Fishes Jefferson River, Stillwater River
River · South-central Montana, draining the Beartooth Mountains north through Nye and Absarokee to the Yellowstone at Columbus · Montana
Stillwater River Fishing Guides
A fast, clear Beartooth freestone that is anything but still, tumbling to the Yellowstone at Columbus.
Gauge location. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Guides on the Stillwater River
Claimed profiles take booking requests. Unclaimed profiles are built from public records so the river is never empty; the guide can claim or remove one any time.
About the Stillwater River
The Stillwater is a misnomer of long standing. It drains the northern flank of the Beartooth Mountains and runs hard and fast through a boulder-strewn channel to meet the Yellowstone at Columbus, and there is very little about it that is still. Early travelers are said to have named it in contrast to the rougher Rosebud country nearby, and the name stuck.
It is a true freestone river, entirely dependent on snowmelt and rainfall, and it runs cold and exceptionally clear. Rainbow trout are the most abundant fish, browns are well distributed and grow large in the lower reaches, and Yellowstone cutthroat – the native trout of this drainage – occupy the upper river and headwater tributaries. Mountain whitefish are everywhere and brook trout appear in the small feeders.
The gradient is what defines the fishing. This is pocket water, plunge pools and fast riffles for much of its length, and the effective approach is short-line nymphing and heavily hackled dry flies drifted through the soft spots behind boulders. Attractor patterns work well, and a salmonfly emergence in early summer brings the largest fish up.
Wading demands respect. The rocks are round, the current is strong and the water is cold; a staff and studded boots are not excessive. Floating is possible on the lower river when levels allow, but the upper river is largely a walk-and-wade proposition.
Access is reasonable through a mix of state fishing access sites, national forest land in the upper drainage, and bridge crossings along the road between Absarokee and Nye. The Beartooth country above the river offers some of the finest mountain scenery in Montana.
The Stillwater is also a river with a real industrial neighbor: the platinum and palladium mine at Nye sits in the upper valley. Water quality is monitored closely and the fishery has held up, but anglers occasionally notice the traffic on the road up the canyon.
This water needs a real photo
The photo at the top of this page is not Stillwater River.
It is a regional stand-in, honestly captioned but generic — we will not put a name to a river we cannot prove. Send us a photograph you took here and it replaces the stand-in, with your credit on it.
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Access
Absarokee - the main town on the lower river with services.
Nye - the upper river community near the forest boundary.
Montana fishing access sites - state sites along the valley road.
Custean Ranch access - a developed state fishing access site.
Woodbine Campground - upper river camping and access.
Cliff Swallow access - a state site on the middle river.
Columbus - the Yellowstone confluence at the bottom of the river.
Seasons
Spring: heavy Beartooth snowmelt makes the river high, cold and largely unfishable into June.
Summer: clears and drops by July, with salmonflies early and excellent pocket-water fishing after.
Fall: low, clear and outstanding, with browns coloring up and very little pressure.
Winter: cold with ice in the slower margins and difficult access at elevation.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Stillwater River?
As of Sep 17, 6:15 am, the USGS gauge Stillwater River near Absarokee, MT reads 356 cfs, with water temperature 52.5 F. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Stillwater River?
Anglers target Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Mountain Whitefish, Rainbow Trout, Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout on the Stillwater River in Montana.
Are there fishing guides on the Stillwater River?
GuidedFloats lists 3 guides and outfitters on the Stillwater River. Claimed profiles accept booking requests; unclaimed profiles are built from public records and link to the business.
Where can you access the Stillwater River?
Absarokee - the main town on the lower river with services. Nye - the upper river community near the forest boundary. Montana fishing access sites - state sites along the valley road. Custean Ranch access - a developed state fishing access site. Woodbine Campground - upper river camping and access. Cliff Swallow access - a state site on the middle river. Columbus - the Yellowstone confluence at the bottom of the river.
When is the best time to fish the Stillwater River?
Spring: heavy Beartooth snowmelt makes the river high, cold and largely unfishable into June. Summer: clears and drops by July, with salmonflies early and excellent pocket-water fishing after. Fall: low, clear and outstanding, with browns coloring up and very little pressure. Winter: cold with ice in the slower margins and difficult access at elevation.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Stillwater River?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Montana agency site: https://fwp.mt.gov/fish/regulations