Your Red Lodge Fishing Guide: The Waters You Actually Came For Part 2.
**TLDR:** This guide provides seasonal fishing strategies tied to USGS gauge readings, water-specific tactics for Rock Creek, Stillwater River, and Clarks Fork, plus essential fly patterns that produce in Red Lodge area waters. Learn how to read flow conditions, when to fish salmonfly hatches on the Stillwater, and which rigs work best for each fishery. Critical information on hoot-owl restrictions, AIS compliance, and ethical fish handling ensures you fish legally and responsibly.
Look, we get it. You didn't book a trip to Red Lodge to admire our historic buildings or sample artisanal sourdough (though both are excellent). You came to fish. And you came to fish well.
So let's skip the fluff and talk about what really matters: the water. Red Lodge sits at the crossroads of some of the most productive, diverse, and downright beautiful trout fisheries in Montana. From technical pocket water you can walk from town to big freestone rivers that'll test your boat skills, we've got it all within a 45-minute drive.
This is your no-nonsense guide to the waters that make Red Lodge a fly fishing basecamp worth returning to year after year.
Where Can You Fly Fish Near Red Lodge Montana?
Red Lodge offers access to multiple distinct fisheries, each with its own character. Rock Creek runs right through town, the Stillwater River is a 30-minute drive, the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone sits 45 minutes away, and the Beartooth high country lakes are accessible when the highway opens. You've also got the East and West Rosebud creeks, the Boulder River, and day-trip access to the Yellowstone River.
Rock Creek and Its Forks: Your Walk-Out-the-Door Fishery
The Mainstem: Small Stream Soul Right in Town
Rock Creek is that rare gift: a legitimate trout stream that runs through town and gets even better when you drive upstream. The mainstem through Red Lodge and up into the USFS corridor is classic riffle-run pocket water with canyon sections that'll have you scrambling over boulders and cursing your wading boots in the best possible way.
Public access is generous along Rock Creek Road, with in-town pull-offs and park access points that make it easy to sneak in an evening session. Head upstream and you'll hit USFS campgrounds like Parkside, Greenough Lake, and Limber Pine, all of which serve as excellent fishing anchors and morning coffee spots.
The Forks: Go Small or Go Home
The West Fork and Lake Fork offer day-hike small-stream fishing that separates the dedicated from the casual. Access via the West Fork/Silver Run Trailheads and Lake Fork Trailhead puts you into cutthroat and brook trout water where your 3-weight finally gets to shine. This is foot-travel-only fishing where a small pack, minimal flies, and the ability to high-stick tiny pockets will serve you better than all the latest gear.
Critical Regulation Alert: The West Fork has a no-fishing zone 100 yards above and below the Red Lodge water intake. There's a sign. Don't miss it. We all drink that water.
When to Fish Rock Creek
Rock Creek fishes earliest in the season with midges and Blue-Winged Olives before runoff kicks in. Prime wade fishing runs from late June through September after the water clears. Shoulder seasons bring excellent BWO and caddis windows, and winter is a midge and nymph game on the soft edges for those who don't mind cold feet.
Is the Stillwater River Good for Fly Fishing?
Absolutely. If Rock Creek is your walk-and-wade meditation, the Stillwater is your hold-on-tight adrenaline hit. The Stillwater River is one of Montana's premier freestone float fisheries, known for its explosive salmonfly hatches and technical boulder-pocket water.
The Sweet Stretch
The Old Nye to Whitebird to Swinging Bridge to Fireman's Point corridor is where the Stillwater shows off. This is boulder-pocket freestone at its finest: fast, technical channels that demand sharp oar work and faster reflexes. The river is constantly rearranging itself, especially after high water, so what worked last year might be a log-jammed mess this season. Scout first, float smart.
Read the Gauge, Save Your Trip
The USGS Absarokee gauge is your bible for the Stillwater. Mid-range flows (roughly 1,000 to 1,500 cfs, depending on your skill level and boat type) fish and float best. Too high and you're in survival mode. Too low and you're dragging more than drifting.
The Bug Show
Timing a Stillwater trip around the salmonfly and golden stone hatches is what fishing dreams are made of. Immediately post-runoff (late June into mid-July), big bugs bring big fish to the surface. Follow that with PMDs, caddis, and Yellow Sallies, then ride the hopper wave from late July through September.
