Fishing at Hebgen Lake in West Yellowstone

An Angler’s Paradise

Launch your boat (or rent one of ours) and join anglers from all over the world who come to enjoy what is arguably the best dry fly fishing in North America. Anglers hoping to bring home pan-sized trout are rarely disappointed. The average Hebgen brown is between 16-18 inches and the average rainbow is 14-16 inches. The first time you land one of these enormous trout, you’ll understand another of the many reasons our guests come back time and again.

Part of the beauty of Yellowstone Holiday is that within minutes you can be launched and fishing the open water of Hebgen Lake or testing your skills on one of the many blue-ribbon streams or the world class Madison River as it flows west out of Yellowstone National Park and into Hebgen Lake. If you’re not a fly fisherman, no worries. Plenty of anglers have caught 20-inch rainbows from trolling boats. It’s a big lake, however, so be sure to ask our staff where they’re biting. And if your angling skills are still “in development,” take advantage of a number of expert fishing guides available for hire in our area.

Hebgen Hatches

There are three major hatches on Hebgen Lake, plus the Caddsifly hatches, so come prepared.
Chironomid Hatch—Late May through mid-July. On overcast days, the fish are schooled up in the open water gorging.
Trico Hatch—Late spring thru mid-August. Good-sized trout found in shallow bays along the shoreline. Light gear and light tippets with long leaders required. Good for short-range casting.
Callibaetis—Mid-June through August. In the early season, nymph fishing is excellent in the weedbeds. Later, the spinner is preferred.
Caddisfly Hatches—Also occur regularly on the lake. Trout found in bays and inlets around the lake. Use standard dry fly patterns.