Fishing Seasons

Montana Fly Fishing Seasons

*Our Montana Fishing Season runs from the 3rd Saturday in May to Labor Day every year.  The “shoulder” seasons are all the months on either side of the true state determined season.  Fishing is allowed year round on most rivers, with certain streams or sections closed to fishing to protect critical spawning habitat starting on December 1st of each year.  Please check the Montana Fishing Regulations for important closure information.

Just a BEAUTIFUL spring day in Montana.

March/April

  • First hatches of the year
  • Uncrowded water
  • Hungry and Eager fish
  • Caddis Begin
  • Skwallas on the Big Hole
  • Big fish will eat regularly
  • Watch the landscape turn green again
  • Experience fishing in all of Montana’s seasonal weather

May

  • Weather warms, but could change in an instant
  • Mothers Day Caddis
  • Skwala Stoneflies
  • 3rd Saturday is opening weekend for all of Montana’s waters
  • Cool to Warm temperatures
  • Streamers fish well on all rivers

June

  • Great all around month to fish
  • Salmon flies on the Big Hole and Madison rivers
  • PMD’s and Sally’s on the Beaverhead
  • All five rivers are fishable
  • Bugs popping all over Southwest Montana
  • Post run-off

June hookup on the Beaverhead River.

July

  • Stable waterflows provide consistent hatches
  • Golden Stoneflies and Drakes on the Big Hole
  • Terrestrials starting to fish
  • Fishing in shorts, t-shirts, and sandals
  • Fantastic month for the Beaverhead

August

  • Time to fish hoppers and other terrestrials
  • Fish exploding on big dry files on all our rivers
  • Trico time
  • Spruce Moth on Big Hole
  • Sight fish for big fish sipping smaller bugs
  • Smaller early season fish have turned into reel ripping handfuls

September

  • Brown Trout are getting ready to spawn
  • Trico’s still active bringing pods of fish to the surface
  • Ant and Beetle Time
  • Foliage begins to change with first frosts of the season
  • Water flows increase as irrigation demands decrease
  • Wader, Rain Jacket, and Boot Check

Fall is a very special time to fish in Montana.

October/November

  • If not the best, you’d have to argue hard for a better month(s) to fish
  • Spawning Brown trout attacking streamers
  • Rivers become less crowded
  • Gorgeous scenery along our rivers
  • High chance of landing the biggest fish of the season