You Know You are in Livingston, Montana When…

Here are just a few of our favorites…

• 

  Downtown Livingston, Montana

  You hear people say ‘crick’ instead of ‘creek’

• You’re not surprised to wake up to several inches of snow in ANY month of the year
• You leave your truck and house unlocked on a regular basis
• You can’t find a parking spot near the bar because of all the trucks with drift boats behind them
• No one is weirded out by firearms in a vehicle.  Furthermore, the only comments you hear are, “how do you like that scope?”
• None of the locals are surprised to here that another semi-truck blew over from the wind on the interstate
• The entire town shuts down for the July 4th parade
• You use your truck heater in the morning and air conditioner in the afternoon
• People you don’t know pass you on the street and say, “hello”
• In three weeks of straight fishing you’ve never fished the same piece of water twice

How do you know you’re in Livingston, Montana?

Recommended Fly Fishing Gear

This time of year we start getting a lot of calls and emails about the right gear to bring out for you Montana fly fishing trip.  While fly fishing gear can vary depending on the time of year you are visiting us here are a few staples that you should remember to check off your list:

• Montana Fishing License – we highly recommend visiting the state website and purchasing your license PRIOR to you trip.  https://app.mt.gov/Als/Index
• Rod & Reel (Line weights from 4 to 7 with floating fly lines, a 9 foot 6 wt is perfect for everything, but if you have a combination of two rods to fish with; like a 5 wt for spring creeks and a 6wt for big rivers and windy days it is even better)   This is a broad subject that depends on the angler’s preferences and the type of water fished.
• Wading Boots – studded boots are not preferred when fishing out of a drift boat as they will damage the floors of the boats.
• Waders – breathable waders are the only way to go!  If you would like to purchase waders we recommend Sweetwater Fly Shop for a full selection of fishing supplies.
• Rain Coat – should be taken even on clear days our mountain weather can change in a matter of minutes.
• Water Shoes or Sandals – for wet wading on warmer days.
• Fishing vest, fanny pack, or net – all optional.
• Long underwear or fleece pants for under your waders.
• Layers of Clothing for Hot and Cool weather.
• Warm socks.
• A Waterproof Bag for personal items you bring in the boat.
• Sunscreen.
• Hat – this not only provides better vision it protects you against hooks and fly lines.
• Sunglasses – quality polarized sunglasses are a must.
• Camera – for that big one!
• Cash for fishing licenses and tips.

Spring Fishing in Montana

Spring fly fishing in Montana on the Yellowstone River, Madison River, and the Spring Creeks of Armstrong, DePuy, and Nelson can be some of the best of the year.  In fact many of our summer guests ask us when we get time to fish.  The answer – spring time!  While the weather can be variable the fishing is quite consistent.  Those of you considering an early season get-away, here’s a rundown of what you can expect. 

The weather and conditions are varied so come prepared for temperatures from the low 40’s to mid-60’s.  On occasions there is snow, which should not stop your fishing, but if it does, this is also the prime time for wolf watching in the nearby Lamar Valley of Yellowstone National Park.  Buffalo, elk, and other game, that grew weary over the harsh winter, often fall prey to the wolves at this time and the packs can be seen from the road!  This wonder has drawn world-wide interest and many people are coming to our region specifically for this event.

The benefits of springtime travel in Montana have not caught on nationwide, but for the passionate community of people who love the West, it is the only time to be here.  For “locals”, this early fishing season is a treasured un-crowded time unlike any other.  It’s often been suggested Montana natives named it the “Mother’s Day Caddis Hatch” so they could have the best dry fly fishing for themselves for three weeks before. 

As for what you can expect for the fishing:

March – early April bring us great midge and baetis fishing.  The water is usually low and clear, so good presentation is the key to fishing success.  That said, the fish are eager to eat after the long winter’s cold.  Water temperatures warm and the fish get active.  Warm afternoons are best, especially on cloudy days even if it’s snowing outside.  The added bonus is that if the weather turns cold and snowy Bridger Bowl ski area is only 35 miles away – ski in the morning and then fish the afternoon hatch!

Mid April – early May really gets us excited.  One of the most spectacular hatches anywhere in the world is right around the corner – the Mother’s Day Caddis hatch on the Yellowstone River.  Describing this hatch, when it’s full blown, is almost impossible. You might think we’re exaggerating, but that’s why we’ve included some photos so you can judge for yourself. The river has an orange hue when the hundreds of thousands of caddis hatch in the afternoon. In the beginning stages of the hatch trout are eager to feed on these tasty morsels along the river banks and in back-eddies.  While the caddis hatch gets most of the attention the March Brown’s can be just as spectacular.  What trout wouldn’t want to eat a size 12 to 14 mayfly after a long winters slumber?

In an effort to get some of our long time summer fishing clients to get a taste of the greas Montana spring fishing we offer a 15% discount from our standard guided fishing rates.  So if this sounds like an interesting time of year let us know and we can fill you in on more details. This opportunity is available from March until the first week of June.

Favorite Montana Hatches

So it’s winter and we are busy blogging, tying flies, skiing, and dreaming about the best hatches of next fishing season.  We’ve listed a few of the Montana Fly Fishing Guides staff’s favorites.  Comment on your favorites.

Eric Adams’s 3 Fav’s:
Spring Baetis – Ski in the morning, fish dry flies in the afternoon.  Oh yeah no crowds.
Mother’s Day Caddis – Flat out the largest hatch on the Yellowstone River you will EVER see.
Giant Western Golden Stone - Yeah the one in late summer.  Big fish on dries.

Eric Paramore’s 3 Fav’s:
Mother’s Day Caddis – if you want to know why check out the 2nd pic in this photo gallery.
Hoppers – I spend most of the winter tying the perfect one.
Hecuba – A cool late summer mayfly.

Perry Coleman’s 3 Fav’s:
Pale Morning Duns or PMD’s – I get back from Florida right in time for these guys on the Spring Creeks.
Hopper’s – I know they aren’t a ‘hatch’ but come on!
Tarpon Worm Hatch – Yeah, it’s not in Montana but neither am I, too busy guiding Tarpon in Islamorada

Dennis Alverson’s 3 Fav’s:
Salmon Fly – Big nymphs, I love the Girddle Bug!
Hoppers – Rising trout, love it.
Summer Caddis – On the Boulder River.

Montana Snow Pack Update

If you haven’t heard we’ve gotten plenty of snow in the past couple weeks. Winter is off to a great start here in our part of Montana, hopefully it will continue. As of today our Montana snow pack is over 120% ! Lot’s of snow means plenty of cool water for our trout in the summer time. Keep it coming.

Here’s the link if you want to check it out yourself.