DePuy’s Spring Creek is the classic, western spring creek. Silky water that slowly meanders its way through a valley floor lined with the Willows and hundred-year-old Cottonwood trees. Gentle runs where wild trout pile into during the world-renowned hatches that have made this particular spring creek a “must-fish” destination for the serious fly angler. Surprisingly deep pools and ideal bank structures afford the wary spring creek trout places to hide and rest during the slower times of the day. DePuy’s is one of our longtime favorite places to fly fish for wild trout around Bozeman.
The creek starts about 1.5 miles above the property line between the O’Hair and DePuy family ranches. DePuy’s boasts about 3 miles of spring creek that has been managed, maintained, and improved with the fly fisherman in mind. As the largest spring creek property in Paradise Valley, Depuy’s can handle several small groups of anglers a day without ever feeling too crowded, especially during heavy hatch periods.
Anglers generally describe Depuy’s in terms of an upper, middle, and lower creek. Each section has a mile or so of fishable with fantastic banks, prolific weed-beds, and a frim, silty streambed. The upper section starts at the property boundary with the O’ Hair Ranch and runs down to the second angler’s hut on the stream called, appropriately, the Middle Hut. Then the stream continues to flow north where it fills a small reservoir that holds fish and is home to myriad species of waterfowl including Trumpeter Swans. A small waterfall represents the start of the lower creeks which eventually flows into the Yellowstone River at the northernmost property boundary of the DePuy’s Ranch.
During those times of the day when hatches are sparse or absent altogether, the spring creek has enough character and depth to make nymph-fishing productive as well. Sowbugs, Scuds, Midges, Mayfly nymphs, Cranefly Larvae, and Caddis larvae are prevalent at all times of the year. A stealthy approach and accurate presentation is still required to fool these wary trout making nymph fishing DePuy’s a very demanding task for even the most skilled anglers.
Mid and late summer fly fishing on DePuy’s is typically best early and late in terms of finding hatching insects and steadily rising trout. Terrestrial patterns that imitate Ants, Beetles, and Grasshoppers are often sight-fished to mid-creek feeding fish during those bright, sunny days of August and early September. The weed growth becomes more prevalent during this time of year, so most of the nymph fishing consists of dry/dropper combinations fished along seams, undercut bank edges, and through deeper pools.
DePuy’s Spring Creek is a private water fishery that is well-known and highly regarded throughout the world. Access is limited to a maximum of 16 anglers a day and advanced reservations are highly suggested. Depuy’s charges a “Rod Fee” that varies between $40 and $120 a day/angler.
The Fins & Feathers of Bozeman fly fishing guide service operates year-round on DePuy’s Spring Creek. In terms of a destination for a guided fly fishing trip around Bozeman, we usually recommend DePuy’s between Oct. 15 – April 14 as a great off-season choice for anglers with intermediate to advanced fly fishing skills. A day on DePuy’s is a great choice for anglers that fish with one of our Bozeman fly-fishing guides for several days and would like a change of pace for one of those days. Mid-season fishing on DePuy’s can be very challenging at times and a professional fly fishing guide can help make the difference between a day of frustration and a successful outing.
Guided fly fishing trips on DePuy’s Spring Creek are available upon request while inquiring or finalizing a booking. A deposit of 50% per angler’s rod fee is charged at the time of booking and is refundable with 60 days cancellation. Our standard guide rate of $595 for 1-2 anglers is in addition to the rod fees charged by DePuy’s. With this in mind, we typically recommend most private water options for anglers that would like to add some diversity to their multiple-day Bozeman fly fishing vacation.
Please let us know if a day on DePuy’s Spring Creek with one of our Bozeman fly fishing guides is something that you would like to consider when booking your guided fishing trip to Bozeman. We’ll give you a straight answer on whether we think it will be a good bet or not and get the dates reserved right away. Email us with any questions you have about fly fishing DePuy’s Spring Creek or help with putting together your Bozeman fly fishing vacation.