2025 Hazard Heads-Up
There's a known wood jam between Jeffrey's Landing and Whitebird that's causing problems this year. Check current Fishing Access Site (FAS) status before you launch, and don't be a hero. Pinned boats make for expensive and embarrassing stories.
What Kind of Fish Are in the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone?
The Clarks Fork holds brown trout, rainbow trout, and cutthroat, with select trophy potential for anglers willing to put in the time. This isn't a numbers fishery, it's a quality fishery for those who like big water with big rewards.
What You're Getting Into
This is broad valley water near Belfry, Bridger, Fromberg, and Edgar, with access via Clarks Fork Yellowstone FAS south of Bridger. Expect wind. Expect long drifts. Expect your arm to be tired from casting streamers into seams you can barely see from 80 feet away. The Clarks Fork demands confidence and rewards persistence.
The Bait Situation
Here's something that surprises a lot of visiting fly anglers: live bait is allowed on some lower reaches of the Clarks Fork (like downstream from Bridger) and on the Yellowstone below the Clarks Fork confluence. If you're mixing groups or methods, verify regs before you go. We're not judging, but you should know what you're getting into.
Timing the Big Water
The Clarks Fork fishes best post-runoff, with late summer mornings and evenings providing the calmest windows around the wind. Fall brings streamer fishing that'll have you ditching the dry fly box entirely.
What Other Fishing Is Near Red Lodge?
East and West Rosebud
Roadside pocket water and classic meadow reaches near Roscoe and Absarokee make these ideal wade fisheries when you want a change of pace. Combine your session with dinner at the Grizzly Bar in Roscoe, and you've got yourself a proper Montana evening.
Boulder River
High-energy pocket water out of Big Timber with limited public access below Natural Bridge, but Boulder Forks FAS provides a reliable wade base. Watch the Big Timber USGS gauge and pack your sense of adventure.
Yellowstone River
When you want room to throw hoppers and watch weather roll across big sky, the Yellowstone near Columbus and Laurel delivers. Just check drought and hoot-owl status in mid-summer before committing to afternoon sessions.
Can You Fish the Beartooth Lakes?
Yes, and you should. Time your trip with the Beartooth Highway opening (typically the Friday of Memorial Day weekend through mid-October) for alpine lake fishing. Leeches, callibaetis, and damsels in thin air with cutthroat that haven't seen a fly in months. Worth every switchback.
What's Next
We've laid out the water. Now you need to know how to fish it. In Part 2, we'll break down the techniques, timing, and fly patterns that actually produce in these waters, including how to read the gauges like a local and what to tie on when the bugs aren't cooperating.
Because knowing where to go is only half the battle. Knowing how to fish it is what separates a good trip from the one you'll tell stories about for years.
Planning your Red Lodge fishing trip? We've got you covered with basecamp comfort and local intel. Check availability and start building your perfect Montana fishing itinerary.
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Techniques, Timing, and Flies That Actually Work: Your Red Lodge Fishing Guide Part 2
Welcome back. In Part 1, we covered the waters radiating from Red Lodge. Now comes the part where we separate the optimists from the anglers who actually catch fish: knowing when to go, what to throw, and how to fish it.
This isn't a generic Montana fishing primer. This is dialed-in, gauge-reading, hatch-matching intel for the specific fisheries around Red Lodge. Bookmark this page, screenshot the flow tables, and prepare to look like you've been fishing here for years.
When Is the Best Time to Fly Fish in Red Lodge Montana?
The short answer: late June through September for prime conditions, but each season has its windows. Pre-runoff (late March through April) offers solitude and technical fishing. Post-runoff (late June through mid-July) delivers the famous salmonfly hatches. Mid-summer brings hoppers and evening caddis. Fall provides streamer fishing and returning BWO hatches.
Reading the Calendar with Gauges: Your Seasonal Playbook
Forget generic "spring/summer/fall" advice. We're tying timing directly to USGS gauges and real conditions.
Pre-Runoff (Late March Through April, Sometimes Early May)
The Rock Creek edges and lower Stillwater offer BWO and midge windows when most rivers are still blown. This is nymph-heavy fishing: large stone nymphs and mayfly patterns in deep slots, with occasional dry fly windows on warmer afternoons. If you can handle the cold, you can have water to yourself.
