Bozeman Help

[discomidge]

We are planning a trip out to Bozeman in early July of next year. Never fished around there, but we are tentatively planning on fishing the Yellowstone, Gallatin, Missouri and possibly the Madison, Slough Creek or pay to fish spring creeks.

We will have a drift boat and will be staying in Bozeman. With so many places to fish, we are looking for some advice on rivers/streams that we MUST try.

Thanks for any help.

Jim

[Drifter]

Disco,

My first thought is....if you are fishing the Madison and Yellowstone (mid and Upper) with the boat....you may want to get a little closer to the fishing....say West Yell or Gardiner...or maybe even Emigrant (although I've never stayed there). It's about 85 miles from Bozeman to West so you would be eating up some valuable fishing time while on the highway. Given you'll be there during the hot summer months....you probably need to be on the river at daybreak. If fishing the NE corner of the Park (Slough, Soda Butte, Lamar) you may want to think about staying at Roosevelt Lodge (make reservations early) or Cooke City.

Of course if you are fishing the lower river....Bozeman is good as is Livingston.

[zacmac2112]

Early july may be too early for the yellowstone. It usually clears up later in the month. A friend of mine is running a lodge in emigrant that is newer and has really cheap nightly rates, plus hes right on the water and has a private launch.
www.yellowstonevalleylodge.com
Give him a call, hes 15 minutes south of livingston and could help you out with typical flows.

The Madison should be going strong by then so If you go that route I would look at Kelly Gallop's place in Cameron. Its on the river and its also a short drive to Box canyon on the Henry's Fork.

You might also want to look at the Big hole or the Beaverhead. They both can fish really well earlier but are in the Dillon area.

Slough Creek may not be ready to fish in early July.

Hope this helps

[fishndoc]

I second the recommendation for Kelly Galloup's place on the upper Madison (Slide Inn). I stayed there this past summer - he has fishermen's cabins and campsites, as well as a nice fly shop, and a great location right where the river comes out of the mountains and quake lake.
I don't know if you've ever fished the Madison, nor how proficient you are with your boat in rock-n-roll water, but you might even consider going out with one of Kelly's guides first, before trying the float yourself. I highly recommend John McClure, who guides for Kelly and does the blog on his web site.

[Gaines'BowBum]

It will all depend on the snowpack this winter... I've seen reports that say it's going to be warmer and wetter and some reports say that the areas north of Jackson WY will have a good snow year.

Just gotta wait and see...

Get in touch with Knotslippin on the board... He lives out in Bozeman and can probably fill you in on some details on where to stay...

--Alex