Why DePuy’s and Armstrong’s Matter

The Paradise Valley spring creeks fish on their own schedule. They are spring-fed, not snowmelt-driven, so flows and temperatures stay more stable than the freestones. That makes them a reliable year-round option and a completely different style of fishing from the Yellowstone and other rivers.

You see everything here: the fish, the current, the weed beds, and your fly. It’s honest water. When you do it right, the fish usually tell you. When you miss, they tell you that too.

Spring, Summer, Fall & Winter

Winter: Quiet, Technical, and Underrated

Winter is one of the best-kept secrets on these creeks. Flows stay stable, water temps are manageable, and pressure drops way off. Trout slide into slow, predictable winter lanes, and you get room to work on sight-fishing and clean drifts with very few people around.

Our Winter Spring Creek Special focuses on this window: shorter days, patient fishing, warm-up breaks, and a pace that fits winter. If you are visiting Bozeman, Livingston, or Paradise Valley in the cold months, this is one of the best options you have.

Spring

As light returns and water stays stable, midges and blue-winged olives become the backbone of the spring program. Fish feed in slow lanes and along subtle seams, and you start to see more consistent dry-fly and sight-fishing opportunities. Spring is a strong time to combine the creeks with early-season Yellowstone or private lake days.

Summer

Summer on the spring creeks is classic technical fishing: PMDs, sulphurs, caddis, midges, and terrestrials all play a role. Fish slide into weed edges, soft riffles, and slicks that require precise angles, realistic drifts, and careful approach. It is some of the most demanding and rewarding dry-fly fishing in the region.

Fall

Fall brings softer light, fewer people, and comfortable temps. Trout are still keyed on small insects and, depending on the year, terrestrials and late hatches. It’s a great time for anglers who like quiet banks, longer looks at fish, and thoughtful presentations.

Technical Water That Makes You Better

Clear Water & Weed Beds

On DePuy’s and Armstrong’s, weeds, gravel, and small changes in depth matter. Fish set up along edges, in soft pillows, and in subtle slots. You learn to read more than just surface current — you learn to see how water moves through the entire lane.

Small Flies & Honest Drifts

Small flies, fine tippet, and clean angles are the norm. Fish often have a long time to look at your fly, so you learn quickly what works and what does not. It’s challenging in the best way and carries over to every other river you’ll fish.

Beginners, Intermediates & Advanced Anglers

Beginners

Beginners can do well here with the right expectations. The creeks give you time to slow down and see what is happening. We focus on basic casting, line control, and how trout behave in clear water. You will not be rushed, and you will learn a lot in a single day.

Intermediate Anglers

Intermediates get the most out of these creeks. You already have the mechanics; the creeks teach you precision. Reading small currents, spotting fish, changing angles, and making tiny adjustments to rigging all come into play. A few days here can move your fishing forward years.

Advanced Anglers

Advanced anglers treat the creeks like a laboratory. Long leaders, fine tippet, small dries, and technical nymph rigs all show up. You can chase tricky fish, play with presentation, and test yourself against some of the most demanding trout in the valley.

Armstrong’s vs. DePuy’s

Armstrong’s

Armstrong’s has a classic spring creek feel: tight bends, riffle sections, long slicks, and excellent sight-fishing structure. It’s a great place to focus on small dries, careful approaches, and reading subtle currents.

DePuy’s

DePuy’s is larger and more varied, with side channels, deeper runs, weed beds, and long glides. It offers a little bit of everything — nymphing, dries, and sight-fishing — and fishes well year-round.

What a Spring Creek Day Looks Like

Spring creek days are full-day walk-and-wade trips with a steady pace. We build in time to watch fish, change rigs, and talk through why a piece of water works the way it does. In winter, we start later, finish earlier, and use warm-up breaks and hot drinks to keep things comfortable.

Focused, Local Spring Creek Program

We spend a lot of time on DePuy’s and Armstrong’s. Watching weed growth, flows, hatches, and fish behavior day after day builds a level of familiarity you only get by being there. That helps us put you on the right water in the right way for the day you have.

Whether you’re new to spring creeks or looking to push yourself on technical water, the goal is the same: honest advice, patient instruction, and a day that leaves you a better angler than when you arrived.

Ready To Plan a Spring Creek Day?

If you’re looking at DePuy’s or Armstrong’s — especially in winter or early spring — we can walk through which dates fit best, how the creeks are fishing, and whether a Winter Spring Creek Special belongs in your plan.

Or call or text (406) 224-0456 to talk through dates, weather, and conditions in plain terms.