Southwestern Montana

Go to the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks for hoot owl closure details.

Spruce flies are out in good numbers in pine forested sections of the Madison below Quake Lake and the Gallatin River. The elk hair caddis ( size 14) is as good as any pattern for simulating these insects.  Summer mayfly hatches are winding down and terrestrial insect hatches are taking over for foraging trout throughout the river. Hebgen Lake’s Madison Arm is featuring gulpers during wind free times. Speckled duns, tricos, and hatching damsel flies are the reasons.  This is some of the best fishing in southwest Montana. Fishing between Hebgen and Quake Lakes and in the no boating section below is good with terrestrial insect patterns being most consistent producers. Early AM golden flies are beginning to become active there and in the no boating section below Quake Lake to the benefit early morning fly fishers.  Flow in Red Rock Creek is a dangerously low of 23 cfs above Upper Red Rock Lake making grayling and cutthroat trout head downstream to the lake.