Fly Fishing Yellowstone Country
Yellowstone National Park &
Southwestern Montana Offer Abundant World-Class Fly Fishing Opportunities In A
Concentrated Area That Is Unrivaled By Anywhere Else In The World.
OUTSIDE Yellowstone
National Park Waterways
GALLATIN RIVER
The Gallatin River gathers water from Gallatin Lake
high in Yellowstone Park and cascades through the
sub-Alpine vegetation on its way to divide meadows
where it's confluence with Fan Creek, and Bacon Rind
Creek, bring it to the mature trout stream that it
is known as. The confluence meadows on either side
of Highway 191 are fishable and do hold some active
fish in the braided and convoluted channels of these
three rivers. But it is below Bacon Rind Creek, and
The Taylor fork the the Gallatin becomes excellent
freestone trout water.
The gradient for most of the upper river is
controlled by bedrock, (and in some places by the
road,) but the meadow sections have sweeping
meanders that have pools as deep as 8' (yes that's
EIGHT,) and some areas have quicksand as well. This
section has excellent access and there are many
pull-outs for the angler that likes to drive and
fish in rapid succession.
After about 9-10 miles of meandering meadow, the
river begins it's descent into Gallatin Canyon (just
a brief ways below Snowflake Springs, and outside of
Yellowstone Park.) The fishing in the canyon is
varied and interesting. Narrow canyon sections
provide rapid runs and riffles with the occasional
meander pool. Wider sections with meadows provide
slower water with sweeping meanders and deep pools.
At Big Sky, Montana, the West Fork of the Gallatin
joins the main river and adds considerable a volume
of water. The gradient continues to become gentler
and the canyon widens to Gallatin Gateway where the
river is deep, relatively slow and occasionally
meanders into the broad fluvial basin of the Madison
River. The river is especially fishable near the
town of Gallatin Gateway either through town by the
school (go very slowly here,) or at Upper Rainbow
Road.
TAYLOR FORK
Arising high near Monument Mountain the Taylor Fork
of the Gallatin is occasionally very productive in
its lower stretches. The upper reaches are primarily
nursery and spawning water. Very late in the spring
and early summer, (if it clears early enough,) the
last 1/4 - 1/2 mile hold fish from the Gallatin
seeking food washed down from the heights. When
conditions are right a fish of 20" should not be a
surprise in this very thin water. Sneak and cast
techniques will be the most successful tactics under
these conditions. |
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