Wade73/100
Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.
All Montana reports
Fly fishing report · West
Beaverhead River at Dillon
Is Beaverhead River at Dillon worth the trip today? Check flow, weather, hatches, access, and rules for Montana before you go.
See the flow chart ↓Generated artwork: BlueStreamFly · Regional illustration; not the exact location.
Good day to fish?Latest river check
Fishable with a check
Fishable with a temperature check.
73
Check the water temperature before you commit. Flow and air temperature cannot confirm fish-safe water. Measure the exact reach with a stream thermometer; for trout, stop fishing at 70°F or warmer.
Update time and confidence
Live data checkHighHow much of the live flow, weather, and alert data came back.
Today's callMediumWater temperature not verified; do not use this score to clear warm-water risk.
Score calculated Aug 30, 2026, 9:30 AM MDTUsually checks again about every 45 minutes
Access choicesNo clear best mode
Wade and Float have the same top score. Use current access, footing, weather, and local rules to choose.
Bank / edgeNot recommended
This report does not recommend bank fishing on this reach.
Float73/100
A float is in play where this report supports boat access and wind, releases, and shuttle logistics are manageable.
Restrictions and advisories
Check Beaverhead River at Dillon before fishing.
These notices match this river report. No notice here does not mean the river is open. Always check the agency before you fish.
Last known active — check nowOfficial restrictionLegal closure
Hoot-owl fishing restriction on the Beaverhead River
- Area
- Highway 41 near East Bench Road and Beaverhead Rock downstream to the Big Hole River confluence
- Link checked
- Link status
- Check the agency now
- Check again by
- Starts
- Daily hours
- Daily, 14:00–24:00 (America/Denver)
- Repeats
- Daily from 2:00 p.m. to midnight
What to know about this notice
The restriction is limited to the named reach and hours; the listing does not establish conditions outside that reach or time.
The Dillon report includes downstream water, but also covers reaches upstream of Highway 41 and Beaverhead Rock.
Your plan
Today's Beaverhead River at Dillon plan.
This stretch fishes best when flows stay steady enough to preserve weed edges, seams, and depth without turning the river into a heavy irrigation push. It is still the Beaverhead, but the Dillon reach is not the same all-day tailwater game as the canyon immediately below Clark Canyon Dam.
- Check first
- Montana FWP describes the Beaverhead as a premier brown-trout river and notes seasonal recreation rules from the third Saturday in May through Labor Day.
- Try
- Start with the Dillon gauge, then decide whether the river still has enough shape to justify technical fishing instead of a blind confidence stop.
- Leave when
- Skip or pivot when irrigation color takes over, afternoon heat makes trout handling questionable, recreation-rule timing or current restrictions do not fit the plan, or named public access is not clearly open.
Live river check
What the river is doing
Check the latest flow and weather before you go. A quick change can make the river harder or less safe to fish.
Showing server-checked river conditions while current readings refresh.
- Flow
- 91 cfs
- From the latest stored river check. Open the official source for the newest reading.
- Air now
- 43°F
Current NWS forecast period
- Next 24h high
- 70.0°F
NWS air forecast near
- Rain chance
- 23%
For this forecast period
This is an air forecast, not a river-temperature reading. Check the water with a stream thermometer before fishing in hot weather.
Latest stored weather check
Slight Chance Rain Showers
Slight Chance Rain Showers
- Wind
- 8 mph
- Weather checked
RiverReports preview · current series loading
Recent flow
RiverReports gauge
Showing the available RiverReports chart while the current structured flow series loads. Check the chart on RiverReports Opens in a new tab.
More forecast and source details
National Weather Service
Beaverhead River near Dillon forecast point
The National Weather Service forecast is temporarily unavailable.
Live data
Where these readings come from
RiverReports gauge: Beaverhead River near Dillon
How to fish it
How to fish Beaverhead River at Dillon today.
The Dillon reach is strongest when flows are stable, aquatic weeds are still fishable, and overnight temperatures keep trout active into late morning. It loses value quickly when irrigation swings muddy the river, weeds collapse, or heat turns the day into a short early window.
Steady moderate flow
Best setup for technical nymphing, weed-edge drifts, and short float coverage between public access points.
Low clear flow
Fish early, get lighter, and shorten your target water to depth, weeds, and shade instead of forcing broad flats.
Irrigation push or color
Usually a sign to avoid forcing the lower reach and move to colder, cleaner water upstream.
Hot bright afternoon
The river can still look good but fish far smaller than the morning window if temperatures climb.
Fishing words used on this page
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) gauge
- A USGS gauge is an official river station that measures flow or water height.
- Cubic feet per second (cfs)
- Cubic feet per second, or cfs, shows how much water passes the gauge each second.
- Technical fishing
- Technical fishing means the fish are hard to fool, so careful casts and natural drifts matter.
- Nymph
- A nymph is a young water insect. Anglers also use the word for a fly that copies it.
- Seam
- A seam is the line where fast and slow water meet.
- Blue-winged olive (BWO)
- Blue-winged olives, or BWOs, are small mayflies that often hatch in cool or cloudy weather.
- Caddis
- Caddis are small water insects. The adults look a little like tiny moths.
- Dry-dropper
- A dry-dropper rig has a floating fly with an underwater fly tied below it.
- Emerger
- An emerger copies an insect as it rises from below the water toward the surface.
- Midge
- Midges are tiny flies and a common trout food, especially in cold water.
Why this call
Why this score
FlowUse caution
USGS shows 91 cfs. The flow has been stable over about 6 hours. USGS marks this reading provisional and may revise it. USGS records for this date (1951-2024, 34 readings) show a median near 141 cfs and a low-water marker near 100 cfs; today's flow is unusually low for the date. Low water can make fish spooky, warm, pressured, or concentrated; check temperature and handling risk.