Runoff (Mid-May Through Mid to Late June)
When the main rivers blow out, shift gears. Small tributaries that clear quickly become your best friends. This is also when you should be watching for the Beartooth Highway to open, giving you access to alpine lakes while everyone else stares at chocolate milk water and complains.
Immediate Post-Runoff (Late June Through Mid-July)
This is it. The window. The moment you circle on the calendar and build your whole trip around. Salmonflies and golden stones on the Stillwater turn technical anglers into giggling children. Rig a size 4 to 8 Pat's Rubber Legs under a Chubby Chernobyl or golden dry, fish it tight to banks, and move if you're not seeing bugs. Stone nymphs dead-drifted into current seams also wreck.
Mid-Summer (July Through August)
Hoppers, ants, and beetles take over on the Yellowstone and valley reaches. Yellow Sallies and caddis keep evenings active. Respect hoot-owl closures if they're in effect (that's 2 p.m. to midnight closures when water temps spike), and plan your sessions for dawn.
Fall (September Through October)
BWO afternoons make a comeback. Terrestrials linger longer than you'd think. Streamer windows expand dramatically on the Clarks Fork, Yellowstone, and Stillwater boulder ledges. This is when big fish get aggressive before winter.
What Are the Best Flows for Floating the Stillwater River?
Target mid-range flows between 1,000 and 1,500 cfs on the USGS Absarokee gauge for optimal floating conditions. Above 2,000 cfs gets challenging for most recreational floaters. Below 500 cfs means you'll be scraping and dragging more than floating.
The Flow Table You Need in Your Phone
Screenshot this. Seriously.
Stillwater River (Absarokee Gauge) Target mid-range flows: roughly 1,000 to 1,500 cfs for standard float trips. Adjust based on your skill level and raft type. Above 2,000 cfs and you're in advanced territory. Below 500 and you're dragging.
Rock Creek (Red Lodge Gauge) Wade clarity matters more than discharge here. Use the USGS for trend-watching, not hard thresholds. If it's dropping and clearing, go fish.
Clarks Fork (Belfry Gauge) Combine gauge data with wind forecasts. This is long-cast, heavy-tippet water for streamers. Flow less critical than conditions and your ability to handle big water.
What Flies Should I Use for Red Lodge Montana Fishing?
Your fly selection depends on the season and water. For Rock Creek, focus on small attractors and nymphs (sizes 12-18). For the Stillwater during salmonfly season, carry Pat's Rubber Legs (sizes 4-10) and large foam dries. Mid-summer demands hoppers (sizes 6-10), PMDs (14-18), and caddis (14-16). Fall fishing benefits from streamers (sizes 2-6) and BWOs (18-20).
Water-by-Water Tactics and Rigs That Work
Rock Creek (Mainstem and Forks): The Short Game
This is short-range, high-percentage fishing. Your approach matters more than your fly selection (but we'll get to flies anyway).
The Setup: Dry-dropper rigs with a size 10 to 14 Royal Wulff or Parachute Adams over a size 16 to 18 Pheasant Tail or Perdigon. Micro-indicators for small slots. Tight-line or euro techniques in pocket water where traditional indicators get dragged under.
What to Throw: Adams and Parachute patterns in sizes 12 to 16. X-Caddis in 14 to 16. Micro-stone nymphs. Small leeches in deeper corners where cutthroat ambush.
Critical Reminder: Stay out of the West Fork intake closure zone. Mark it on your GPS. We're not kidding about this one.
How Do You Fish the Stillwater River?
The Stillwater is best fished from a boat due to its technical boulder-pocket structure and limited wade access. Float and fish fast, hitting prime seams behind boulders. During the stonefly hatch, use short-leash nymphs or dry-droppers tight to banks. Oar positioning is critical for getting your flies into productive water before you drift past.
Stillwater River: Float Fast, Fish Faster
Oar positioning is half the game on the Stillwater. The other half is recognizing prime seams and hitting them before you float past.
The Setup: During the post-runoff stonefly window, fish short-leash nymphs or dry-droppers into pockets behind boulders. Later in the season, switch to PMD emergers and evening caddis. Split shot only when depth absolutely demands it.
