Gallatin River
Near Bozeman, Montana
The Gallatin River begins in Yellowstone National Park and flows 115 miles through one of Montana's most scenic corridors before joining the Madison and Jefferson to form the Missouri at Three Forks. The fly fishing scenes from "A River Runs Through It" were filmed in the Gallatin Canyon south of Bozeman, showcasing its crystal-clear water and stunning alpine setting. This blue-ribbon fishery holds an estimated 3,000 catchable trout per mile, primarily rainbow and brown trout with occasional cutthroat and brook trout. The canyon section features swift pocket water and is closed to fishing from boats, making it ideal for wade anglers working roadside access along Highway 191. Below the canyon, the river braids through the Gallatin Valley with excellent dry fly opportunities. Summer brings reliable stonefly and caddis hatches, plus the unique spruce moth emergence that triggers aggressive surface feeding. The lower river below Manhattan offers float fishing for larger browns.