Continued from Waters We Fish

Gallatin River

Once leaving the canyon, the river changes character again, slowing to a classic succession of riffles and pools, braiding into several channels in some places. This lower water is quite wadable but access is more difficult. Only at higher water levels can it be floated. The water in this stretch is very diverse—deep holes, riffles, runs, log cover, and undercut banks provide hiding places for fish and challenging situations for the angler. The fish are a mix of browns and rainbows, mostly in the 12-15 inch range, but with an occasional larger fish.

Wade fishing the Gallatin in the evening

Below Gallatin Gateway, much of the water is taken out for irrigation, and this lower portion of the Gallatin becomes severely dewatered later in the summer. Once the East Gallatin joins the West, near Manhattan, the river is again floatable right into Three Forks. These lower reaches offer some nice fishing, especially in the fall, when you can find some browns running up from the Missouri to spawn.