Rivers

Rivers

We offer professionally guided fishing trips in Montana.  Located in Livingston Montana, we are surrounded by big rivers and many smaller streams, spring creeks and lakes.  The Yellowstone, Boulder, Missouri, Stillwater, Gallatin and Madison are a few of the major river systems in our area. Yellowstone National Park is within a one hour drive.

Yellowstone River: The longest undammed river in the lower 48 with at total length of 678 miles. The Yellowstone originates south of Yellowstone National Park in the Southern Absaroka Mountain Range of Wyoming at Yontes Peak   It then flows north through Yellowstone Park and enters Montana near the town of Gardiner.  This is our home water.  We fish close to 200 miles of this blue ribbon trout water.  A person can spend a week fishing nothing but the Yellowstone and never fish the same stretch twice.  Large bug hatches and large fish characterize this unforgettable river.

Boulder River:   The Boulder River is a tributary of the Yellowstone located 30 miles east of Livingston, MT. It originates in the high country of the Absaroka- Beartooth Wilderness   Its is a blue ribbon trout stream with crystal clear water and healthy fish populations of rainbow, brown and cutthroat trout. Good consistent bug hatches which the fish really key in on make this river one of the finest in the state.

 Stillwater River:   A tributary of the Yellowstone River located 60 miles east of Livingston.  It originates in the Absaroka- Beartooth Wilderness.   The Stillwater is remote and has some fantastic trout fishing.   Brown and Rainbow Trout are the primary catch on this river.   Fishing the Stillwater begins around mid- July from rafts depending on the run-off.   Big hopper/ stonefly patterns can be very effective in drawing a strike form one of the many 20 plus inch fish living in the river.

 Madison River:   The Madison is perhaps the most famous river in the state.  Originating in Yellowstone National Park, the Madison is formed at the confluence of the Firehole and Gibbon Rivers.  Both the upper and lower stretches of the river have been designated a blue ribbon trout stream and for good reason – every inch of this river has fish.  Get a good drift and these fish will eat.  As a tailwater it has consistent flows and water temperatures.  It is often a great option for the days when the freestone rivers are high or off color.

Missouri River:  Formed at the confluence of the Gallatin, Madison, and Jefferson Rivers in Three Forks, MT, the Missouri river flows over 2,000 miles to the Gulf of Mexico.   We fish this river below Holter Dam where there is arguably the finest tailwater fishing of the state.   There the river is like a giant spring creek boasting some of the highest fish populations anywhere at 4000 fish/mile.  As a tailwater it has consistent flow, water temperature and lots of bugs to sustain the fish population.

Fly Fishing Guide for Montana