Summer Flyfishing in Yellowstone National Park

Wild Trout Bite on Gallatin and Gardner Rivers During Hot Weather

Feb 3, 2009

Some famous Yellowstone rivers, such as the Madison and Firehole, are often too warm to fish in July and August. But trout are biting in the Gallatin and Gardner rivers.

Yellowstone National Park is a wild trout paradise, with 2,600 miles of streams winding through 2.2 million acres. Each stream fishes best at certain times of the year, and the Gallatin and Gardner rivers offer great, uncrowded fishing during the peak tourist season.

Many Yellowstone anglers flock to the park with visions of fishing the world-famous Madison or Firehole rivers during the summer. But the many hot - sometimes boiling - springs that feed those great streams often combine with summer heat to make the water too hot for good fishing. In fact, Yellowstone National Park often closes those streams to fishing during July and August.

Luckily, the Gardner and Gallatin rivers remain cool and fish best this time of year. These two rivers are rarely crowded, as hiking is part of the fishing.

Big Bugs and Cool Water on the Gallatin

The Gallatin River flows north through the Northwest corner of Yellowstone Park - often right next to Highway 191. The Gallatin is in Yellowstone Park from mile markers 20 to 31. After mile Marker 31, the Gallatin is still a great fishery, but anglers need a Montana fishing license.

It's a pleasure to stop at the many turnouts and walk to the river on a warm summer morning or afternoon.

Casting a grasshopper, ant or beetle fly along the grassy, undercut banks on a breezy summer afternoon is a fun - and very effective way - to hook wild rainbow, brown and cutthroat trout.

Lurking Monster Trout

The average Gallatin trout is about 12 inches or so, but they get a lot bigger - especially if anglers wade quietly. Large brown and rainbow trout lurk in undercut banks and deeper slots - and will hammer a hopper or beetle.

Anglers should also be ready to fish Pale Morning Dun mayfly hatches in the mornings. A size 16 or 18 Sparkle dun dry fly works well. Anglers should also carry caddis dry flies - such a X-Caddis - in sizes 14 through 18.

Gardner River Solitude and Trout

The Gardner River Canyon downstream of the Mammoth-Tower Bridge is a stunning, uncrowded - and trout-rich part of Yellowstone National Park.

This stretch of river is about three miles long, and has great fishing for rainbow, brown, brook and cutthroat trout.

Anglers can also get into the middle of the canyon by taking a short trail that is behind the park employee housing at Mammoth. Some anglers grab a couple of hours on the Gardner while their families tour the steaming terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs.

This section of the Gardner River is a great place to bring a newbie fly angler, but experts also love this water.

Beginners can walk the banks, make short casts - and hook beautiful, wild trout. Anglers must release all cutthroat trout. Most anglers release all their fish.

Fishing the Gardner

Anglers choose a section of river and slowly walk or wade upstream. The trout like current seams, water along the bank and near boulders.

Making two or three casts to a likely spot and then taking a couple more steps upstream - and then casting again - is a good way to cover the water and find biting fish.

Grasshopper flies - such as Dave's Hoppers or Chaos Hoppers - in size 10 through 6 work well, as do beetle patterns. Fly shops in West Yellowstone and nearby Gardiner, Montana have flies to buy.

Staying Safe

Yellowstone is grizzly bear country, and anglers should fish in pairs, carry bear spray and back off if they see a bear or a dead animal. Bears hang out near carrion and will attack to protect their food.

The copyright of the article Summer Flyfishing in Yellowstone National Park in Fly Fishing is owned by Chester Allen. Permission to republish Summer Flyfishing in Yellowstone National Park in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.