TOP TEN DREAM PLACES TO FISH

Montana map, Yellowstone River 1. YELLOWSTONE RIVER, YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
    + Variety and abundance of fish
    + Spectacular scenery
    + Each month of the summer season offers its own style of best fishing

Montana map, Yellowstone River 2. FIREHOLE RIVER, YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
    + The first river to clear from snowmelt in the spring
    + Each May, a group of regulars eagerly await the Memorial Day weekend
    + Offers great dry-fly fishing during afternoon mayfly hatches and continues to do so until        the end of June

Montana map, Yellowstone River 3. BIG HOLE RIVER
    + Free-flowing its entire course
    + Runs 153 miles from Skinner Lake in the Beaverhead Mountains to its confluence with        the Beaverhead River near Twin Bridges

Montana map, Yellowstone River 4. SMITH RIVER
    + Superb fishing
    + Gorgeous scenery and a remote setting
    + All parties wishing to float the Smith River need a permit

Montana map, Yellowstone River 5. LOWER MISSOURI RIVER
    + Land northern pike, walleye, catfish and smallmouth bass
    + High levels of nutrients in the Missouri River can mean really big fish, a.k.a really good        fishing stories - like catching a northern pike on a fly rod

Montana map, Yellowstone River 6. MADISON RIVER
    + No matter the preference: a dry-fly fisherman, anymph fisherman and a streamer        fisherman will all have success
    + Experience a little of everything as the Madison River runs through areas like        Yellowstone National Park and Hebgen Lake

Montana map, Yellowstone River 7. KOOTENAI RIVER
    + This is the only river in Montana to contain a native strain of rainbow trout, called        Columbia &redbands. Indigenous to the headwaters of the Columbia River, they are        known for their unique “football” shape and wild feats of acrobatic fighting
    + Cool flows from the dam mean fish can be active year-round
    + Lots of food equals lots of fish. With copious amounts of weed beds, riffles and long        deep runs, there can be up to 1,500-2,500 catchable trout per mile

Montana map, Yellowstone River 8. BITTERROOT RIVER
    + A medium-sized stream that begins with the confluence of the East Fork Bitterroot and        the West Fork Bitterroot near Connor
    + Scenery is a big plus for this river as it flows through the Bitterroot Valley (one of        Montana’s most lush) making its way to the Clark Fork near Missoula

Montana map, Yellowstone River 9. NORTHFORK OF FLATHEAD RIVER
    + This river finds its home in glacial fields
    + Tall tales like these tend to surround this river: a tagged cutthroat that traveled 70 miles       in under 24 four hours and a grizzly sow with cubs munching on camas along a bank

Montana map, Yellowstone River 10. MISSOURI RIVER
    + With its large tailwater, this river is a dry-fly fisherman’s dream
    + Wild rainbow and beefy brown trout feed throughout the season on caddis,        grasshoppers, PMDs and tricos
    + With an average 5,000 fish per river mile, chances are you’ll have no problem landing        an 18 inch rainbow trout or a two foot brown trout
    + One size fits all trips: float anywhere from 2 - 20 - 75 miles


Resources: http://www.bigskyfishing.com, http://www.powercurrent.com/montana, http://www.montana-flyfishing.com, http://www.bestflyfishingyellowstone.com, http://www.outdoorlife.com, http://fwp.mt.gov/fishing/guide, http://www.missourriverlodge.com, The Yellowstone Fly-Fishing Guide by Craig Mathews, Clayton Molinero