April 16, 2023 Yellowstone River Fishing Report
Date: 04/16/2023
Posted by: Toby SwankCurrent Conditions
The Yellowstone came up quickly early last week as a result of low elevation snow melt thanks to a few days of amazing weather. It has been on its way back down the last few days and this trend should continue after looking at the weather for next week. The river is still quite off-color (see here) but green enough for some streamer fishing and nymphing around bank seams and rip-rap for sure. As the clarity improves, expect to find rising fish on Midges and BWO's mid-day when we have some clouds. The upper Paradise Valley stretches can be particularly good for BWO dry fly fishing in mid-late April on cloudy days and the Caddis are only a few weeks away. For now, nymphing with stonefly nymphs and general attractor nymph patterns near stream mouths with some clear water is a great way to get a bend in the rod for a few hours. Dragging streamers from a drift boat will find a few fish too, for the time being. I have found that it is really helpful to watch the stream flows this time of year and avoid heading over to Livingston if the chart shows that the river is on the way up in Livingston or Corwin Springs.
Stream Flows
Flows
Recommended Flies
Hi-Vis Griffith's Gnat
Brown/Black Pat's Rubberlegs
Olive Mini Dungeon
Red Copper John
Yellowstone River Fishing
The Yellowstone River is a 600-mile-long river in Montana that originates in Yellowstone National Park. The river offers world-class trout fishing opportunities and flows through breathtaking mountain landscapes with cottonwood-lined banks. Anglers can enjoy diverse fishing experiences, ranging from the whitewater of Yankee Jim Canyon to the peaceful glides near Livingston and the broad riffles near Big Timber.
Read our "Yellowstone River Fishing Guide" for a detailed overview of fly fishing the Yellowstone River in Montana. This is a great resource for anglers fishing near Bozeman Montana and details the various river stretches and seasonal hatches with tips from our Bozeman fly fishing guides on Yellowstone River fly fishing.