Yellowstone River Fishing Report

Date: 10/26/2026

Posted by: Toby Swank

Current Conditions

The Yellowstone River has been fishing well lately, although some stretches have been more consistent than others. Water levels have been relatively low, with good clarity throughout much of the river over the past couple of weeks. The recent cooler weather has brought more typical late-fall conditions, and trout have been concentrating in some of the slower, deeper water. With rain and snow moving through the area, anglers should keep an eye on water clarity before heading out, particularly through Paradise Valley and around Livingston.

Nymphing continues to be one of the more reliable approaches, with pat's rubberlegs, pheasant tails, frenchies, and smaller perdigons all worth fishing. Focus on the deeper runs, slower pockets, and water below riffles where fish have been holding as temperatures drop. Dry-dropper rigs are also producing fish, especially during the warmer parts of the day.

Streamer fishing has been improving as we get farther into October. Olive, black, and white streamers are good options, particularly on cloudy days when fish are more willing to chase larger flies. There have also been some good blue-winged olive hatches, with fish rising in slower water and back eddies during the afternoons. Small BWO patterns and emergers in sizes 18–20 are worth having, although the dry fly fishing has been better on some days than others.

Additional Resources:

- October Fly Fishing in Bozeman, MT.

Stream Flows

View stream flow graph on USGS

Recommended Flies