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River guide · Montana

Fly Fishing the Stillwater River

Draining the remote Beartooth Range into the Yellowstone near Columbus, the Stillwater is a classic Montana freestone (fast, bouldery, and wildly scenic) with a stacked menu of hatches that keeps dry-fly fishing productive from stoneflies in early July through hoppers and Baetis well into fall. Despite flowing through one of Montana's most dramatic river corridors, it remains far less pressured than the Madison or Yellowstone.

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When to fish

Mid-July–October

Best months: July–October

  • Best
  • Off-peak

Blue-winged Olive / Baetis: April–May, Sept–Oct. Salmonfly: late June–early July.

Today's conditions

Where to fish

Along the Stillwater River

Montana FWP fishing access sites provide public entry from Columbus upstream toward Nye. The lower valley is driftable by raft or kayak from mid-July through September; the upper wilderness section above Nye requires hiking or horseback to reach the water.

The water

Freestone

Key hatches

  • Blue-winged Olive / Baetis
  • Salmonfly
  • Golden Stonefly / Yellow Sally
  • Pale Morning Dun
  • Caddis
Hatch calendar

Conditions

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6-day forecast

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Forecast from the National Weather Service ↗

Key hatches

  • Blue-winged Olive / Baetis (April–May, Sept–Oct)
  • Salmonfly (late June–early July)
  • Golden Stonefly / Yellow Sally (July)
  • Pale Morning Dun (late June–July)
  • Caddis (June–August)
  • Terrestrials / Hoppers (mid-July–September)

Fly shops near the Stillwater River

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

7 fly shops shown · 1 farther away in the listStillwater River

Species on this water

TroutBonefishPikeTarpon

Nearby towns

Red LodgeBig TimberLivingston

Rivers nearby

Rock CreekBoulder RiverYellowstone RiverBighorn River
From The Fly Bench

Tie the flies that work on the Stillwater River

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

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Gear up

Gear up on the Stillwater River

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

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The flies that work on the Stillwater River

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

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