Known as one of the best wade fishing rivers in Montana, the Gallatin River is the closest larger river to Bozeman. It begins in Yellowstone National Park then winds its way through the Gallatin Canyon all the way to Three Forks where it meets up with the Jefferson and Madison rivers to form the Missouri River.
The Gallatin river is dropping and it's looking good out there. The flows bumped up to almost 1000 cfs a few days ago but it is currently at 645 cfs at Gallatin gateway so it is looking good. It is hard to beat a dry dropper rig right now. Fish are eating them both readily. Some of our favorites this time of year are the Pat's rubberlegs/girdle bug, stimulator, tan, royal or pink chubby chernobyl, pheasant tail, iron sally, perdigon's, psycho princes, blowtorch's, and duracell's. Streamer fishing can be good as well with flashier flies like kreelex's and sparkle minnows on brighter days and darker flies like the olive dungeon and the black kill whitey working better on cloudier and overcast days. If you see fish rising and they are not eating chubbies, try a puff caddis, cinnamon stubby chubby, mosquito, stimulator, ant acid, parachute Adams, or purple haze. (Gallatin river is currently under hoot owl restrictions from Cameron bridge to the mouth of the Missouri river) (Entire east Gallatin river on hoot owl restrictions). https://fwp.mt.gov/news/current-closures-restrictions/waterbody-closures
Adams (16-22), Purple Haze (16-20), Buzzball (16-18), Elk Hair Caddis Tan/ Olive(12-18), Film critic BWO, Stubby Chubby Purple, Cinnamon, Yellow, Tan (16-18)
Wooly Bugger Olive, Black (6-12), Fish Whacker Olive/white or Brown/yellow (6) Sculpzilla Tan,Black,Olive (4-8), GD P/Jig Streamer White/ Olive/Black (10), Micro Dungeon Yellow (10), Mini Dungeon Olive/ Purple/ Natural/ White (6)
Prince Nymph (14-18), Perdigon (14-18), Pat’s Rubber Legs (8-12), Hare’s Ear (14-18), Blowtorch (14-16), Zebra Midge Black/ Red/ Purple (16-20), Sweetmeat Caddis Tanger/Lime (14-16), Sizzlin' Hot Squirrel (12-16)
