Gallatin River Fishing Report
Species
Rainbow Trout
Cutthroat Trout
Brown Trout
Cuttbows
Rocky Mountain Whitefish
Fly and Gear ordering and delivery: We can get flies to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Please see the bottom of this column for ordering options.
We also have custom Perfect Fly selections in 3 different price ranges for this stream that come with or without fly boxes. They make excellent gifts. Click Here To Order or Call us at 800 594 4726 or email us at sales@perfectflystore.com.
Location
Southwestern Montana
Size:
Medium
Nearest Towns
Big Sky
Season
Reg. Season 3rd Sat of May through Nov 30th. Catch and release otherwise.
Access:
Mostly Good – some private waters
Non-Resident License
State of Montana
Recommended Tackle & Gear
Fly Line:
5 or 6 weight
Leaders:
Dry fly: 9 & 12 ft., 5 or 6X, Nymphing:
71/2 ft., 3 or 4X, Streamers 0-2X
Tippets:
Dry fly: 5 or 6X, Nymphing: 3 or 4X,
Streamer 0-2X
Best Fly Rods:
Perfect Fly Superb Five or Ultimate Six
Fly Reels:
For 5/6 fly line
Fly Floatants and Misc Items:
Floatants, KISS Strike Indicators
Tools & Accessories:
Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc.
Fly and Gear ordering and delivery:
Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations. We can get flies and gear to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Your can also call us at 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide what flies and gear to use. All orders are shipped free in the U.S. If under a $100 order requiring Priority mail is a charge of only $8.10. Orders over a $100 are shipped free via Priority Mail.
Copyright 2013 James Marsh
Gallatin River Montana Fly Fishing Report – April 29, 2024
The stream is flowing way above a normal level and stained. There are good Light Green and Red, or Blood Midge hatches taking place. Skwala stoneflies, LIttle Black Caddis and March Browns are also hatching. Check back with us often as we update the Gallatin River fishing report often.
Stream Conditions:
Rate: 926 cfs
Level: 2.22 ft
Afternoon Water Temperature: 48 degrees
Clarity: clear
USGS Real-Time Stream Flow Data Near Gallatin Gateway
Weather:
Recommended Trout Flies:
Brown Sculpin and White Belly Sculpin and Articulated streamers, size 6/4
Black Matuka and Olive Matuka Sculpin, size 4/6
Blue-winged Olives: size 16, 18 nymph, emergers, duns and spinners
Aquatic Worms, size 12, pink, red, and others
Midges: Cream and Red (Blood) midges sizes 20/22, larva, pupa and adult. Our larva and pupa midge flies, pre-rigged in tandem, work good here. You can fish them under a strike indicator keeping the larva fly near the bottom. https://perfectflystore.com/product/pre-rigged-tandem-midge-larva-pupa-tippet
Skwala Stoneflies: 10, nymphs, adults
Little Black Caddis: 18, pupa, adults
Fly Fishing On The Gallatin River In Montana (Outside Yellowstone National Park:) The Gallatin River begins at Gallatin Lake, which is located high in the mountains of the Gallatin Range inside Yellowstone National Park. It is over one-hundred miles long. Most of the river lies outside of the park. The Gallatin eventually helps form the Missouri River along with the Jefferson and Madison Rivers. Throughout its length, inside and outside of the park, the Gallatin River offers a variety of water, good access,and some of the most beautiful scenery Montana has to offer. Fly fishing the Gallatin River is as good as fly fishing gets. The Gallatin River runs for more than twenty-five miles in Yellowstone National Park. This section of our site provides the details about the National Park section of the Gallatin River. After the river leaves Yellowstone National Park, it flows mostly through public property for over forty-miles. The section in the park is surrounded by mountains but not steep and rugged. Once the river leaves the park it flows through steep mountains and canyons. There are plenty of whitewater sections, especially downstream of Big Sky. Highway #191 closely follows the river for that entire distance. Access to the river couldn’t be any better. There are numerous pull offs along the highway. Shortly after the river leaves the park boundaries, it enters a canyon section that is about three miles long. We have never been able to tell much difference in the size of the fish in this section of the river from those in the park. They probably average twelve inches with a larger one showing up every once in a while. From the canyon it flows into Lower Basin, a valley, before it reaches the town of Big Sky. The West Fork of the Gallatin River joins it before it leaves the valley and drops into a very long canyon that is over twenty miles long.Floating the Gallatin River upstream of the confluence of the East Gallatin River isn’t allowed. Seventy-five miles of it must be fished from the bank or by wading. This makes the Gallatin River a wading anglers dream stream.Forty miles of the Gallatin outside the park flows through mountainous terrain before it reaches the valley. The lower section from the mountains through the valley to Boseman flows mostly through private property. There’s several access sites along this section but it is limited. The river’s decline is lower and the flows slow down. It also becomes warmer during the Summer months. The East Fork of the Gallatin River joins in on the flow about thirty miles below the mountains. Floating is allowed in this section of the river all the way to the Missouri River. There’s only a few access points along this section of the river. We update the above Gallatin River fishing report often, so keep checking back with us for the latest.
