Fall Fishing in Montana
Fall Fly Fishing in Montana: Gallatin, Madison & Yellowstone Rivers
As the leaves turn gold and the mornings start crisp, fall fly fishing in Montana settles into one of the most magical times of the year. With fewer crowds, cool water temps, and trout feeding hard before winter, anglers can experience some of the best fishing of the season. At Rising Trout Fly Fishing Outfitters in Bozeman, we spend plenty of days on the water during September and October, and here’s what you can expect across the Gallatin, Madison, and Yellowstone Rivers.
Fall Fly Patterns That Work
Autumn in Montana means trout are keying in on protein-rich meals. Here are the flies we keep at the front of our boxes:
Mayfly patterns: Blue-Winged Olives (BWOs) hatch heavily on cloudy, drizzly days. A size 18–20 BWO Sparkle Dun, RS2, or CDC Comparadun can be deadly.
Caddis: Fall caddis in orange and tan are active well into October—Elk Hair Caddis and X-Caddis in sizes 14–16 are staples.
Terrestrials: Hopper season lingers in early fall; smaller hoppers in tan, olive, and pink can still bring explosive eats.
Nymphs: Pheasant Tails, Lightning Bugs, and small Perdigons in 16–20 keep fish hooked between hatches.
Streamers: Fall is prime for big browns. Woolly Buggers, Sparkle Minnows, and Sculpzillas stripped along banks can move trophy fish.
Tactics for Fall Success
Fish the weather: Cloudy, cool days bring BWOs and active trout. Bright sunny afternoons can still produce hopper eats.
Cover water: Fish are feeding aggressively before winter—swinging streamers or nymphing riffle seams can be very effective.
Stay stealthy: With lower flows and clearer water, longer leaders (9–12 feet) and lighter tippets (5x–6x for dries) are often necessary.
Mind the timing: Morning may start slow on cold days; the best fishing often comes late morning through afternoon as water temps rise.
River by River Breakdown
Gallatin River
The Gallatin’s fast pocket water makes it a fall favorite for wade anglers. Small BWOs and caddis are the bread and butter here, but don’t forget a hopper-dropper rig for sunny afternoons. Streamers stripped through deeper runs can also produce nice browns this time of year.
Madison River
Fall on the Madison is streamer heaven. Browns are moving for pre-spawn, and swinging a big articulated fly down riffle corners can bring heart-stopping strikes. On calmer days, look for BWO hatches and rising fish in softer edges. Nymph rigs with small mayflies and midges continue to put fish in the net.
Yellowstone River
The Yellowstone in autumn is wide open and gorgeous, with golden cottonwoods lining the banks. It’s also prime time for throwing streamers at big browns on the move. Hoppers taper off by mid-September, but nymphs and BWOs keep fish looking up. Cloudy fall days here can be some of the most memorable dry fly fishing of the year.
Final Thoughts from Rising Trout
Fall fly fishing in Montana is a season of transition—less pressure, vibrant scenery, and hungry trout that make for unforgettable days. Whether you’re chasing hopper eats on a sunny afternoon or stripping streamers for that trophy brown, September and October might just be the best time of year to explore the Gallatin, Madison, and Yellowstone Rivers.
If you’re planning a trip, our guides at Rising Trout Fly Fishing Outfitters would love to share the water with you. Fall is short, but it’s sweet—don’t miss it.
