Fly Fishing "Scott-Burning" the Gallatin River in Big Sky, MT--Great Top Water Action!!

[@Fishin-Ipps]

Aw man, got me right in the heart with this one, Scott. First fished the Gallatin in ’93 and it’s one of my favorites. Even as accessible as it is off 191, you can still find plenty of places with no one around. I had a great time with Cutties on the Yellowstone and some backcountry streams this year…but still drove over to spend time to visit the Gallatin. Good for the soul. Not a prettier place to fish imo. Thanks for posting! - Chris

[@pawoodsnwater7551]

Hi Chris! Awesome yo hear you’ve been there and experienced the fishing and the beauty of the Gallatin and Montana. The everyday fisherman couldn’t ask for anything more, access, good flows and temps, convenience of accommodations and restaurants and gas stations and Yellowstone Park is close too. Appreciate you watching and commenting.

[@snookmcdermott6894]

Great video Scott Beautiful scenery and nice fish Keep the videos coming and stay safe

[@pawoodsnwater7551]

Hey hey Snook! So beautiful and great fishing too. Hope you get a chance to visit one day. Appreciate you watching and commenting.

[@erikb1861]

Oh boy this is going to be awesome, I've been waiting. Watching now

[@pawoodsnwater7551]

Hey Erik! Sunday breakfast with PA WOODS N WATER in Montana, the start of a great day! 👍🏻 Hope you enjoy!

[@erikb1861]

​@@pawoodsnwater7551heading to the westbranch Wednesday to Sunday

[@MGS566]

Just so glad to see that you had a great time with your buddies out there on the Gallatin. Just an amazing and beautiful place to venture through and enjoy. Thank you so much for sharing this amazing trip with us. May God bless you all and have a great day.✝️

[@pawoodsnwater7551]

Hey Michael! Yes, we all had a blast, and we all caught a ton of fish. God is good! Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@toddwilcox142]

Wow, what a fun trip brother. So much beautiful country, absolutely gorgeous. I am amazed at the amount of rainbows you guys were catching. I see you got your rod back. Seems to be working perfectly. Thank you for taking us along. Talk to you soon.

[@pawoodsnwater7551]

Brother Todd! Yes, mostly all rainbows, did get into a few decent browns nymphing but I didn’t include those clips, wanted to keep this all dry fly fishing. Yes, soooo happy I got my T&T Avantt back, loved fishing with it out there. Hopefully we’ll get together for Fall or Winter. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@jimyenser6558]

My happy place! Love it all out there! Gotta find an excuse to get there again. Love this- thanks for sharing!

[@pawoodsnwater7551]

Good morning Jim! So beautiful out there, the fishing is almost secondary…..almost, ha! Appreciate you watching and commenting.

[@mylesreilly5912]

Love it, Love it , love it, thanks so much for sharing.

[@pawoodsnwater7551]

Thank you, thank you, thank you!! Glad you enjoyed it. Appreciate you watching and commenting.

[@BIGJ3748]

Thanks Scott, enjoyed the video. Maybe one day I will get out there. Also enjoyed the additional scenery.

[@pawoodsnwater7551]

You’re welcome Big J, and my pleasure! Glad to hear, so much beautiful scenery out in MT. You’ll love the Gallatin for many reasons. Appreciate you watching and commenting.

[@edherrmann182]

Great video experience Scott! Some of my most memorable fishing was in Montana and the Yellowstone river in the park. I loved the butter belly action and cutthroats of Yellowstone. My wife was with me and she was getting some pictures. She got too close and I hooked her in the head during a cast. Memories. Thanks for sharing your excursion.

[@pawoodsnwater7551]

OUCH!! Guess her memories were much different than yours. I fished the Yellowstone last time I was there in ‘19 in the park, check out that video if you wanna scroll back through my older videos. No shortage of beautiful streams and beautiful scenery for sure. Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@GenX...MCMLXV]

Love it out there! kinda partial to the Flathead. Such a different world than our Appalachians

[@pawoodsnwater7551]

Hi buddy! Yes, we’ll be going back, maybe we’ll hit the Flathead next time, too many waters to choose from. Appreciate you watching and commenting.

