Best month to fish the Beaverhead River

Month-by-month fishing quality

Why these months?

Two things decide your odds on the Beaverhead River: flow and season. You need the river in its fishable-flow band — so a freestone in spring runoff is out no matter how good the hatch would be, while a dam-fed tailwater holds shape year-round. On top of that, the hatches and water temperatures line up best in September and October and August and July, which is why those months edge out the rest. The Beaverhead River's season runs year-round tailwater; prime july–october.

The Beaverhead below Clark Canyon Reservoir is a narrow, brushy, deceptively small tailwater that grows some of the largest brown trout in Montana. Cold, nutrient-rich releases and a tight willow-lined channel mean big fish in small water — the upper sixteen miles to Barretts Diversion hold extraordinary trout-per-mile numbers, and hooking them in the overhanging cover is a genuinely technical exercise that rewards a guide who knows the seams.

Where to fish the Beaverhead River

The Clark Canyon-to-Barretts stretch is the trophy water and is best floated — the banks are brushy and the channel narrow. Below Barretts toward Dillon the river runs shallower and wades more comfortably. Flow is set by irrigation demand at the dam, so check the release before planning a wade day.

Guided trips & lodges to book