SeasonHelps
Summer mornings: Still productive when flows are stable, but best handled as a short technical session.
WeatherHelps
The current NWS air forecast is about 43F, and the next 24-hour high reaches about 70F. Slight Chance Rain Showers.
Public alertsHelps
No active NWS alert was returned for this forecast point.
Fishing usefulnessHelps
Skip or pivot when irrigation color takes over, afternoon heat makes trout handling questionable, recreation-rule timing or current restrictions do not fit the plan, or named public access is not clearly open.
Trip notes
Trip notes
Check these before you choose a reach.
Use RiverReports and USGS 06017000 near Dillon together. Stable moderate flow that keeps weed edges and seams defined is the best signal. Dirty irrigation color, a sharp push, or hot low water should move the day.
Skip or pivot when irrigation color takes over, afternoon heat makes trout handling questionable, recreation-rule timing or current restrictions do not fit the plan, or named public access is not clearly open.
Start with the Dillon gauge and one named access plan such as Cornell Park or Selway Park. Fish a short technical window early, then either float legally or move upstream if the lower valley feels too warm or flat.
If Dillon is warm, dirty, crowded, or too flat, compare the upper Beaverhead for colder technical water, Twin Bridges for a float-oriented lower-river look, or the Big Hole for a different southwest Montana trout plan.
What to try
Beaverhead River at Dillon flies through the year.
Match the time of year, then let rising fish and current speed guide the next change.
SeasonWhat to look forFlies to try
Spring
What to look forMidges, BWOs, and early caddis
Early summer
What to look forPMDs, caddis, yellow sallies
SummerCurrent
What to look forTricos, caddis, terrestrials
Flies to try
Also try Trico spinner, hopper-dropper
Fall
What to look forBWOs, midges, streamer windows
Each fly name opens its matching Fly Box guide.
Access and safety
Beaverhead River at Dillon access and rules.
Use these places as starting points. Open the access link below and check posted signs before you park or enter. Check Montana's current fishing rules before you fish. Use the statewide Beaverhead drainage rules along with any active drought, temperature, or recreation restrictions that Montana FWP posts during the season.
Cornell Park Fishing Access Site
FWP's Dillon-area public access with walk-in opportunities and the key upstream launch for the Selway Park float.
Selway Park Fishing Access Site
FWP downstream public access used as the natural lower end of the Cornell Park float plan.
Named public river area near Dillon
Stay with signed public entries and FWP-managed sites instead of assuming every roadside bank is open.
Cornell Park and Selway Park are the cleanest public anchors for this reach. Build your day around them instead of ad hoc private-bank guesses.
Montana's stream-access law helps once you are lawfully on the water, but it does not create parking or bank entry where none exists.
This Dillon page is not a substitute for upper-tailwater access planning near Clark Canyon Dam or lower-river planning near Twin Bridges.
River sources
Official Beaverhead River at Dillon sources.
Official agencies and primary river operators come first. Secondary tools are labeled so you know what carries the most weight.
How this report was checked
How this report was checked
Reviewed byBlueStreamFly River Review Team
Trip guidance checked
What was checked: This Beaverhead River at Dillon report is maintained from RiverReports and USGS Dillon flow data, Montana FWP fishing regulations, restricted-use river permit information, Beaverhead drainage planning material, Cornell Park and Selway Park access sources, stream-access law, weather, generated-image disclosure, and technical tailwater-to-valley trout planning sources.
Live measurements and forecasts keep their provider timestamps. Rules, access, and trip guidance use the source-review date shown here. BlueStreamFly planning advice is editorial interpretation, not an agency notice.
First-hand experience: BlueStreamFly does not claim a first-hand visit or local field test for this report unless a real contributor is explicitly named and linked.
Rules and closures
Check what is allowed, where the rule applies, and whether the river is open.
Flow and weather
Check the latest river reading and forecast before you leave.
Access and land
Check public entry points, land rules, and seasonal access changes.
More helpful links
Use these links for stocking, safety, and other local details.
See all 10 checked sources
Rules and closures
Check what is allowed, where the rule applies, and whether the river is open.
What this source covers
Open the current rules and check the river section, season, and special limits.
What this source covers
Open the current rules and check the river section, season, and special limits.
Flow and weather
Check the latest river reading and forecast before you leave.
What this source covers
Open this page and check the latest safety advice before your trip.
What this source covers
Open this river reading to check the latest level, flow, and update time.
What this source covers
Open this river reading to check the latest level, flow, and update time.
Access and land
Check public entry points, land rules, and seasonal access changes.
What this source covers
Open the land or access page, then check signs before you park or enter.
What this source covers
Open the land or access page, then check signs before you park or enter.
What this source covers
Open the land or access page, then check signs before you park or enter.
What this source covers
Open the land or access page, then check signs before you park or enter.
More helpful links
Use these links for stocking, safety, and other local details.
What this source covers
Open this page for more river information and check when it was last updated.
Quick answers
Quick Beaverhead River at Dillon answers.
What should I check first on the Beaverhead at Dillon?
Start with RiverReports and USGS 06017000 near Dillon, then check current Montana rules and any FWP closure or restriction notices.
Can I float from Cornell Park to Selway Park?
Yes, that is the main public float connection FWP identifies for this Dillon reach, but confirm current access status and low-clearance hazards before you launch.
Is this the same as the classic upper Beaverhead tailwater?
No. The Dillon reach is still technical brown-trout water, but it carries more irrigation and valley-season influence than the tighter tailwater closer to Clark Canyon Dam.