[@michaelcapurso]

Amazing scenery Scott, and the fishing looked to be great. The wide open banks are a stark difference from our northeast streams.

[@pawoodsnwater7551]

Hello Michael! Yes, amazingly beautiful, but banks are banks, food, security cover and look for the change in depths. Most guys fish out towards the middle but observant guys will see the potential near the banks and hit those areas that other guys spook the fish out of. Try it! Even with nymphing. Appreciate you watching and commenting.

[@beo77]

Yo Scott. Welcome back! Excited to witness your adventures from the mountain west! Just got back from a 2 day trip to the East Branch. Took advantage of all the cold water they're releasing. Fished the lower east branch. Had a great 2 days!

[@pawoodsnwater7551]

Hey Sung! Thank you brother! I bet you had a good time on the East Branch, love it there too, as much as the WB. I’ll get back up there after my hunting seasons. Appreciate you watching and commenting.

[@beo77]

@@pawoodsnwater7551 I think my favorite way to fly fish is drift dries and swing emergers in the riffles. I need to start using more wet flies. I had so much action morning/afternoon/evening. Didn't have to nymph!

[@pawoodsnwater7551]

@@beo77 You said it Sung! Love swinging wets also, I had a great period where I was swinging a single size 18 BWO soft hackle and caught a good dozen rainbows with numerous other hits and get offs. But, sadly, did not have the camera with me 😟. So much fun getting that hit on the swing or even on the hang. It is truly a special technique to properly swing that soft hackle with minimal tension on your line, do not pinch your line too tight, because the fish will almost always set the hook on themselves on the hit. Very exciting!!

[@jeb605]

Great video. Thanks.

[@pawoodsnwater7551]

Hi Jeb! You’re welcome and my pleasure. Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@tced2858]

Looked like a great trip Scott, good video as always....

[@pawoodsnwater7551]

Thank you brother! Yes, super fun, hope you get a chance one day to fish there. Appreciate you watching and commenting.

[@tced2858]

@@pawoodsnwater7551 Yeah it would make a great trip to do in my truck camper....

[@douglasrandall6737]

Scott for some reason your channel got sidetracked from my KZbin, I found it now, really interesting video. Thanks

[@pawoodsnwater7551]

Hi Doug! Thank you very much! The Gallatin video is over a week old, but please also check out my newer video from yesterday on the Madison. Hope to see you tomorrow at the Tully for the presentation.

[@charleslazarus4408]

My bucket list for 2025, 5wt 9' rod? Always a blast to watch you fish.❤

[@pawoodsnwater7551]

Woohoo! You’ll love it. I mostly used my 10ft/4wt, but occasionally on the super windy days I used my 5wt and my buddy Chris used his 6wt, some days the wind was no joke, a struggle to cast in. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@jeffditaranto3790]

Hey Scott ! Wow great video . Goes to show Trout are not safe from you in any state . They looked like mostly Rainbows did you see any Cutthroat ? I assumed they were native out there . Great video and what an adventure . My ankles hurt just watching you navigate those round rocks on the Madison 😅 . Thanks for another great one .

[@pawoodsnwater7551]

Hey Jeff! Nice to hear from you! Yes, all rainbows, no cutthroats where we were. I mean it when I say, EVERY step in the Madison is risky. We caught a bunch of fish on the Madison but mostly all dinks until around 5pm, then the bigger fish went on the feed, maybe it’s a September thing, I don’t know. But the Gallatin was awesome all day long. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@uni_shadow164]

Scott. You were killing me with the Puddle cast lesson and River Bunnys! Beautiful country in MT! Were there any Cut throats caught? Looked like all Rainbows! Another fun video!

[@pawoodsnwater7551]

Hey Dave! That casting lesson was priceless, ha! And who’d a thought we run into a couple river bunnies on the Gallatin, my lucky day! I didn’t catch any cutthroats, don’t know about my buddies. Glad you enjoyed the video. Appreciate you watching and commenting.

