Pretty cool! I'll be down there myself by the end of July. It will be my first time, so I can only share my research, not previous experience/wisdom.
I'm going to assume you've already booked your camping, cause if not, you're basically toast.
As for fishing, there are so many places; Beaverhead, Bitteroot, Madison, Gallatin, Rock Creek, Smith river, Yellowstone river, Clark's fork, Clark's Fork of the Yellowstone, Missouri, Blackfoot, etc. All the "holy" waters that make the magazines.
Bear in mind that Montana is facing dry, hot conditions like Alberta, and they may have something called "hoot-owl" restrictions, where are certain rivers, fishing gets shut down after 2pm, because of high water temps (wish they'd do that here). Here is a useful link:
http://fwp.mt.gov/news/restrictions/waterClosure.html
I have 2 days guiding booked with Henry's Fork Anglers (
http://www.henrysforkanglers.com/) and 1 day with Yellowstone Anglers (
http://www.yellowstoneangler.com/). Fairly well known fly shops. Here are other shops you could try:
Kelly Galloups:
http://slideinn.com/store/index.php
Rock Creek Mercantile:
http://www.rcmerc.com/
Cross Currents (they sell a secret recipe fly floatant called jet fuel):
http://www.crosscurrents.com/
Dan Baileys:
http://dan-bailey.com/
If the weather continues to be hot, I'd stick to higher elevation water, Rock Creek, or spring creeks like O'Dell, Nelson, DePuy's, Silver, Armstrong. Realize some of those spring creeks in Paradise Valley (google this) require a "rod fee" for private access and they do limit anglers to cut crowding. I have a day booked on O'Dells for $60. So far, I'm the only one fishing the creek that day!
The 50 Mile riffle on the Upper Madison (Quake Lake to Ennis, Kelly Galloups flyshop is right there) looks good for wade fishing. You're allowed to float this stretch, but you must get out of your boat to fish (literally, no fishing-while-floating).
The tailwater of the Missouri below Holter dam looks good too, though it could be crowded (20 to 100 boats per day!!!!). Water temps ought to be good there.
I based alot of my research phoning flyshops ahead of time, and talking to Shaun Lawson at Yellowdog flyfishing (they are like middle man fly fishing travel agents, no fees to you:
http://www.yellowdogflyfishing.com/). Also, my research was based on these 2 books;
http://www.amazon.ca/Montanas-Best-F.../dp/0811707261
http://goo.gl/eWZRFq
Inside Yellowstone, I plan to fish Slough creek, Soda Butte creek, Lamar River, Yellowstone river, maybe Clark's Fork of the Yellowstone (don't confuse it with the other Clark's fork).
For sure phone ahead and see how conditions are. Also, - just my habit - I usually buy 6 to a dozen flies per fly shop trip. I like to pay for my advice and owners appreciate a little bit of revenue in exchange for a little bit of info.
So you have your choice; big waters, small waters, public waters, private costlier waters, crowded famous places, out of the way treasures.
Have fun!
As for Yellowstone sights, I googled this a few weeks ago and found this;
http://yellowstone.net/intro/top-10/
I am taking 2 full days off for fishing to sight-see the park. The West Geyser basin looks cool. My impression too is that this is the peak of the peak summer season, and travel is measured in time, not distances. Remember, there will be traffic jams based on animal sightings, etc. I'm guessing it will take 6 to 12 hours to travel the circle route I have planned for the one day. Also depends on how long you're willing to wait for Old Faithful to blow!
Have a good trip. Should be epic!
Smitty
West Yellowstone Camping/Fishing
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