Quick answer: If you asked a room full of Missoula guides to pick one month to fish, a lot of them would say July. The rivers start the month high, cold, and green and end it low and clear. Golden stones carry the first weeks, pale morning duns come off from morning into early afternoon, caddis at dusk, and the first hoppers show up along the banks late in the month. The first week of July has the potential to be the best fishing of the entire year, and the second week is right behind it. Warm days, settled weather, and fish looking up: this is the classic Montana float trip.

Here is what a July guided trip looks like, and why it fills up.

What are the rivers like in July?

July comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. Early in the month the rivers are still running high and cool with a touch of color, and the fish eat at every level. By the end of the month they are low and clear, the rocks and snags are out of the water, and the trout have moved into the deeper, shaded water. That change is why a July 1 trip and a July 31 trip feel like different months, and why your guide adjusts everything from the fly to the stretch of river as the water drops.

What is hatching in July?

Golden stones carry the early part of the month, and plenty of local guides will tell you they are the best hatch in Missoula. Big fish, big dry flies, and none of the fuss.
Yellow sallies, the smaller yellow stonefly, hatch all month long after getting started in late June.
Pale morning duns come off from morning into early afternoon, earlier on the warm days, often in blanket hatches that last an hour or two. The Clark Fork gets concentrated pods of rising fish. The Bitterroot and Blackfoot have their sections too.
Tan caddis show up around dusk.
Pale evening duns are weather dependent. On a hot 95-degree afternoon they may hold off until fifteen minutes before dark. On a cooler day they can start as early as 7:30.
Spruce moths arrive late in the month near the pine forests and can be a big deal in the right year.
Hoppers show up in the grass along the banks in the last week or so of July. When a fish has seen every mayfly in the box, a big hopper twitched along the bank is often what moves it. From here into fall, terrestrials become a bigger and bigger part of the game.

What time of day should you fish?

Early in the month, all day. Mid to late month, the heat of the day drives the bigger fish deep into the shade, so mornings are where the action is, and the day is built around an early start: pale morning duns from morning into early afternoon, then off the water before the heat. Summer evenings usually run too warm to fish, unless it is a cool, high-water year. Your guide plans the day around the bugs, not the clock.

Float or wade in July?

Both, and it flips as the month goes on. Early July is prime float water. As the rivers drop and clear, the fishing gets better every day, and by the second week of July it is some of the best of the entire year. Most people are wet wading by now, in quick-dry pants and shoes that can get wet, and standing in a cool river on a hot afternoon is half the fun. Our wet wading post covers what to wear.

Why fish July with a guide?

July is less about finding fishable water and more about making the most of prime conditions. There is a lot going on: different bugs at different times of day, different water fishing well on different rivers, and a river that changes character across the month. Your guide reads the day and puts you where the fish are eating, whether that means a morning of pale morning duns on the Clark Fork or an afternoon throwing hoppers at a Bitterroot bank. You pick your dates, and we put you on the water that is fishing best.

What should you expect?

Warm days and hot afternoons are the rule. Bring sun protection, water, and a hat. The rivers are dropping and friendly, the fishing is generous, and the scenery is peak Montana summer. It is a great month for a first-timer and a great month for a veteran, which is part of why it fills up.

Common questions about July in Missoula

Is July better than June? Different. June has the salmonflies and higher water. July has more settled weather, clearer water, and the golden stones. For pure dry fly fishing, a lot of guides pick July.

How hot does it get? Mid-80s on average, with hot afternoons late in the month that can reach the mid-90s. The river is always cooler than the air.

Are the rivers crowded? July is busy, but the water is big and your guide knows where to go. We cap our own operation at six boats a day so no one is spread thin.

How far ahead should I book? One to three months for specific dates, longer for weekends and holiday weeks. Details in our booking post.

Do I need waders? No. Wet wade. Bring quick-dry clothes and shoes you do not mind soaking.