[@jimmcmanus7911]

My Dad took me to the Gallatin River back in the 70’s Hooked a huge Rainbow on what they call a grey hackle yellow. Had him on all the way to shore and unfortunately when I reached to grab him he ran and snapped my line. I would have to say that trout was at least was 24 inches. Thought I was going to be the hero back at the lodge. Well, that did not happen, but this great guy Sam Desole witnessed the almost catch.

[@pawoodsnwater7551]

Hi Jim! I absolutely love the Gallatin! Very wadeable, easy access and tons of cooperative fish. Omg, we need the Sams in our world, especially to validate the ones that get away. Good story 👍🏻. Stay tune, new video coming out very shortly. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@michaelo7547]

What time of the year were you out there Scott I just got back from Bozeman last week tried the Gallatin what a great river not much luck but did connect with a float trip on the Yellowstone over 50 fish mostly whitefish but did get a 22" brown and 19" rainbow. Already planning another trip anyone into fly fishing owes it to yourself to save up and make the trip. Got a fall trip planned Moss creek in Va., couple days up at Slate Run, few days around Watkins Glenn, then over to Buffalo area to fish the lower Niagara and do some bow hunting. Any fly suggestions for Slate Run?

[@pawoodsnwater7551]

Hello Michael! We just got back on Tuesday, was out there from 9/2-9/10. Two big boys on the Yellowstone, nice! 👍🏻 For Slate Run, I think I’d choose either Pine or Little Pine, heard LP fishing very well. Still some Slate drakes around, plus October caddis, also ants and green weenies. Fall is a great time, big Pine foes get a Fall stocking from the State and the Brown Trout Club, I think. Hope you have a great fall trip. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@michaelo7547]

@@pawoodsnwater7551 Thanks for the info for Slate Run area I really enjoy the trip up there each year and hope to fish the Delaware area next spring, I just started fly fishing 3 years ago and it has become an addiction for sure. Enjoy your videos and info tight lines and who knows maybe we will bump into each other somewhere.

[@pawoodsnwater7551]

@@michaelo7547 Yessir, you’d be surprised how many of my subscribers I run in to, if you ever think you see me , please stop to chat a while.

[@gregtarris9057]

@@michaelo7547 Just follow Scott's videos and you will accelerate your fly fishing knowledge by years!

[@naturecalls8690]

Great video. What technique are you using?…it’s not tight lining but i also don’t see an indicator or dry dropper?

[@pawoodsnwater7551]

Hi buddy! This video is all dry fly fishing, no nymphing. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@lennavitsky4054]

Hey scott..where abouts were you fishing? Around big sky area?? Thanks Len

[@pawoodsnwater7551]

Hi Len! Nice to hear from you! Yes, just was fishing in the general Big Sky area. Check out the Madison Video also, just released this morning. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@lennavitsky4054]

@@pawoodsnwater7551 thanks Scott

[@lennavitsky4054]

Thanks will do! I am on oxygen and need some eaaier lo ations to walk into, any suggestions on Gallatin in big sky area?

[@pawoodsnwater7551]

@@lennavitsky4054 Oh! Sorry to hear that. In Big Sky, on 191, there’s only one traffic light entering, there’s a little pull off going south as soon as you go through the light. A very good area to fish either upstream or downstream, there’s an ok walking path on both sides of the stream, you can get to lot of fishing spots on the same side you’re parked on, but if you’re able to wade and cross the stream you can reach everything up or down. Be careful and bring a wading staff. Good luck and have fun!

[@lennavitsky4054]

@@pawoodsnwater7551 thanks so much Scott

[@alanstrober6296]

You stayed in Ennis and didn’t focus primarily on the Madison!

[@pawoodsnwater7551]

Good morning Alan! Next video, we enjoyed the Gallatin much more than the Madison, a ton of fish there but mostly dinks all day (6-9”), bigger fish didn’t go on the bite until around 5pm. We weren’t that impressed with the Madison, at least not in September. May have been better if you floated it in the deeper areas but where we fished was super tough to wade and very fast water. Next time , will approach it differently. Thanks for watching and commenting.