Fly fishermen and women from around the world travel to southwest Montana for its exceptional fishing opportunities. Fishing options are endless, but we offer a popular combination to our fishing guests that include floating and wading. Our goal is to provide professional expertise on all of our waters, always keeping in mind that you make the decisions on the type of fishing that you prefer.
Our Rivers are the Gallatin, Madison, Missouri and Yellowstone. We fish over seventy miles of each of these rivers and all are within an hour's drive of the Lodge. We also fish spring creeks such as the MZ Ranch, DePuy's, Armstrong's, and Nelson's, just 25 minutes from the Lodge. In addition, many small streams and stillwaters are nearby. We also have arranged access to other private ranch fishing nearby.
GALLATIN RIVER
The Gallatin River is just 5 minutes outside the door of the Lodge, just across our hay meadows. The Gallatin flows over 90 miles with hundreds of small creeks adding to its flow. It heads from springs in Yellowstone Park and flows to Three Forks--the birthplace of the Missouri River. The three reaches are the Meadow, Canyon and Valley.
The Meadow stretch extends approximately 30 miles from Yellowstone Park to Big Sky. Riffles, runs, and pocket water characterize the Gallatin here. Rainbow, Brown, Cutthroat and Cuttbow hybrids inhabit this area.
The Canyon stretch extends about 25 miles through a narrow shaded rocky gorge. The classic river fishing scenes from "A River Runs Through It" directed by Robert Redford; based on the book by Norman McLean, were filmed in this section. Deeper runs, pools, and pocket water characterize this section. Browns, Rainbows, Mt. Whitefish, and Cuttbows are the predominant species here.
The Valley section contains 35 miles of classic western freestone water. The Gallatin River Lodge is in this section. Offering excellent wading for Browns, Rainbows and Mt. Whitefish, the river here is braided through mostly private ranch property. Larger Browns and Rainbows can be found in this section. Access is more limited than the upper sections. The last 5 miles of the river can be accessed by boat but all other areas cannot be fished from watercraft.
April and early May are excellent months to fish the Gallatin. We fish stonefly, attractor nymphs and streamer patterns. We also see consistent midge hatches and sporadic baetis hatches during these months. By late-May, runoff begins and the Gallatin usually is not fishable until mid-June.
Late June is salmonfly time on the Gallatin. July brings salmonflies, golden stones, caddis and PMD's. Attractor nymphs work well through out the summer months. August and September are hopper, caddis and attractor dry months. We also see a variety of mayfly hatches as we move into the fall. September and October are our favorite months on the Gallatin and streamers and nymphs are quite productive.
MADISON RIVER
The Madison River is within 30 miles of the Lodge. It contains three sections also: The Upper section in Yellowstone Park, the tailwater of Hebgen Dam and the tailwater of Ennis Dam. We fish the section below Hebgen to Ennis most of the year and the lower river in winter, spring and fall.
The upper river, although a tailwater, fishes more like a freestone river and has been described as a 50 mile riffle. Brown trout and Rainbow trout are the predominant species. Due to a greater understanding of Whirling Disease and mitigating techniques of river and habitat management, we have seen increasingly higher numbers of young Rainbow trout in the river. Whitefish and West Slope Cutthroat are also taken here.
We float and wade fish the Madison as most areas of the river pass through private property over this stretch. April through mid-May we fish stonefly and attractor nymphs. Spring caddis and baetis hatches become more prolific beginning in mid-April. Late-May the river can occasionally become unfishable due to runoff. Mid-June through August, the Madison offers one of the finest angling experiences in the world. Dry fly fishing is usually best in July, August and September.
It's famous salmonfly hatch begins in early July. A variety of hatches occur throughout the summer including a variety of mayflies, stoneflies and caddis. Hoppers and various attractor patterns work well through early September. Terrestrials, Streamer and nymph fishing in September and October often produce some of the largest fish in the river for our anglers.
The lower river flows through the Beartrap canyon to Three Forks and the Missouri River for 45 miles. It is a deep fast river through the canyon stretch. We float and wade the area of the lower Beartrap to within a few miles of its joining the Jefferson at the confluence. This tailwater offers consistent hatches in the spring including prolific caddis, midge and baetis. Large Browns and Rainbows inhabit this area, along with Mt. Whitefish and a few Cutthroats. Mid to late June offers prolific stonefly hatches and some super fishing. Late July brings high water temperatures and we typically do not fish this section until early September. Fall streamer fishing for big Browns and Rainbows often produces some of the biggest fish of the season here.
YELLOWSTONE RIVER
The Yellowstone River is a big western river just 30 miles east of the Lodge. It heads above Yellowstone Lake in the Bridger Teton country south of Yellowstone National Park and flows hundreds of miles to meet the Missouri River near North Dakota. Deep pools and runs characterize this great freestone river. We float fish the river from Yellowstone Park down to Big Timber--over 70 miles. Browns, Rainbows, Cutthroat and Mt. Whitefish are the predominant species.
The Yellowstone is open year-round to angling. Spring and fall months offer the most consistent hatches of stoneflies, caddis, midges and mayflies such as baetis, drake, BWO and Sulphurs. Terrestrials and attractor fishing characterize summer angling. Drifting a large hopper pattern over good water often produces some of the largest fish in the river. The Yellowstone fishes well in the fall and offers some of the most spectacular views of our Montana scenery. Streamer and nymph fishing are productive until November.
SPRING CREEKS / STREAMS / ALPINE LAKES
Many famous spring creeks are nearby: DePuy's, Nelson's, Armstrong's and the MZ ranch are all within 30 minutes of the Lodge. These spring creeks are on private property and require an access rod fee. Many anglers find challenging technical fishing on the creeks. Our guides are experienced with this type of fishing and can help to improve your skills.
Small streams, stillwaters and alpine lakes are nearby also. We can also make arrangements for horseback access trips to isolated alpine lakes and backcountry streams in the area. Our guests may also travel to Yellowstone National Park just an hour away, and fish the numerous streams, lakes and rivers.
Our own private pond and its Rainbows offer a great angling treat for many of Gallatin River Lodge guests. It also provides a great place to practice and is offered for fly fishing schools and casting instruction.
The Madison and Yellowstone offer floating and wading opportunities. We find that many guests prefer fishing out of a drift boat. A typical day includes floating 8 to 12 miles in drift boats with ample stops for lunch and wade fishing. Two guests per guide are common. The Gallatin offers walk and wade fishing.
We are also only a 2 1/2 hour drive from the Henry's Fork, Big Hole, Beaverhead, Boulder and Stillwater rivers. We do not typically fish these waters on our day trips but we can put you in touch with excellent guides on these rivers. The Missouri is only about 45 minutes away and is a super river to fish in the spring and fall months. We often fish it for large Carp during the warmest summer months.
After an exciting day on the river you'll need a place to relax and unwind. Learn more about accommodations available to you at our fine Montana fly fishing lodge, Bozeman bed and breakfast, and Bozeman restaurant.
"I wanted to thank you for the wonderful stay at your lodge, fly fishing, and instruction. My daughter and I had a blast! The accommodations were excellent; the fishing great; the food was superb, but most of all the staff went out of their way to be cordial and made everyone feel taken care of. Your lodge was a joy to visit. Steve, you have played an instrumental role in "hooking" Lindsay on trout fishing and giving me the joy of knowing she's looking forward to our next fly fishing trip. Be assured I've already recommended you to several people. Please let me know if there is anything else I can do to promote the Gallatin River Lodge back East! Thanks again for a delightful stay."
-S. Neese, Virginia
