Best Fly Fishing Destinations In The US For Trout, Hatches, and Trips

The best trout fishing in the US isn’t just in Montana. Everyone thinks it’s the great overall destination for big rivers, trophy browns, and perfect scenery, but the best trout water exists all across the country.

After 15+ years chasing trout, from Montana’s big freestone rivers to Pennsylvania’s spring creeks, we’ve seen it all. The “best” destination depends entirely on what you want. Are you after 20-inch browns? Or you just want to catch a bunch of fish without overthinking it?

We compile the list in this guide for you. Use this as your bucket list to learn which rivers fish best during different seasons, what fly patterns to pack, and how to choose the right fly fishing destination for your next trip.

Let's go!

Choose the wrong river or season, and you’ll face long drives, crowded waters, or cast without a bite. To help you plan the perfect trip, here are our handpicked regions, along with the trout you’re most likely to catch:

Each offers unique fishing experiences, from trophy browns to prolific hatches. Use this as a starting point to match your destination to the season, species, and fishing style.

Check our library for the best Fly Fishing Destinations in the US, and see which fits your reel adventure for 2026.

The Northern Rockies are legendary for a reason. These rivers are the ones you’ve seen in magazines (the ones that make you want to fly fish in the first place).

Let’s find out what those magazines don't show you.

Montana deserves its reputation as the best overall. Take the Missouri River below Holter Dam. It holds around 5,000 to 7,000 trout per mile, so your chances are high.

We fished there last August during a caddis hatch and lost count after fish #30. You'll find plenty of rainbows topping 18-20 inches, and July to October is peak season for dry flies.

Now, if you show up on a Saturday in July, you'll be sharing that 5,000-fish-per-mile experience with about 40 other boats. Missouri is famous, which means fishers are crowded.

But here's what you can do: fish it on weekdays, or hit it early in September when tourists go home (fish are still active). You get the same quality fishing with half the pressure.

If you head to the Yellowstone area, try these:

• Upper Stretches (Near Yellowstone National Park): You can catch wild cutthroat here (those that are native trout with orange slashes under their jaw).
• The Paradise Valley Section (Below Livingston): This stretch produces bigger browns. These are the smart, wary fish that'll test your skills.
• Smaller Tributaries Like Rock Creek: It’s a classic freestone water where you can escape the crowds.

For detailed guides, check out our Montana fly fishing destination library.

Montana gets all the press, but Idaho is where you can learn the best fishing tricks.

Henry's Fork of the Snake River is one of the most technical spring creeks. The water is gin clear, the trout are educated, and if your presentation isn't perfect, you won't get a take. But when you do hook up, these are big, healthy rainbows that fight fiercely.

The Railroad Ranch section is where things get serious. Its slow, smooth water is where trout sip insects all day during summer. You need long leaders (the clear line between your fly line and fly), small flies, and good casting. It's not beginner water, but if you can handle it, you’ll have a surefire catch.

Then there's Silver Creek. The Nature Conservancy manages this spring creek, and you can get access with a permit. You can see trout from 30 feet away. The problem is, they can see you too, and know that the trout’s fake.

Learn more about Idaho's top waters in our Idaho fly fishing destination guide.

Everyone drives through Wyoming to get to Montana, then complains about crowds. Wyoming is a good place to fish if you know where to look.

Hit the Upper Green River below Fontenelle Reservoir to catch big browns and rainbows. This tailwater fishes well even in winter when freestone rivers freeze up.

We fished it last February in 20-degree weather and caught 15 rainbows between 16 and 22 inches. Our trick was to slow down everything. Fish midges in sizes 20-24; use 6X tippet and strip the line so slowly you feel like you're not moving the fly at all.

Side note: Grab a conservation stamp on top of your fishing license. It's only $12.50, but a warden's check. The fine for fishing without one is $135.

The South Holston River is a world-class tailwater that flies under the radar. Dam releases keep water temperatures steady year-round, so you can fish anytime.

In May and June, the sulfur hatch brings 100+ mayflies to the surface (dry fly fishing works best here). Our tip is to use small sulfurs on long, light tippet, cast upstream into seams or pockets, and let your drift stay natural.

