Near Bozeman
The best rivers to fly fish near Bozeman
Bozeman may be the best trout town in America, and the rivers back it up. Some of Montana’s finest water sits within an easy drive, from wadeable canyon freestones to the broad, famous rivers of the valley. Here are the ones worth the drive, each with a live read of what’s happening right now, so you know before you go.
The water near Bozeman
Numbered on the map, ordered by drive time from Bozeman.
A wadeable freestone coming out of the Gallatin Canyon. Stoneflies stack up around late June, then PMDs carry July and August.
The longest undammed river in the lower 48, running big and open through Paradise Valley. Heavy water that rewards a boat.
The upper canyon above Big Sky, wadeable and closed to fishing from a boat anywhere on the river. Pocket water with exceptional pale morning duns.
The lower Madison below Ennis Lake, broad and slower than the riffle water upstream. Big browns and rainbows above Bear Trap Canyon.
Excellent stonefly water near Big Timber. Salmonflies in June, golden stones in July, and good hopper fishing through the season.
6
1.5 hr SW
The upper Madison below Hebgen and Quake lakes, a broad freestone of long riffles. Salmonflies in early summer and prolific caddis.