THE QUESTION
“What’s the best time of year to come out and fish?” We must receive that question three or four times a day. This time of year, as we take calls from guests looking to book trips for the spring, summer, and fall, the number of people asking the question is probably double or triple that.
Answering that question is a lot like picking your favorite child. It’s nearly impossible, so we avoid doing it at all costs. However, we understand our guests might only have one shot at fishing the waters we guide on, so we’ll do our best to give you the intel you are looking for.
Off the top of our heads, we came up with early April to the mid-May. With the kids still in school, summer vacations still in the planning, and runoff (when the rivers rise and become unfishable due to snowmelt) waiting in the wings, this time is highlighted by how few anglers are on the rivers. Coming out of winter, the fish are active and eating. Hatches include Blue Winged Olives, March Browns, and, if you time it right, explosions of Caddis you’ll never forget.
But, be warned. The weather this time of year is unpredictable. One minute you can be enjoying a calm spring day and the next you’re facing hail coming at you sideways.
The weather can also be up and down in the fall – mid-September to the end of October–but this is another time of year we love to fish. Everything we said about crowds in spring applies here, plus the cooler autumn temps also trigger the big fish to move. If you are looking to land a lunker, you might want to consider a fall trip.
Though it can be a bit busier, the window after runoff from late June through July (depending on how the water temps are) is another answer we often give to this question. The weather is (usually) much milder making for more comfortable fishing conditions. Warmer temps trigger some great hatches including the appearance of giant salmonflies on many area rivers and the yearly emergence of PMDs on the Missouri River.
These are a few of our favorite times of year to fish but don’t worry if you can’t make it for one of the times we’ve called out. We stand by the old saying that there are no bad days when you’re on the water and there’s great fishing to be had year-round so long as you know where to go and how to fish–which is what we are here for.
SNOWPACK UPDATE:
Did anyone see that everyone’s favorite groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, saw his shadow the other day? That means six more weeks of winter and we couldn’t be happier.
The last newsletter (HERE) gave an explanation of what snowpack is and why it’s so important to the communities and fishing here in Montana and all over the West.
To give you an idea of how the numbers move, here’s an update on the Snow Water Equivalent numbers from last we checked: The Gallatin drainage from 106% to 102%. Madison drainage went up from 89% to 91%. Also up is the Yellowstone drainage, from 85% to 93%.
If you want to play along at home, you can keep tabs on the Snow Water Equivalent and Water Year To Date Precipitation on the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service page.
GARDNER SURPRISE
Previously, we told you about a trip we took to fish the Madison inside Yellowstone National Park in January. This section of the river is open to fishing during the winter for the first time in ages. The only other spot opened up to winter fishing in the park is the Gardner River, from Osprey Falls down to where the river empties into the Yellowstone River.
Last week, we drove down to the park and fished this stretch during a bluebird Montana (and Wyoming) day. You might remember that back in 2022 a flood washed out the Mammoth-to-Gardiner road that used to follow the course of the river. Though a terrible event for the local community and the park, with the road to Mammoth now running further away from the river, the experience of fishing the Gardner now feels much more secluded and remote.
Having never fished this water during this time of year there was a bit of a learning curve, but it didn’t take long before we got into some fish. The exciting (and surprising) part of the trip was running into a blue-winged olive hatch on the stretch below the Boiling River. Created from runoff from a nearby hot spring, this thermally heated water raised the river’s water temps similar to those you’d see in the spring or fall when these bugs usually appear.
The phenomenon created some unlikely January dry fly fishing of which we took full advantage. We also landed numerous trout on nymphs. Even if we hadn’t been so successful, the beautiful drive through Paradise Valley and a day spent traversing this beautiful canyon would have been well worth it. If you’re interested in fishing the Gardner during the winter, let us and we’d be happy to set up a trip.
GUIDE PROFILE
Hometown: Duxbury, Vermont (northwest of Montpelier)
First fishing memory: Using worms to catch perch and bluegills with my dad off the dock of our camp on Lake Champlain.
First fish on the fly: A brook trout in the creek behind my house where I grew up in Vermont.
Why Bozeman: I had some friends that went to Montana State University and I came out here to fish and snowboard.
Why guiding: I worked my way up in the restaurant industry and was executive chef at three places here in town, but I decided I wanted to follow my passion and spend more time outdoors. I love meeting different people every day and sharing experiences with them.
Favorite meal to cook: I make homemade pasta – ravioli and tortellini – that I pair with a classic red sauce. Pro tip: Cook your sauce low and slow to get the most flavor.
Favorite music: Always the Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia. I can’t pick one favorite song but I do love any of the early Seventies live shows.
Favorite activity: Snowboarding. Growing up in Vermont I did a lot of competitions. Out here, I love Joe’s Jungle off the ridge at Bridger.
Favorite Fly: Pat’s Rubber Legs.
Favorite River: The Upper Madison. It is just such a unique fishery. There are so many opportunities to find fish and so many different ways to fish it.
Guiding Ethos: Keep it simple and have fun.
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