Montana Small Stream Fishing Report

This Montana small stream fishing report is valid July 6 through July.

Rough mountain streams are now coming into their own, while the meadow streams such as the Upper Musselshell River and the East Gallatin will be getting low, warm, and tough.

On the mountain streams, find less-pressured areas (brushier, requiring more canyoneering skills, harder to wade, smaller, further from major gravel roads, etc.) and fish dry-dropper combos. The rough streams are the place we still fish the classic #12 Trude with a #16 Beadhead Prince dropper more often than not. It’s a throwback to the not-so-long-ago days when we could fish this rig just about anywhere and catch fish. Alas, such days are gone.

Afternoons will be better except when it’s 95+ out. Even on the hottest days, first thing in the morning is unlikely to be best, though the fishing may be tough after about 3:00.