have opened up the whole calendar to the diehard angler. There’s no reason to be cold, wet and miserable ever again. Sure it costs a bit, but adding another five months of fishing certainly offsets a few bucks for those of us with angling fever. And don’t forget the old saying, “A bend in the rod always warms the soul.”
Many of the prime locations for winter fishing are close to civilization, but we would strongly caution even the most adventurous winter anglers to keep safety in mind and have a plan if you misstep and fill your waders. It happens, and hypothermia is a serious result. One of the best recommendations we can make is to fish with a partner. Pairing up is often more fun and certainly a lot safer if someone does need assistance.
One particular danger of winter fishing is shelf ice. Many of the streams will develop a shelf of ice on the banks; these can be quite unstable and may stand well above the water level. Take it from my own personal experience, it’s best to avoid and enter the stream from drier ground. One weak spot in the ice can have your dangling in a hole up to your elbows.
We suggest two invaluable pieces of equipment; a pair of the newer rubber-soled wading boots and a wading staff. Snow and water collect on felt-soled wading shoes and freezes. They end up acting more like ice skates than boots. The wading staff will also help with stability on snow and in the river – it might just save you from taking a very cold bath. Lastly, stow a full change of clothes in your vehicle just in case your luck turns bad.
We describe our Boulder River fly fishing trips as half fishing half raft trip – in other words exciting fly fishing.
While your guide expertly rows the raft through class I, II & III rapids you’ll be hitting the pocket water in this fast paced fly fishing adventure. The Boulder River is a Blue Ribbon trout stream with quality rainbow and brown trout. This may be one of the best dry fly small streams in all of Montana. It has unusual purity giving it a unique clarity and beauty. Fly fishing the Boulder River depends on water levels and is typically floatable between late July and early August.
The Gallatin River, near Bozeman Montana is small in size, which to many means little fish, but not so on this hidden gem.
This is a classic small Montana stream with shallow riffles leading to long runs and deep pools with undercut banks. Typically this is a hunting ground for large brown and rainbow trout using streamers and large crawfish patterns. We typically float the Gallatin River in a raft or drift boat due to the many braids and channels – it’s a long day of fishing, but it can be very rewarding for those anglers looking for that 20+ inch trout.
The Madison River originates in Yellowstone National Park and flows nearly 150 miles before joining the headwaters of the Missouri river. The Madison river fishing is divided into the upper stretch and lower stretch each of which seems to be completely different waters. Both the Upper Madison and Lower Madison are some of Montana’s premier wild trout rivers and it has been classified as a “Blue Ribbon” trout stream. Every foot of the river is capable of producing rainbow and brown trout eager to rise to a dry fly, grab a drifting nymph or a swinging streamer.
A Missouri River fishing trip is a truly unbelievable home for trout below Holter Lake through the town of Craig and downstream to Cascade, Montana. It boasted the highest trout population in the state of Montana in 2012 with over 8,000 fish per mile and 20′′ fish are common. Obviously, chances of having a good day while Missouri River fishing are high. Not only are the fish numerous, but like most tailwaters the Missouri river is abundant in aquatic bug life, making for exceptional sight and dry fly fishing. We offer this trip only during the best fishing time of the year which is from April until early July and then again in late September into November.
Smith River fly fishing trips can be summed up in almost one word – secluded.
Our Smith River fly fishing trips take place on the upper section of the Smith River, between its origin and above the Smith River Fly Fishing Access Site, flows through gently rolling prairie, flanked by the tall peaks of the Big Belt Mountains and Little Belt Mountains. It is beautiful country, with sweeping wide open vistas and incredible views. Other than the small town of White Sulphur Springs, the area is also very remote. Agricultural fields surround the river in this section, with extensive brush along its bank. A number of pools are also found on this stretch. Generally, the Smith River flows at a slow to moderate pace in this section, depending on water levels.
The Paradise Valley Spring Creeks of Armstrong, DePuy and Nelson should be on every angler’s wish list.
These world famous creeks are a sight fishing wonderland – with consistent hatches of midges, baetis, Pale Morning Duns, and Sulphur’s anglers can test their skills against wary trout. Dry fly fishing, sight-nymphing and reach casts on 6X are useful tools to have in your angling arsenal, but don’t worry if you need a little more practice our guides will teach you these techniques and make you a better angler after just one day! Please make sure to plan ahead as these private locations have limited availability and in prime season reservations can book up to a year in advance.
Don’t let the name fool you, our Stillwater River fishing trips take place on a wild and fast flowing river.
The beautiful Stillwater River begins in the Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness and flows north toward the town of Columbus, Montana where fishing access sites are good. Typically fishing this stream starts by mid July and August via rafts, but good wade fishing can also be had in the early spring with very good mayfly hatches starting around early March. This is definitely a dry fly fishing river and fishing this pocket water stream with a big hopper or stonefly pattern can be awesome.
If you’re looking for trophy lake fly fishing trips then you need to check out a couple of the private trophy waters in the Livingston area.
They offer outstanding stillwater fly fishing for rainbows, browns and cutthroat trout. Fly fishing on these trophy lakes is more intense than most anglers realize. Stalking large trout and sight casting to gulpers can give even the most experienced angler the casting jitters. These trophy lakes have prolific hatches of damselflies, Callibaetis mayflies, midges and terrestrials. These lakes are also the ideal starting point for both beginner anglers and those younger anglers looking to bend the rod for the first time.
This is a classic western river and should be on every angler’s life list
Our Yellowstone River fishing trips include guiding on over 120 miles of blue ribbon trout water starting at Yellowstone National Park. The Yellowstone River is our home water and one of the great fly fishing trout streams of the world. It is the longest undammed river in the lower 48 states, and there is excellent trout water from its tributaries high inside Yellowstone Park, downstream through Gardiner, the Paradise Valley, Livingston, and on to well below Big Timber – a stretch of nearly 150 river miles. We float many different stretches of the prime water between Gardiner and Big Timber, depending on the Yellowstone River fly fishing conditions and water levels.
Our Nation’s first National Park offers some of the most famous fly fishing waters in the country. Slough Creek, Soda Butte Creek, Lamar River, Yellowstone River and many other small streams are all within driving distance of Livingston, Montana. Our Yellowstone Park fly fishing guides have detailed knowledge of the waters in Yellowstone National Park and have spent decades learning these waters. They are pleased to show you some secrets to catching more trout in this amazing environment.
