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River guide · Montana

Fly Fishing the Gallatin River

A classic freestone running through the Gallatin Canyon, with wade-friendly pocket water and strong caddis and stonefly hatches.

13 shops nearby

See fly shops ↓

When to fish

July–September

Best months: July–September

Best
Off-peak

Salmonfly: early July. Golden Stonefly: July.

Today's conditions

Where to fish

Along the Gallatin River

Big Sky Canyon Village4 shopsBozeman2 shops

Big Sky1 shopLivingston2 shops

Hwy 191 parallels the river through Gallatin Canyon with abundant pull-offs; the river is closed to fishing from boats, making it classic wade water.

The water

Freestone

Key hatches

Blue-Winged Olive
Salmonfly
Caddisfly
Golden Stonefly
Pale Morning Dun

Conditions

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6-day forecast

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Forecast from the National Weather Service ↗

Hatch calendar

Months each hatch is active on the Gallatin River, with hook sizes and local timing notes.
Hatch · hook	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Blue-winged Olive(mayflies)hook #16–20				April	May	June			September	October
Salmonfly(stoneflies)hook #4–8				April	May
Caddisfly(caddis)hook #12–18summer evenings						June	July	August	September
Golden Stonefly(stoneflies)hook #8–10July						June	July
Pale Morning Dun(mayflies)hook #16–18summer							July	August	September

Mayflies
Caddis
Stoneflies
This month

Also on this water

Hopper / TerrestrialsAug–Sept

Timing from Big Y Fly Co's Gallatin River hatch chart ↗. Notes are local timing; dates shift a couple of weeks with weather and water.

Fly shops near the Gallatin River

Shops and guides that fish the Gallatin River. See all 93 Montana shops →

12 fly shops shownGallatin River at Big Sky

Species on this water

Trout Bass Bonefish Carp Pike Salmon Saltwater Steelhead Tarpon

Nearby towns

Big Sky Big Sky Canyon Village Karst Loop

Rivers nearby

Madison River Yellowstone River Jefferson River Big Hole River

From The Fly Bench

Tie the flies that work on the Gallatin River

Step-by-step tying recipes & videos for these patterns.

Browse patterns at The Fly Bench

Gear up on the Gallatin River

Everything you need before the next trip — rods, lines, leaders, and fly-tying materials.

Shop the gear Flies that work

The flies that work on the Gallatin River

Find the most effective patterns for where you're fishing — and learn to tie them yourself, step by step.

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