River guide · Montana

Fly Fishing the Rock Creek

Tucked into the Absaroka-Beartooth foothills south of Red Lodge, Rock Creek is a narrow, bouldered freestone stream that runs cold and clear through Custer-Gallatin National Forest. It punches above its size with a legendary salmonfly hatch and a diverse slate of wild trout: cutthroat, brown, rainbow, brook, and bull trout all share the water.

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When to fish

Late June–October

Best months: June–October

Best
Off-peak

Skwala Stonefly: March–April. Salmonfly: mid-June, 2 weeks.

Today's conditions

Where to fish

Along the Rock Creek

Highway 212 parallels Rock Creek from Red Lodge into the Custer-Gallatin National Forest, with multiple named fishing access sites (Parkside Campground, Water Birch, Bull Springs, Beaver Lodge, Horse Thief Station) and ample pull-outs along the canyon. Below Red Lodge, private land limits access.

The water

Freestone

Key hatches

Midge
March Brown
Skwala
Caddisfly
Golden Stonefly

Hatch calendar

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 Rock Creek, with hook sizes and local timing notes.
Hatch · hook	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Midge(midges)hook #18–22	January	February	March	April	May	June	July	August	September	October	November	December
March Brown(mayflies)hook #12–16			March	April
Skwala(stoneflies)hook #6–8March–April			March	April	May
Caddisfly(caddis)hook #14–18summer evenings					May	June	July	August
Golden Stonefly(stoneflies)hook #4–8late June–July					May	June	July
Salmonfly(stoneflies)hook #4–8mid-June, 2 weeks					May	June
Pale Morning Dun(mayflies)hook #16–22July						June	July	August
Blue-winged Olive(mayflies)hook #16–20Sept–Oct										October	November