More of this Feature • Introduction • The Jefferson • The Madison

Related Resources • Great Rivers Of Montana Part 1 • Great Rivers of Montana Part II

Elsewhere on the Web • Doc Knoll's Site

Past Articles

One Year Ago - 10/14/00 - To Teach A Kid Two Years Ago - 10/18/99 - Poisoning The Water Three Years Ago - 10/20/98 - Whirling Disease

This river also starts in the Northwest corner of the Yellowstone Park and runs through a very long and narrow canyon (along highway 191) until it emerges in the Gallatin Valley just west of Bozeman, Montana.
While in the Park the Gallatin is just a creek. Three big steps will get you to the other side. However don't pass this one up. Some fun days have been had in the willow area (just as it leaves the Park.) Fish with whatever you want to fish with... except don't over due it on large size (#16 and 18 dries will take most fish.)
Nymphers should be using #14 or #16 hooks with flashbacks being high on my list. Here on the upper Gallatin the fish have been hungry all winter. As summer approaches and gets into full swing, the fish will eat nearly anything that someone will throw their way. It doesn't really sound too challenging but this is the way it is. (Hint: Catch one or maybe two fish in each hole and move on. The next hole will be better and if your wondering ...the fish do get proportionally bigger as the river gathers speed and volume.
Near the town of Big Sky, Montana the Gallatin gives up its creek appearance and becomes a " good stream." The royal wulff accounts for an awful lot of fish from this point north until the river connects with the Missouri River. So tie some up #16's. It is the best overall size.
Once the Gallatin comes out of the mountains and slips through the valley floor the river becomes slightly different. The holes are deeper and longer but the royal wulff still is the leading fish taker. Caddis and Mayfly patterns will work and since this section of river is near a population source (Bozeman) it is fished steadily (but not necessarily hard.)
I have a lot of customers who buy flies from me at the Bozeman Farmer's Market every Saturday... There, among the Bozemanites, I sell loads of beadheaded wooly buggers and big zonker patterns. These are usually fished as the sun is sinking in the west and the big browns are beginning to seek out larger food items. Did I ever tell you about the feeding habits of the brown trout???
Okay, I'll add this to the article since it may help some of you... The brown trout eats all kinds of things and once it reaches fourteen or fifteen inches small bugs, "just don't do it anymore." (Sure on occasion they will suck something down but by in large the browns want sustenance in the form of minnows, big leeches, mice or maybe an itty-bitty duckling. Normally they prowl the shallows for these items at night but... (Here's the tip) As the sun dips below the horizon, in that waning light, the brown's eye retinas or cones (I get them mixed up) are much better at collecting light (and thus vision) then a minnow's own capability. Therefore, if you fish during this period of the day, there is a greater chance of catching something bigger then you ever dreamed of catching. The only disadvantage is the photo (with flash) will have a black background... Oh, life is so tough!

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