Hatches We will see the most bug hatches in spring and early summer, and again in the early and late fall. Hatches are somewhat predictable and can be very exciting.
The Betis, or Blue Wing Olive, is the first of the hatches. This is when we start seeing all the fish start moving to the surface for their feeding, and a signal that the season of serious dry fly fishing has begun. Things start going crazy as we make the switch from nymphing to the ever loved and ever desired dry fly fishing on our Montana Rivers.
The Mother’s Day Caddis is the next big hatch. The river becomes completely covered in a blanket hatch of caddis. This is when we see glutinous trout on the Yellowstone River. The trick is
fly fishing to the biggest trout in the pod, making it eat and not letting the smaller fish ruin your drift. This hatch starts when nature says and as best we can tell, it usually begins around May 1st plus or minus a week or two. When high water run off begins we move to other rivers and fish the caddis hatch all over again.
June is usually reserved for hiking and fly fishing rivers that are not as susceptible to high water run off. Towards the middle of the month we are usually starting to get back on the Yellowstone River, and looking forward to our next big hatch. In late June and early July we see the most desired hatch in the western states - the
Salmon Fly hatch, the one that brings in people from all over the world. This is an insect the size of your thumb and flies like a B-52 trying to hover over a nickel. When this bug hits the water, fish from 20 feet will look up or over and come racing to eat the RIB EYE of a our bug world. Between the Mother’s Day
Caddis and the legendary Salmon Fly, our dry fly fishing world is in full steam and just keeps getting better.
Once the Salmon Fly has made its departure we will start seeing yellow sallies and a continuation of more caddis. There are usually some trico hatches in August. This is when we start seeing movement from the nocturnal stoneflies, and the beginning of the ever looked for grasshopper epidemics. This is just non stop fun and laughs from the boat as we make our way down the river looking for the trout that we have been dreaming about for most of the winter.
As the summer comes to an end we start seeing fall caddis that will last on into mid-September, and then we will be back to where we started with the Betis or Blue Wing Olive.
All along from spring, summer, and fall we will occasionally be throwing the big buggers and nymphs along the bank or down the middle of the river depending on where the fish are moving.
Rivers At Willow Ranch Outfitters we have many river options (and know them all), from freestone (un-dammed rivers of the Yellowstone), tail waters (dammed rivers, the Missouri, Big Horn, and Madison), to tributaries (the Boulder, Stillwater, Gallatin, East Gallatin, Shields, and some others that we don’t speak of in public).
Spring creeks are some of the most sought after, technical and most rewarding waters that you will ever fish. These rivers are for those
who want to test themselves and find the fish that will define them.
Please inquire to the vast assortment of private
waters to which we have access.
We have extensive knowledge and experience with the hatches, the fish, the waters and daily conditions of the area. When you choose Willow Ranch Outfitters to outfit your trip, we will tailor your
fly fishing vacation to your specific needs and desires.
Please click the links below for more
information.
We will see the most bug hatches in spring and early summer, and again in the early and late fall. Hatches are somewhat predictable and can be very exciting.
At Willow Ranch Outfitters we have many river options (and know them all), from freestone (un-dammed rivers of the Yellowstone), tail waters (dammed rivers, the Missouri, Big Horn, and Madison), to tributaries (the Boulder, Stillwater, Gallatin, East Gallatin, Shields, and some others that we don’t speak of in public).