You want to be where the bugs are, and so do trout. Here's how and what patterns to use:

Watch for the first major hatches after winter. Out West, that means BWOs and midges from March through April. Back East, Hendricksons and Quill Gordons appear in late April and early May. They are larger mayflies that bring trout to the surface.

We recommend using the Hendrickson hatch on the Catskill rivers. Fish a size 12 or 14 Hendrickson dry fly, use a 9-foot leader tapered to 5X tippet (the diameter of tippet, with 5X being relatively thin), and be ready to hook selective fish.

Summer is when most trout waters peak. In the West, you'll fish PMDs, caddis, and terrestrial insects (land insects like grasshoppers and ants that fall into the water) like hoppers and ants. In the East, sulfurs dominate from late May through June, followed by tricos (tiny mayflies) and terrestrials in July and August.

The PMD hatch on western rivers typically runs from late morning through mid-afternoon. You'll see size 16 or 18 mayflies coming off the water, and trout rising steadily to eat them. Match the hatch with a Sparkle Dun or Comparadun pattern (both are dry fly styles).

Hopper fishing starts in late July and runs through September. This is visual, aggressive fishing where you slap a big foam hopper near the bank and wait for trout to smash it (honestly, we live for hopper season). Learn more about fishing with dry flies to perfect your presentation.

Come fall, BWOs (tiny mayflies) return in force, and on some rivers, you’ll see October caddis (big orange insects).

But the real story in the fall is the brown trout behavior.

Browns spawn in autumn, and big fish that hide all summer move into shallower water. They become more aggressive and easier to catch, though you need to be respectful and avoid fishing directly on spawning beds (redds, which are gravel nests where trout lay eggs).

Best Tip: Fish streamers in the fall. These are larger flies that imitate baitfish or leeches. Strip them through the water in quick, jerky motions to trigger strikes.

Most trout fishing slows down in winter, but tailwaters keep producing because dam releases maintain stable water temperatures. Focus on midges and small nymphs (subsurface flies that imitate immature insects living underwater), fish slow water, and use long leaders to get your flies down to feeding fish.

The best winter tailwaters include the Bighorn in Montana, the South Holston in Tennessee, the Green River in Utah, and the San Juan in New Mexico.

For western rivers, pack these essentials:

Eastern fishing requires smaller flies and precise imitations:

Dry Flies

• Hendrickson (12–14): Use for spring mayfly hatches.
• Sulfur / PMD (16–18): Choose for summer mayfly hatches.
• Trico (20–24): Fish during late-summer morning spinner falls.
• Adams (14–18): Tie on as an all-purpose dry fly.
• Ant patterns (14–18): Use when trout are feeding on terrestrials.

Nymphs

• Pheasant Tail (16–20): Reach for this as a general mayfly nymph.
• Frenchie (14–18): Use when you need a fast-sinking jig nymph.
• Scud patterns (14–18): Fish in spring creeks to match freshwater shrimp.

Spring Creek Gear Tip

• 12-foot leaders, 6X–7X: Use for ultra-clear, technical spring-creek water.

Lake fishing (casting from shore, float tubes, or boats) uses different tactics than rivers.

We recommend our top picks: woolly buggers (6-10), leech patterns (black/olive) that imitate aquatic worms, and damselfly nymphs (olive/tan) that look like dragonfly larvae.

Don’t forget to bring a sinking line or sink-tip line (fly lines that sink to reach deeper water).

You just learned that every region offers different fishing situations.

Here's a fact: some of our best fishing memories happened on water we barely researched. We just showed up, figured it out, and caught fish. And we bet you can do as well!

Because the truth is, the "best" destination is the one you can visit closest to you. Don't wait for the perfect Montana trip if you've got great fishing 2 hours in Colorado from your home.

So start now, not next month, not next year. This weekend even works.

Do you need fly fishing gear and ready-to-use fly patterns? Browse our collection of fly rods, fly reels, and premium fly fishing flies to get started. We've got everything from beginner setups to advanced gear that'll last you 2+ years on the water!