Big Sky, Montana fishing recommendations

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Anyone ever fished in Big Sky, Montana? Any recommendations for outfitters, guides, etc? I’m reading where they fish the Gallatin, Madison, and Yellowstone Rivers Any of y’all had any experience fly fishing there? Going for a short week trip in August, appreciate any advice!

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If you're going to go guided, I'd stick to the Gallatin. Guided on the Madison or Yellowstone means wade fishing as they don't allow boats, which would be a waste of money. If you want to fish Yellowstone, I'd just research on your own, talk to a few fly shops to get tips, and then check in with them a couple of days before your trip to find out what is hatching at what time.

There are a handful of guides in West Yellowstone (the town in Montana). The park only hands out a few outfitter permits. There are also a bunch of lakes you can hike into that are pretty scenic. I watched a cow moose and her calf play in the water at Fish Lake for 30 minutes while I fished back in 2018.

Depending on the time of year, if you are staying in Big Sky, it may be difficult to day trip into the park. The traffic can be horrendous in peak season. Fishing in the park is always easier if you're staying inside the park. If that's your situation, maybe stick to the Gallatin. I've personally never fished it but have heard good reviews.

Big Sky is not far from Hegben Lake. About halfway to West Yellowstone. It is a sizeable body of water BUT in August the browns are feeding on top and it is generally regarded as the best still water dryfly fishing on the planet. You would need a boat to really get after them but there are a lot of BIG browns caught on the north shore of Hegben.

If this is a bucket list trip then I would spare no expense and hire someone with a boat who can row and forget about wade fishing. There is TOO much water in the area that is the kind of stuff that bucket list dreams are made of to waste time scouting and walking that could be spent fishing....floating is far more productive...and you will wade some on almost all float trips. I would stay out of Yellowstone also IF it were only a fishing trip...if you have never been don't miss it but if this is just a fishing trip traffic and crowds in yellostone will eat up your time.

If this is not a bucket list trip and something you have done before or know you will be doing again then scouting and walking and doing it on your own is the only way to go….I am fortunate in that I have friends in the west Yellowstone area, in Swan Valley Idaho, Boulder Colorado, Logden and SLC Utah and Albuqurque New Mexico who are all avid fly fishermen and have drift boats....some of the claim this is the only reason I am friends with them and they wouldn't be far from the truth LOL...so I get to go to some storied locations 10-15 times a year....that allows me to do more of it on my own and without any real idea of where I am going or what I am doing because odds are pretty good I will be back again....but if it is a one off trip of a lifetime spare no expense...it is everything most people dream of and then some.

About an hour away, but contact the Slide Inn. Kelly Gallop is the man.

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Also, if it were me, I'd focus on the night time caddis hatch. Most western river have a prolific caddis hatch that happens every night from July - September. 95% of anglers leave well before they should. I've pulled in some massive fish of the surface in the pitch black fishing with nothing but a head lamp.

I edited my above post. Starrr works with gallop. Dudes are sick with streamers and big fish

It appears as though SlideIn has what you seek. Good Luck

I fished there in 2008, did 2 days floating the lower Madison and fished a lake another day from a boat. UNBELIEVABLE trip. The guide service I used is no longer in business. I think they were called the greater Yellowstone fly fishers. We had 2 guides for me group. Caught countless rainbows, browns, cuttthroat in the lake.

K

Take your fly rod go to fly shop near where you are staying ask. Don’t think you need to book before you leave ask the locals.

By the way I find that young guys in tackle shops in Florida will do the same thing....don't ask the snooty old dude but the young kid....chances are he has some wading spots or a boat or knows someone who does and $100 bucks is a lot of money to have someone in your boat when you were going to go fishing anyhow....and they know what they are doing and like nothing better than to show others that they know what they are doing! I have three friends in South Florida today who I met this way....and I can show up unannounced, call them and one of the three will be working the snook lights this evening! Of course if you can make bait with a cast net or paddle a drift boat yourself it makes it that much easier to get a second invite....

The same thing works in Cabelas and such places in duck/dove/goose/pheasant/quail country....but ask the young kid, not the old codger....they will have access, have dogs they are proud of and like nothing better than showing off and you may meet a friend for life...I know I have.

Let me jump in this thread with a question.

Is fly fishing pretty much the only way to go up there? I have been wanting to travel to that part of the world and I am an avid fisherman but sadly I don’t know a lick about fly fishing.

I got a buddy that has a place in Big Sky. We went fishing up there one time while on a couple’s trip with the wives. Floated the Madison. I had never fly fished either but the guide we used gave me about a 30 minute tutorial before pushing off to fish. Believe me, I am no Orvis poster child so if a dumb red neck from Mecca can figure it out, you probably can too.