Gallatin River

GAGE LOCATION

DAY/YEAR
GRAPHS

CURRENT
STAGE/FLOW

WHAT TIME

Gallatin near Gallatin Gateway

7 30 year

1.71 / 535

1 am

Gallatin at Logan

7 30 year

/

N/A

CITY

Big Sky

NOAA

Accuweather

TWC

Bozeman

NOAA

Accuweather

TWC

HATCH

NYMPH/
LARVA

PUPA/
EMERGER

DUN/
ADULT

EGG-
LAYER

Blue-winged olive

Mahogany dun

Trico

October caddis

Green caddis

Golden stonefly

Salmonfly

Cranefly

Midge

Sculpin

Hopper

Crayfish

Baitfish

Beetle

Ant

Attractor dry flies, such as Royal Wulffs, Parachute Adams, lime Trudes, yellow Stimulators and Humpies, and Chernobyl whatevers, are effective. In the grassy areas near Big Sky, hoppers and hopper/dropper rigs are usually effective in early September. If you fish a hopper, team a big dry fly, such as a Whitlock Hopper, Turcks Tarantula, Madam X, etc., with a small beadhead nymph, such as a size 16-18 Pheasant Tail, Hares Ear, Copper John, or Prince.

Anglers seeking large trout should use streamers and nymphs in deep water; make sure your fly is near the bottom.

You may find caddis hatching in the evening, and some tricos in the morning. These will diminish quickly with the cooling weather. They'll be replaced by blue-winged olives, tiny olives (size 22 blue-wings), and midges.

As September wears on, more and more brown trout will be in spawning mode. That makes them highly territorial and receptive to a large, invasive fly, such as a size 6-10 streamer, sculpin, Yuk Bug, Woolly Bugger, or Rubber Legs. Team that big fly with a smaller nymph, such as a Copper John, Prince, Hares Ear, Pheasant Tail, or Bloody Mary.

Storms in Yellowstone Park can make the Gallatin temporarily turbid and unfishable.

See the Rivers in General report for more September fly fishing tips.