Mid-June 2026 Montana Fly Fishing Report | Madison, Gallatin & Yellowstone Rivers
Mid-June Montana Fly Fishing Update: Salmonflies, Caddis, PMD’s, Drakes, Oh My!
Salmonflies? Yes. Where? Also Yes….
Welcome to mid-June fly fishing in Montana.
This is always that fun, slightly confusing window where the big bugs start showing up in certain places, other rivers are right on the edge, and everyone is trying to guess where they’ll be next. Some salmonflies have already started showing on parts of the Upper Madison, and with the warmer weather, a few areas are starting to move pretty quickly. The Gallatin and Yellowstone are not far behind either, and both of those rivers could start seeing salmonflies soon if the warmer temps keep things moving.
Overall, fishing around Bozeman is in a really good place right now. The Lower Madison has been fishing really well, with caddis, PMDs, yellow sallies, Brown Drakes, and plenty of fish looking up. It has also been getting busy with recreational tubers and floaters, so getting out early is definitely the move before the river traffic picks up. Keep an eye on afternoon water temps on the warmer days, but if you hit it right, the Lower has been one of the better close-to-town options we’ve had in a while.
The Upper Madison has been a little more of a right-place, right-time deal, but it’s still fishing pretty well overall. Some stretches have been really good, while others have been a little more hit and miss. With some extra water coming out of the dam, plus a good amount of boat traffic, fish have moved around a little bit and have been looking for steady holding water. Dry flies, nymphs, dry-droppers, and streamers are all in play depending on where you are. If you’re seeing salmonflies, throw the big dry. If not, rubber legs, caddis nymphs, PMD nymphs, yellow sally nymphs, and attractor patterns are all good bets.
The Gallatin is also looking really good for this time of year. Normally we’d still be in runoff, but the river is dropping quickly and has that great greenish tint that is perfect for fishing. It still has enough color to give fish some cover, but it’s clean enough that they can find your flies. Larger rubber legs, girdle bugs, stonefly nymphs, worms, and attractor patterns are all good options right now, and dry-dropper fishing should only get better as we move closer to salmonfly time.
The Yellowstone is in a very similar window. It’s dropping, it has that great green color, and we’re probably getting close to being done with runoff earlier than normal. This can be one of the best windows to be on the Yellowstone because there is still a good amount of water in the river, fish are pushed toward the banks and softer edges, and they’re more willing to eat bigger meals. Dry-droppers, larger stonefly patterns, rubber legs, girdle bugs, worms, and streamers are all worth fishing right now. Whether you’re stripping streamers, dead drifting them, or fishing bigger nymphs tight to the banks, this is a good time to find some quality fish.
The big picture is that we’re seeing a lot of dry fly activity across our local rivers, runoff seems to be wrapping up early, and everything is shaping up for a really good start to early summer fishing around Bozeman. Caddis, PMDs, Yellow Sallies, Drakes, and Salmonflies are all part of the conversation right now, and the next couple weeks should be really fun.
June is very full for guided trips, but we may still have a few guides open for a last-minute trip depending on the day. July is filling up very fast as well, with very few guides and days still available. If you’re planning on coming out to Montana this summer, it’s a good idea to book your trips early.
