Fishing Report Updated May 8, 2023
This Paradise Valley Spring Creek fishing report is valid May 8 through about May 20.
Spring creeks are now on spring rates of $80 per day (Depuy & Armstrong) or $100 (Nelson’s).
Normally we don’t like May on the spring creeks, but the cold winter and early spring means that the BWO hatches started late and will end late, and there are still lots and lots of spawning trout in the creeks. While targeting the spawners directly is a no-no and you should stay away from shallow gravel areas whether they’re roped off or not (Depuy at least doesn’t allow fishing in the heaviest spawning areas), all the Yellowstone River trout in the creeks are both bigger and dumber than the residents. There are plenty of non-spawners to be found in the deep pools and runs with bouldery or silt bottoms, and they’ll be eating eggs as well as aquatic insects and crustaceans disturbed by spawning activity.
Absent a hatch, fish an egg or San Juan Worm trailing a BWO nymph or midge pupa in the deep runs. Hatches will be BWO and midges and best on cloudy, cooler days.
Our next Paradise Valley spring creek fishing report will drop around May 20 when the hatches and spawn peter out and fishing gets tough for a few weeks.
Learn about fishing the Paradise Valley spring creeks.
Relevant Links
- Armstrong Spring Creek
- Depuy Spring Creek
- Nelson’s Spring Creek
- Spring Creek Specialists: This shed-size fly shop is located on Depuy Spring Creek and is dedicated exclusively to flies and tackle for fishing the spring creeks. It’s the one shop I always visit when I’m guiding on one of the creeks.
- Livingston, MT Weather