What to Throw:
Pat's Rubber Legs in sizes 4 to 10 (black, brown, orange)
Chubby Chernobyl and similar foam patterns in 6 to 10 (orange, gold, tan)
Golden stone dries in 8 to 12
PMD cripples and emergers in size 16
Elk Hair Caddis and X-Caddis in 14 to 16
Yellow Sallies in 14 to 16
Hoppers in 6 to 10 for late summer
Safety Check: That 2025 wood jam between Jeffrey's Landing and Whitebird? It's still there. Scout sections you haven't floated recently, and check FAS status before launching.
What Technique Works Best on the Clarks Fork?
The Clarks Fork rewards a streamer-first approach with sink tips or heavily weighted flies. This is aggressive, big-water fishing with long drifts on outside seams. When nymphing, go heavy and go deep. Delicate presentations are for smaller streams.
Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone: Go Big or Stay Home
The Clarks Fork rewards aggression. Long drifts on outside seams. Streamers first in wind or low light. Deep nymph rigs on drop-offs and bar edges.
The Setup: Streamer-first mentality with sink tips or weighted flies. When nymphing, go heavy and go deep. This isn't delicate presentation water.
What to Throw:
Mini Dungeons and small sculpin patterns in sizes 2 to 6
Rubber-leg stoneflies with baetis or PMD trailers
Hoppers when the hayfields are buzzing
Heavy split shot or sink tips to get down
Access Point: Start at Clarks Fork Yellowstone FAS and work the valley near Belfry and Bridger. Remember the bait regs if you're fishing with mixed groups.
Beartooth Lakes and Rosebud Creeks: The Specialists
High Lakes Approach: Callibaetis midday, damsels in the shallows, small leeches under an indicator or on an intermediate line. Cruise flats quietly. These fish aren't pressured, but they're not stupid.
Rosebud Creeks: Small attractors in sizes 12 to 16 and beadhead nymphs. Classic pocket-water dry-dropper days. Keep it simple and keep moving.
What Are Hoot-Owl Restrictions in Montana?
Hoot-owl restrictions are temperature-based fishing closures that typically run from 2 p.m. to midnight when water temperatures threaten trout survival. During these closures, all fishing must stop to protect stressed fish. Check Montana FWP's live restrictions page daily during hot summer periods.
Ethical Fishing and Effective Fish Care
Hoot-Owl Means Stop
When hoot-owl restrictions are in effect (typically 2 p.m. to midnight closures during hot, low water), respect them. Plan dawn windows, use heavy tippets for quick fights, and keep fish wet during releases. Check FWP's live restrictions page the morning of your trip.
Do I Need an AIS Pass to Fish in Montana?
Yes. Every angler fishing in Montana needs an Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Pass. If you're bringing any watercraft (raft, kayak, float tube), nonresidents also need a vessel AISPP and must stop at inspection stations. This requirement protects Montana's fisheries from invasive species like New Zealand mudsnails and zebra mussels.
AIS Compliance Is Not Optional
Every angler needs an AIS Prevention Pass. If you're bringing a boat (raft, kayak, anything), nonresidents need the vessel AISPP and must stop at inspection stations. Clean, drain, and dry between drainages. It's the law, it protects our fisheries, and inspectors are checking.
The Flies That Live in Local Bins Right Now
We checked with the shops so you don't have to:
Year-Round Staples:
Pheasant Tails, Copper Johns, Perdigons (sizes 14 to 20)
Pat's Rubber Legs (sizes 4 to 10, multiple colors)
Adams and Parachute Adams (12 to 16)
Elk Hair Caddis and X-Caddis (14 to 16)
Seasonal Must-Haves:
Spring: BWO dries and emergers (18 to 20), midge clusters
Early summer: Golden stones (8 to 12), salmonfly dries (4 to 8)
Mid-summer: PMDs (14 to 18), Yellow Sallies (14 to 16), hoppers (6 to 10)
Fall: Streamers (2 to 6), October Caddis, BWOs again
What's Coming in Part 3
You know the waters. You know the techniques. Now you need the logistics: where to stay, which shops to hit, what guides to book, and how to build a weather-proof 5-day itinerary that makes the most of your Red Lodge fishing trip.
Because great fishing isn't just about the time on the water. It's about the planning that gets you there at the right time with the right gear and the right expectations.
Ready to put this intel to use? Check out our accommodation options and start planning your Red Lodge fishing basecamp. We'll make sure you're rested, rigged, and ready to fish at first light.