Madison Valley or Gallatin Valley help needed

[jmc5000]

Hello,

Planning a trip to MT for the first week of Sept and prefer to wade smaller streams vs floating the larger ones. Spent a week out in the Paradise Valley area a couple of years ago and floated the Yellowstone and hit Armstrong's as well as Slough Cr in the Park. I could repeat this trip staying around Emigrant but wouldn't mind hitting some smaller streams and doing more wade-in fishing and am wondering if the Madison Valley presents more of this kind of water? Not opposed to using a guide for a day or two so if anyone has a suggestion of one that likes to wade I'm open to that for sure. The other factor is to limit the amount of driving to maximize time on the water. Put some miles on when stayed in Paradise Valley to get to the boulder and West Boulder and didn't get it right and felt like it was just too much driving. Maybe we passed right by good water and didn't know it...

Any how, looking for any advise one cares to offer even if just pointing to some good reference material. Have one of the recommended books (cant remember title but breaks the state up by watersheds).

Thanks much,

J

 

[mridenour]

I fished the Gallatin last year for a few days. There is a lot of good wading very close to Bozeman. It was late July and caught browns and rainbows on BH Prince Nymphs, BH Pheasant Tails and San Juan Worms. Lots of access points and parking.

 

[planettrout]

Try this:

The Rivers of Montana : Detailed Fly Fishing Information, Photographs, Maps & River Flows

PT/TB

 

[jmc5000]

Thanks for the link. Very useful. Going to call a few shops as well.

 

[fishnskiguy]

If you stay in West Yellowstone, it's twenty minutes to prime water on either the Gallatin or the Madison, and less than that to the Gibbon and Firehole.

Chris

 

[dhayden]

Are you looking for small.. or just nice and wade-able? Some of the larger streams, like the Madison are very wader friendly, the Gallatin is probably one of the best wading rivers I've ever seen

 

[jmc5000]

I ended up booking a place near Emigrant for 1st week of September. I know it's not prime time but, it's the soonest I can travel due to work schedule and I am somewhat familiar with that area. Definitely do not need to keep to small streams rather just want to hit some good, wade-able water. The location provides pretty decent access to the Park and could get to the Gallatin with not spending too much time in the car. Any pointers to which sections of the Gallatin are productive for wade-in are appreciated. Will definitely hit the Park as well. Have the John Holt East guide which should be helpful.

 

[fishnskiguy]

First week in Sept is an excellent time to hit the park near Emigrant. Slough Creek, Lamar River, and Soda Butte Creek should be prime and the worst of the crowds will be gone.

The Gallatin is easy fishing from the first time you see it on Hwy 191 in the park all the way down to Gallatin Gateway. I like to fish the Gallatin in the park because the cobble rocks are small and easier to negotiate for this 69 year old geezer than the bigger boulders in the canyon below the park.

But for you young studs, that should not make any difference.

Have fun, and let us know how it went.

Chris

 

[jmc5000]

Chris,

Thanks for the encouragement regarding the park. I do think we will spend a few days fishing there. We're 40+ yrs young but do have our limits! There is a stream named Big Creek below the house we are staying in but I have not fished it before. Not sure what the water levels are like late summer there but hopefully it will be an option as well for something quick. Will be tying up hoppers, beetles, and crickets ahead of time. A couple of years ago on Slough during same week, had trouble matching what I think was a grey drake hatch in second meadow in a deep section. Scores of cutthroat rising and nothing would touch what I was throwing. Don't recall what I had - a few patterns that I picked up in Gardiner, but was frustrating to say the least but only for that section as we had excellent fishing on terrestrials just about everywhere else. Any ideas on productive emerger patterns aside from PMDs for Slough?

Thanks,

Jerry

 

[fishnskiguy]

Check with Park's Fly Shop in Gardiner for best flies on Slough Creek or call Blue Ribbon Flies in West Yellowstone. They won't do ya wrong.

Chris

 

[stenacron]

Interesting blog for YNP: Fly Fishing In Yellowstone National Park

Local fly shop links can be found here as well.

 

[jmc5000]

Roger that Chris. Park's fly shop has a lot of great info on their website and I will be stopping in.

 

[al_a]

Actually, a number of small streams coming into the Yellowstone in Paradise Valley hold plenty of fish once you hike up them into the mountains a ways and get above where they get diverted for irrigation. Pine Creek, Mill Creek, Six Mile Creek all have fish. But it's usually pretty tough fishing, with close quarters casting and a lot of rock scrambling. Not for the out-of-shape.

And by that time of year, the Yellowstone itself is low enough that it is surprisingly good wade fishing. Just pick an access that has a lot of gravel bars and islands in sight, or stretches where you can walk the edges below the high banks. Side channels around islands that still have running water often hold a lot of fish that haven't gotten pounded by the floaters. We used to have a cabin near Emigrant, and I'd park at what's known as the Wanigan on the East River Road where it swings in against the river and fish one wide, shallow riffle below a little island. I could spend several hours nymphing that riffle, and while I didn't always catch a bunch of trout, there must have been thousands of whitefish in that riffle.

 

[jmc5000]

Thanks much for the added info and suggestions on the Stone... Will definitely wade in in that area. Floated by many such areas with guide and wish we stopped and hit a few places we couldn't reach from the boat.

 

[swimmy]

Big creek may be too low to fish in Sept. But you could take a walk up Mill Creek. Little access but once you get in it can be really good.

If you are not afraid to drive, I would look at the Boulder south of Big Timber. Decent access and it is right up your alley. It is a little smaller than the Gallatin but same size fish. You might also consider the Shields. Both are outstanding wade fisheries.

Besides the Gallatin, you might also consider the East Gallatin. I think there are bigger fish in the East Gallatin but not sure how much that matters.

Sounds like you know which waters to target in the Park.

Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[jmc5000]

Swimmy - thanks for the suggestions. Fished a fast section of Mill Cr when I stayed on the creek a couple of yrs ago. Caught a couple but the good stuff just up the road was posted private. Perhaps I didn't go far enough up stream. Also hit the Boulder below Big Timber. Think I went through access off the Swingley Rd. there was a camp back there with a few cabins. We hiked in through the gate and crossed the foot bridge and up over the hill... to be turned back by a heavy shower. I was trying to get to the section that runs trough the valley up there but it was a heck of a hike so maybe was going about it wrong. Are we talking about the same section of the Boulder?

Regards,

Jerry

 

[swimmy]

Swingley? It sounds like you were fishing the west fork of the boulder. That is pretty much creek fishing. There is, however, a nice meadow section about 3 miles in from the forest service cabin. Might be worth your time but there is a lot more water to fish with easier access.

What I was referring to is the main Boulder. If you head east on I-90, get off at the first Big Timber exit. Here you have a couple options: you can drive through town where eventually you'll cross a bridge that goes over the Boulder and there is a state park. There you can access the river and easily find good water.

The other option is as you are coming into Big Timber hang a right on McLeod rd. This road takes you up into the Boulder Valley. There are several bridges along the way which provide good access.

 

[jmc5000]

Swimmy - yeah, I was on the west boulder and have not fished the Boulder! Thanks much for the access info around Big Timber. I look forward to spendin more time on the water this time -a major goal of this trip and will have a lot of fine folks on this forum to thank.