Fly Fishing Guide to the Gallatin River: The first section of the Gallatin River outside of Yellowstone National Park flows almost exclusively through public land. It is followed very closely by Highway #191. During May and June, the runoff affects the river, especially below the Taylors Fork confluence. It is sometimes a week into the month of July before the river clears up enough for good fishing opportunities. From Big Sky downstream to the Spanish Creek Bridge, the banks of the Gallatin River is lined with forest. It is one more beautiful place to fish. The river rapidly flows through the canyons. It is pocket water fishing at its very best. There are many large boulders and steep banks, plunges and plenty whitewater section with rapids. It sometimes gets very narrow and almost impossible to fish in places. Some areas are more popular for whitewater enthusiasts than anglers. Wading the canyon section is often difficult and sometimes impossible. The current is very strong and can easily sweep an angler off their feet before they know what’s happening. Felt wading shoes and a wading staff are highly recommended. Its a good idea to have someone along with you. High sticking is a popular method of fishing in this section of the river. From the Spanish Creek Bridge downstream to Three Forks, the Gallatin River flows much slower. It flows through a wide open, agricultural valley. There are runs, riffles and a few pools. It has one main advantage over the upstream sections. The trout are larger.The flows of the Gallatin River in this section often depend on how much water is being used for irrigation. The best fishing and flows are usually found upstream of the Shedds Bridge Access site. The river is much easier to wade because of the slow flows. Access is far less plentiful though and is mostly available at the bridges.The very lowest section of the Gallatin River, the last twelve miles above Three Forks, has very little access. However, it can be floated.The Gallatin River is one river that you can almost always find a place to fish without seeing another angler. If the drive up highway 191 doesn’t give you a heart attack, the river may very well do it. I’m kidding, of course, but there’s some truth in the statement. It’s a dangerous highway. Never-the-less, fly fishing the Gallatin River is one exciting experience.
Gallatin River Hatches and Trout Flies: Our information on aquatic insects is based on our stream samples of larvae and nymphs, not guess work. We base fly suggestions on imitating the most plentiful and most available insects and other foods at the particular time you are fishing. Unlike the generic fly shop trout flies, we have specific imitations of all the insects in the Gallatin River and in all stages of life that are applicable to fishing. If you want to fish better, more realistic trout flies, have a much higher degree of success, give us a call. We not only will help you with selections, you will learn why, after trying Perfect Flies, 92% of the thousands of our customers will use nothing else. 1-800-594-4726. You will find a early season Blue-winged Olive hatch during June and a late season one that starts in late September and early October. Don’t overlook them because when they are hatching, they are often by themselves. Little Black Caddis, called the Mother’s Day Hatch in the West, may be hatching when the season first starts. You may want to be prepared for it if you fish during early June. PMDs, or Pale Morning Duns are the most consistent of the mayflies on the Gallatin River in the park. They start hatching about the Middle of June and last almost through the month of August into early September. Spotted Sedges are very plentiful. They start hatching around the first week of July and last through August. Green Sedges are very plentiful. Imitations of their larvae, called Green Rock Worms, will catch trout all during the season. These caddisflies hatch from about the middle of June all the way through September and into October. There are several species of them. Little Short-Horned Sedges hatch from about the middle of July until the middle of August. Little Sisters are fairly plentiful and usually start hatching about the end of July. They last for about three weeks. Little Brown Caddis are also fairly plentiful. They begin hatching about the middle to the end of July and last about two weeks. Green Drakes hatch from about the third or forth week of June for about three weeks. The weather and water temperature can vary this hatch a week or two and even more some years. It is not very heavy but they do hatch on the Gallatin. Flavs, or Small Western Green Drakes start hatching about the middle of July and last almost a month. They are only fairly plentiful. Salmonflies are present in the Gallatin River, but not in huge quantities inside the park section. They are far more plentiful in the canyon section outside the park. They start hatching about the first to the middle of July and last around a couple of weeks. Golden Stoneflies will start hatching about the same time as the Salmonflies, or just a little past the time they hatch. Yellow Sallies, or Little Yellow Stoneflies, are plentiful and hatch about the middle of July until the second week in August. You will find Pink Ladies, or the Eperous species, hatching from about the last week of July through August. March Browns start hatching about the same time and last through August. Grasshoppers, ants and beetles are very plentiful. The high grass and shrubs along the banks of the stream are a perfect habitat for them. Imitations of these insect will work during July, August and most of September. Streamers that imitate sculpin work great in the Gallatin. You should use them early in the season when the water is still cold, anytime it is slightly stained from heavy rain and during low light conditions such as early and late in the day. Our “Perfect Flies” have been tested extensively on this river and have proven to be more effective than any of the generic or attractor flies. If you haven’t tried them already, we certainly hope you will. We have specific imitations of everything that hatches on the Gallatin River in all stages of life that trout eat them in. Keep checking back with us for the latest updates on the hatches and flies needed to imitate them. We update the Gallatin River fishing report often.