Boulder River, MT Fly Fishing
Carving through the peaks and valleys of Southwest Montana, the Boulder River offers a rewarding Montana fly fishing experience for those willing to venture off the beaten path.
These waters are full of aggressive trout, willing to bite at well-placed streamers, dry flies, and nymphs.
Book a full-day drift boat fishing trip along the scenic Boulder River where you’ll fish in the comfort of a 13’6” Aire Raft with a Letmrun frame. You’ll get the comfort of a hard bottom drift boat with the maneuverability of a raft, providing a super stable boat for anglers to fish from.
Best Seasons for Boulder River Fly Fishing
Montana’s Boulder River is fishable from spring to mid-summer, when it gets too low to float.
Spring
From May through June, snowmelt raises the Boulder to floatable levels.
Dry fly action heats up with hatches of blue-winged olives, midges, and caddis.
High water levels keep trout holding tight to banks and soft pockets.
Summer
Prime fishing time on the Boulder runs from late June to late July, depending on snowpack levels.
In early July the river settles into lower, clear flows, ideal for dry fly fishing.
Attractor dry fly patterns or dry dropper rigs produce well during summer's lush greenery and plentiful hatches.
Species of Fish in the Boulder River
The Boulder River's pristine waters are home to healthy populations of cutthroat, brown, and rainbow trout.
In the Lower Boulder, you’ll find rainbow and brown trout averaging about 14”, but we’ve seen big browns up to 20” with the occasional fish 21” and higher.
Where We Fish on Montana’s Boulder River
Boulder Forks to Yellowstone Confluence
Montana’s Boulder River is mainly swift pocket water mixed in with large pools. As you get closer to Big Timber, the river enters into a landscape with long riffles, deep buckets, and undercut banks.
Streamer fishing and dry fly techniques for the Boulders aggressive trout can be highly effective. Classic attractor dry fly patterns work well when trout are looking up for their next meal.
Most of the Lower Boulder is surrounded by private land and can only be accessed by raft. Our Montana fly fishing guides are well-equipped to take anglers on these trips when water levels permit.
Boulder River Fly Fishing Review
Tucker went out of his way, and went above and beyond, to show my son and me an incredible fishing experience.
I am an experienced angler and have been on many guided trips in 25 years of fly fishing. Hands down, Tucker is the best guide guide I’ve ever had the pleasure of fishing with.
Long story short…. July 2022, the Yellowstone was left unfishable due to a flood. Our float (which I scheduled months prior) was at risk. Instead of fishing the Madison (which was under massive pressure), Tucker made the call to fish the Boulder. Wow! What an incredible experience. He guided us down a spectacular river that required massive rafting skills. My son and I caught amazing fish all day long. And he gave us some amazing guidance. I would love to fish with Tucker again. Absolute stud!
