August 14, 2023 Yellowstone River Fishing Report
Date: 08/14/2023
Posted by: Toby SwankCurrent Conditions
The hot weather and sunny skies of the last few days has the fish really looking up for hoppers and nocturnal stones, once again. Expect the river to be very busy in the Paradise Valley stretches over the next few weekends, with less people on it during the week. We have primarily been fishing between Livingston and Columbus the past week with good success. There is still some off-color around streams and rivers coming in from the north side of the river, but this is improving daily and has not really been affecting the fishing.
Nocturnal stones are out and thick right now, you will see their shucks all over rocks along the banks but are unlikely to see too many of the actual adults around. Nymphing with Tan and Brown Pat's Rubberlegs and a small lightning bug has been productive all-day in the fast water, below shallow riffles and gravel bars. We have been nymphing early and then switching to a Chubby Chernobyl in Purple or Royal colors with a size 10 Pat's Rubberleg dropped off of it about 3' late morning. The fish are looking up and feeding well on hoppers throughout the day, but he dry fly bite has really been good for us starting around noon on Tan colored patterns the last few days.
We offer Yellowstone River guided fly-fishing trips throughout the year and float the river from the top of Paradise Valley, all the way to Columbus, Montana at different times of the year. You can book with us online or through e-mail.
The Yellowstone River can go off-color quite quickly during the summer months following heavy rains in Yellowstone National Park and Paradise Valley. You can check current water clarity through handful of webcams in the are, here is a link to one that we check regularly.
Stream Flows
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Recommended Flies
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.
