Bozeman Fishing Update 05/0915

Just a heads up for everyone out there in the piscatorial life around SW Montana. It is cold out there right now! I can see fresh snow in the Bridgers outside my office window this morning. As I get ready for a day of family fun involving piano lessons, flag football, and high school track; I kind of wish I was heading over to the Yellowstone instead!

The cold nights and mild daytime temperatures from the last few days have eased back the spring runoff fro a few days. The result has been a dramatic drop in level river flows and an increase in visibility. There are plenty of Caddis, March Browns, and BWO’s out there right now to bring fish to the surface while the conditions continue to be good. If some great fishing on serious streamers and big dries sounds good to you the next few days, stick close and enjoy the diversity and choices of water that you just can’t find anywhere else!

It won’t last long, so be sure to get out there and experience the awesome fishing around Southwest Montana before the runoff gets going again. Historically, these little drops in the runoff provide some awesome fishing, especially on the Yellowstone. As the days warm up into the 50’s, the bugs really get going once again and the fish will get on Caddis and March Brown Dries the way that we always hope they will. Just thinking about it makes me want to ditch the wife and kids today!

The Fins & Feathers fly fishing guides have been busy this past week and the reports coming back have been very solid. While I’ve been up on the Missouri trying to avoid crowds and fight the wind, they’ve been getting fish on big dries and streamers everywhere around Bozeman. Made me stop to think that most folks probably think that the rivers around here are all blown out when they are actually in prime condition! Stop by our Bozeman fly shop on your way out or book a guided fly fishing trip in Bozeman this week and see our rivers in a whole new way!