Livingston Montana Fly Fishing

Livingston Montana Fly Fishing

As a kid, I grew up in Billings and we would travel west a fair amount to visit friends and family in Bozeman and beyond. I distinctly remember driving over the South hills, looking down at Livingston and the Yellowstone River, wondering “who even lives here?”

Fast forward a decade and I am one of those people. I came to Livingston following college in Bozeman, and headquartered my outfitting business. When I guided out of Bozeman it was a rare event to head west to fish. I always wanted to travel east to the rivers of my boyhood fishing adventures like the Boulder, Yellowstone, and Stillwater. So the move became trivial, I’ve got miles of excellent spring creek fishing only a couple minutes drive from my house, and the eastern streams that I grew up on are a short drive away. Moreover, this is some of the best fishing in the west and arguably the world…

Without a doubt Livingston, Montana is the gateway to Montana’s premier freestones and spring creek fly fishing opportunities. 

Yellowstone River Fly Fishing | River Description from Wet Net Outfitters

In no more than an hour in the truck we can access 6 floatable rivers with more than 400 miles of high quality fishing, and Two spring creeks provide technical fishing opportunities in an idyllic environment.

Planning Your Trip To Livingston

Historically, Livingston was established as a switching station for the rail road and a hub for agricultural needs. It’s now home to serious anglers, artists, ranchers, and other outdoor aficionados. It also serves as the last major town before entering Yellowstone Park through the northeast entrance and the Roosevelt Arch.

The fishing in and around Livingston is the true draw. In no more than an hour in the truck we can access 6 floatable rivers with more than 400 miles of high quality fishing. Two spring creeks provide technical fishing opportunities in an idyllic environment. To top the already robust offering, there are a myriad of small tributaries that provide excellent walk and wade opportunities. It is truly the central point to access all the renowned and secret waters in southwest Montana.

As for amenities, Livingston offers up everything. While there are not five offerings for each food category, each major food category is deliciously met. You want a big steak? No problem. Italian food? Of course. Juicy cheese burgers? This is Montana after all. Livingston even offers good sushi and a wheat grass bar! Needless to say, town offers something for everyone. 

For those seeking the best burger in town, The Mint is hard to beat – be sure to do it right and order PBR fries with your burger. For those in need of something more refined Livingston Bar and Grille provides fine dinning with an emphasis on locally sourced ingredients, an excellent wine list, and signature cocktails. It is hard to beat their ribeye and a glass of cabernet.

With a vibrant, quaint downtown travelers seeking to shop and poke around will admire the local art galleries and other small retail businesses. World renowned, trout artist AD Maddox’s fittingly maintains her art gallery and studio in downtown Livingston! On a side note – If you would like so see her gallery and incredible work, just let me know; I can arrange it.

While we have some of the best lodging options in Livingston, there are a number of Airbnb’s and VRBO’s that will suit anyones needs. From quaint cabins to mammoth homes to accommodate the whole group in style.

Fishing aside the town of Livingston is worth the visit.

Getting to Livingston – The easiest way to get to Livingston is to fly into Bozeman (BZN – Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport). The airport services a number of daily direct flights from most major hubs including Atlanta, San Fransisco, Minneapolis, Newark, Boston, Dallas, Huston, Nashville, Los Angeles, and many others! From there a car can be rented to make the 35 minute drive or a number of livery services can handle your drop off and pickup from your accommodations. A rental car is not completely necessary when staying in downtown Livingston or at one of our all inclusive lodging options.

Get in touch

Thank you for your interest in fishing with Wet Net Outfitters. Montana’s a special place – we can’t wait to share it with you.

The team at Wet Net Outfitters is always happy to talk fishing. Whether it’s about current fishing conditions, the flies we tie, or the trip of a lifetime, please don’t hesitate to email, call, or text.

Call: (406) 690-1819

Email: pierce@wetnetoutfitters.com

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Our Rivers

Read through detailed reports of the rivers we typically fish with our Wet Net Outfitter clients. Whether you’re looking for big river float trips, iconic spring creek wade trips, or secluded small creek trips, we can help facilitate your bucket list fly fishing adventure.