Thanks to the ever-increasing number of well-developed pullouts throughout this canyon corridor, fishing along this stretch requires little more than pulling off the highway and stepping down to the river. As such, fishing access is superb. Solitude, as well as the best fishing conditions, will best be found by locating where the river is located furthest from the road and taking the easy hike over to it.

Rainbow trout, cutthroat trout and brown trout can all be found in this river section. These moths make their appearance in July and last through the summer.

After traveling for more than forty miles through mountainous terrain, the Gallatin River leaves the mountains behind as it spills out into a broad, scenic valley, which also contains the town of Bozeman. Mid-May sees the arrival of the Grannom or Mother’s Day Caddis. The lower river is mostly privately owned, so access is restricted to bridge crossing and fishing access sites. Our IDNR Division of Fisheries staff updates the . It is not unusual to find large trout in places few think would hold fish, such as in the very shallow riffles that are found on the Gallatin. If you’re planning on floating or wade fishing the lower river, take I-90 West and exit at either Manhattan or Logan. While the fish are generally small and average less than twelve inches, fish up to sixteen inches are not uncommon. The caddis stay all summer long, hatching off and on. Outside the Park, the river parallels Highway 191 up to and past Big Sky until it enters the Gallatin Valley. Larger fish are in there, they just aren’t very common. Fishing Locations Gallatin River Lower Madison River Upper Madison River Yellowstone River Spring Creeks Jefferson River Big Hole Boulder River Stillwater River Bighorn River Missouri River Yellowstone Park Waters Other Waters. From this point downstream to the beginning of the Missouri River, the Gallatin is open to float fishing. Most fishing boats, from pontoon boats to inflatable kayaks work just fine to fish this stretch. Streamer fisherman should try the lower river below the forks starting around April, again once the runoff begins clearing toward mid-summer, and finally around late September and into October. Gallatin River Fishing Regulations The Gallatin River outside Yellowstone National Park is open to fishing year-round. An angler arriving during this time who finds the river in this condition should venture further upstream and fish in Yellowstone National Park. **Please leave spawning fish alone and don't tread on redds!!! The Gallatin River in Yellowstone National Park is a beautiful river which offers the bonus of easy accessibility. Most of the Rainbows have gone deep to the bottom of a hole for warmer water.

A number of diversion dams need to be portaged and water levels are frequently quite low in the summer, keeping the current slow and the water depth shallow.

Don’t let the lack of large fish keep you from the Gallatin, however. For running powerful Class IV and V rapids, nothing beats an inflatable whitewater kayak. Since the bulk of the Gallatin River is closed to float fishing (but not recreational floating), the Gallatin is a dream come true for wade anglers who are frustrated by having to share the water with lines of rafts and drift boats. The fish are not finicky eaters, either, which makes the Gallatin River an excellent place for learning how to fly fish. Happily, it’s the once stretches of river that may be floated. Special Regulations: The Gallatin River is open all year. The trout in the Gallatin River is found in all types of water. At times, it seems a frog could jump across it. Read this guide to learn the importance of a fly reel and how to select a good one. Fishing this stretch of the Gallatin is essentially the same as between Taylor Creek and Big Sky. Since the water moves so quickly through this canyon stretch, fishing is also more difficult. Illinois, as well as details on important site-specific regulations that are organized by the body.

Sometimes you need at least a 10 foot leader to reach them. A float on the upper stretch of the Gallatin River, between the Yellowstone National Park boundary and Big Sky provides for a very scenic float. Gallatin River Montana - we have the flows, public access sites, boater information, shuttle contacts and fishing regulations from Yellowstone National Park to it's confluence with the Jefferson and Madison at the Missouri River Headwaters state park. Copyright 2002 - 2020 Big Sky Fishing.Com, Yellowstone National Park Photographs | Gallery #1, Yellowstone National Park Photographs | Gallery #2, View Yellowstone Fishing & Travel Guidebooks. Fishing the upper Gallatin in Yellowstone Park requires a Yellowstone fishing permit, available at area fly shops. To learn more about the river outside of Yellowstone, read the Gallatin River in Montana section. The Gallatin from the Yellowstone Park boundary to the confluence of the East Gallatin River is closed to float fishing. In the pages that follow, you will find an updated summary of statewide fishing regulations in. The standard daily limit for the Central Fishing District (see current Montana fishing regulations) applies to all portions of the river except to that which lies within Yellowstone Park. As a result, the best fishing on this stretch is often found above Shedds Bridge and below Gallatin Bridge. Hoppers and other terrestrial patterns are effective during the afternoon while caddis and mayfly patterns will work in the mornings and evenings. Learn more about boating laws in Montana. Float fishing is forbidden until the confluence of the East Gallatin River, only 12 miles from Three Forks.

But considering that this girl-next-door features approximately 120 miles of trout habitat from its emergence at Gallatin Lake to its confluence with the Missouri at Three Forks, it is arguable that a fisherman could tie the knot and spend his entire lifetime in blissful monogamy while attempting to figure out its many nuances. Permits • Fisherpersons ages 16 years and up must have a current Hidden Lakes fishing permit on them while fishing on the property. Fishing Locations Gallatin River Lower Madison River Upper Madison River Yellowstone River Spring Creeks Jefferson River Big Hole Boulder River Stillwater River Bighorn River Missouri River Yellowstone Park Waters Other Waters. In the stretches that are not severely de-watered, solid caddis hatches occur, providing solid fishing on flies such as the Elk Hair Caddis and Parachute Adams.

In mid December the Winter Stone will start to hatch so have small stonefly nymph ready in your fly box. If you are going out to streamer fish, the valley may yield more success. Access is spotty along this stretch, since the river flows almost exclusively through private land and access sites are quite scattered. Along with a consistent population of browns and rainbows, the lower-most stretch of the river is said to have a new denizen: northern pike. The Gallatin River runs for more than twenty-five miles in Yellowstone National Park. If that is identified in the Exceptions, these regulations take the place of the Standard Regulations (e.g., season, daily limits, etc.).

Since the Gallatin flows primarily through private property, access is gained at the frequent bridge crossings.

Access to the upper and canyon stretches of the Gallatin is wonderful, due to US 191 running right beside the river. Float fishing is not permitted on the Gallatin River in this section except for the short stretch of river from Gallatin Forks Access Site to Three Forks. Fishing Conditions October 28, 2020. The Gallatin River does not hold trophy trout. That said, pay careful attention to all the water. Float fishing is closed on the first 91 miles of river. All Rights Reserved Illinois Fishing Information. The majority of the land surrounding the river here is private, and you will need to exercise a bit more imagination and creativity if you wish to reach less-pressured water. This section of the river has significantly slower currents than found upstream.