Gardner River Fly Fishing Report & Options for Selecting Flies: 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.
We have custom Perfect Fly selections in 3 different price ranges for this stream that come with or without fly boxes that make excellent gifts. Click Here To Order or Call us at 800 594 4726 or email us at sales@perfectflystore.com.
Type of Stream
Freestone
Species
Rainbow Trout
Cutthroat
Brown
Brook
Rocky Mountain Whitefish
(Wild Trout)
Size
Medium
Location
Southwestern Montana, YNP
Nearest Towns
Gardiner, Montana
Season
Last of May – October
Access:
Good
Park License
Yellowstone National Park License
Weather
National Weather Service Link
Stream Flow Data Near Mammoth:
Real Time USGS Data
Seasons:
The Yellowstone season is a relatively short one, but
when conditions are right it is a great place to be.
Spring:
The first part of the season in early June will find the Gardner River too cold or in runoff.
Summer:
Summer is the best time for fly fishing the Gardner River
due to the hatches of aquatic insects.
Fall:
Autumn is certainly a very good time because large brown trout move out of the Yellowstone River into the
Gardner River to spawn.
Recommended Tackle & Gear
Fly Line:
4, 5 or 6 weight
Leaders:
Dry fly: 9 to 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 Supreme Four, Superb Five
or Ultimate Six
Fly Reels:
For 4/5/6 fly line
Fly Floatants and Misc Items:
Floatants, KISS Strike Indicators
Tools & Accessories:
Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc.
| Copyright 2016 James Marsh |
Fly Fishing the Gardner River – Yellowstone National Park
This Gardner River begins at about 10,000 feet in the Northwest Corner of the park as a tiny stream that is joined by several others near the Grand Loop Road. This small meadow section of the stream has small brook trout and an occasional rainbow. Below the Grand Loop Road down to Ospray Falls, the streams is moderately flowing water easy to fish until it begins to near the falls and become turbulent.
This is one of the best trout streams in the park, yet anglers tend to drive right by it on their way to other far away destinations. That can be a big mistake.
Below the Ospray Falls, the river is strictly pocket water with large boulders. You must hike upstream or via the Lava Trail to access this sections. The fish increase slightly in size. Just below the high bridge on the Mammoth-Tower Road, Lava Creek adds more water to the flow. From there down to just below the Mammoth Housing Area upstream a mile or so above the 45th Parallel Bridge, access is only available by hiking a short
ways.
The entire section below the 45th Parallel Bridge downstream to near Gardiner is easily accessible from the North Entrance Road. The water is still heavy pocket water with large boulders, deep fast runs and short riffles. This section contains the largest fish.
The Gardner River really turns on after the runoff when the large Salmonflies and Golden Stoneflies start to migrate to the banks to hatch. For the next couple of months, the river provides some very good dry fly action. Even then, the water is rarely crowded with
anglers.