Where we fish
Yellowstone river
Livingston, Montana is home and the Yellowstone River runs just a few blocks from our front door. This is where we spend most of our time. The Yellowstone River is the longest river in the Lower 48 without a dam, making it a truly free flowing river. The Yellowstone River offers over 150 miles of truly great trout fishing. You can float different sections for well over a week and not see the same water twice! It boasts a healthy population of Yellowstone Cutthroat, Rainbow, and Brown trout. The fishing on the Yellowstone is renowned for the dry fly opportunities. Fly patterns vary throughout the year, but most people associate the Yellowstone with drifting fluffy attractor dries while relaxing in a comfortable drift boat. The nymphing and streamer fishing can be very productive, but if working on your dry fly game is your preferred method, there is no better place than the Yellowstone River!
Madison River
The Madison River is just a quick trip from Livingston (by Montana standards!). There are two distinct parts to the Madison River, the Upper and the Lower. The Lower Madison is closer to Bozeman and can be a productive river in the Spring and Fall. During the warmer months this part of the Madison is best avoided due to warmer water temperatures. The Upper Madison is the part of the river that most are familiar with. It’s truly a unique fishery. The Upper Madison is fairly shallow and has a pretty uniform, quick pace. The holding water that you’ve always been taught to look for isn’t always there. But the fish are! It seems like they are everywhere! Rainbow and Brown trout thrive in the Madison River’s cold clear water. You even have a shot at Westslope Cutthroat trout thanks to efforts by Montana FWP and other federal agencies to improve the habitat of these trout. A variety of techniques are used to fish the Madison River depending on the time of year and can range from large stonefly patterns from a drift boat to sneaking around and hatch matching to rising fish.
Missouri River
The Missouri River is a tailwater fishery located in Northcentral Montana. In the waters below Holter Lake Dam, the Missouri River boasts one of the highest populations of trout in the US. Annual surveys showing 6,000+ fish per mile are not uncommon. Rainbow and Brown trout are the quarry on the Missouri River, and the average size of the fish can seem remarkable many days!
We feel that the best time to fish the Missouri River happily coincide with runoff on many of the other rivers in the state. Late April through the end of June can offer
Extraodinary fishing. The summer fishing, while still good, can be a little tricky at times because of the weed growth in the river. Once the weather cools off later in September and the weeds start to dissipate, it picks right back up! Late September through roughly Halloween can offer some of the best fishing of the year. Nymphing is the most productive way to fish the Missouri River. However, it’s not always as simple as you may have been lead to believe! If you are looking to up your dry fly game, the Missouri River is the place to do that! Because of the enormous amount of aquatic life and the gin clear waters, these fish can test the patience of any angler. Good casts and flawless drifts win the day on the Missouri for the dry fly enthusiast.
BOULDER AND STILLWATER RIVERS
The Boulder and Stillwater Rivers are within an hour or so of our home base of Livingston, Montana. They are medium sized freestone rivers that flow out of the Absaroka and Beartooth Mountains respectively. These rivers are fairly swift and have a bit of whitewater on certain stretches. We use rubber rafts to get down the Boulder and Stillwater rivers. A hard-sided drift boat wouldn’t last too long on these waters! The Boulder and Stillwater rivers offer great opportunities for both Rainbow and Brown trout. They are, what we like to describe as, honest rivers. The fish are where you think they should be! However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s super easy. Because of the speed and character of the water, good casters who are comfortable fishing from a boat and managing their lines tend to have more productive days on these rivers. The fish are usually quick to come up for a properly presented dry fly, but when they don’t get ready for your next cast because the next spot is coming up quickly!
Spring Creeks
The Spring Creeks in the Paradise Valley are minutes away from our home base. Anglers have long traveled from all over the world to try their hand at fooling these trout. There is a rotating cast of Rainbow, Brown, and Yellowstone Cutthroat trout in these waters. The populations fluctuate throughout the year depending on season and hatches. These fish can be smart and tough to fool! The water is crystal clear and the food is abundant. If you’ve never seen a trout refuse a live mayfly because they thought it looked wrong, give it a bit on Depuy’s or Armstrong’s Spring Creeks and you can check that off of your list! Don’t let us make you think it’s too difficult though! There are plenty of fish, and plenty of opportunities for them. Be prepared for small tippets and multiple fly changes. Availability on these creeks is limited by the landowners and the earlier the reservation, the better chance there is for a slot. Prime time is late-June through July, and then late September through October for the best hatches. An additional rod fee is required to access these waters that is not part of the guided fee.
