I'm planning a fly fishing trip next summer. Which is the better time?

a12, For rivers and streams, July would be best.. I think.. I have a friend to loves to fish.. His pick for Montana is Sept. the first two weeks.. The tourists are gone, and the fish are hungry.. He has bugged me to go with him, but Sept. is hunting time..

I prefer after labor day to mid October myself, everybody gone home with the start of the School year, Motel rates are lower, the fish eat to put on as much weight as they can for winter, and off course the Fall colors. My hunting don't start till November in Most years. Now I been thinking about depending on the Chill, Mid winter trout fishing, I do it a lot in my home state as a matter of course, never traveled to do so other that the Great Lakes for Steelhead in Western NY. Of course its all dependent on how much and when you can take your vacation time.

Just a note, here in Southern Wy. the Platte is starting to drop.. The float fishermen are doing fine. Them mt. streams are clear but wading would not be much fun right now... Montana is a good deal lower than we are.. Runoff could be over..

It all depends on what kind of winter they have and how fast it warms up in the spring. May can be tricky and still a bit chilly. It is possible for the water to be too high to fish most rivers in late may depending on when the run off starts. You will always be safe with mid July. My trip this year is July 19th.

Could depend on where? I've been in June and my friend I went with said it was too early. He always waits till July. We leave Wednesday to go visit. Not sure if we will fish or not?

Maybe some of the Montana guys will chime in and be of help.

Waters here in NW montana are on the down turn but still murky. Another couple weeks and they will be prime. Mtn lakes are becoming prime right now. The rivets up here will be great soon.

A12 what part of the state were you planning on visiting? Maybe I could she'd some light your way.

On a side note. .... has your son put a good bend into that rod yet?

Later is best. I would come in late August or early Sept. I live here, not because of my job, but for hunting/fishing. I don't even look at my flyrod until July due to water conditions. The Yellowstone is still high and off color and most streams are still that way.

I will be fishing next week, the week after for sure. The waters will be clearing by then. August is good for lots of dry flies, hoppers are common by then, but early Sept-October is still best.

If it is only May or July for you, I would certainly pick July...

Exactly what Shrap said. If you are stuck on dates, mid-july is the time, otherwise like him, fishing just starts for me in mid-july and gets better as it goes on. August is excellent and September is the stuff dreams are made of.

Thanks, guys. Sounds like July. My son has a "dead week" for summer football workouts in mid-July, so that will be the time. He thinks he may want to go to college in Montana, so we might also visit schools.

A12: I fly fish year round here in Montana and world class fly fishing can easily be had in EITHER month you mention!
I caught and released a 5 pound Rainbow here not 10 miles from my home in mid-May this year and then in July I headed for a high mountain lake and caught and released over 100 Grayling up to 15"!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
P.S.: If you get down Dillon, Montana (University of Montana Western) way next July we would love to host you and your son for a couple of days!
Let me know.