Yellowstone River Fishing Report
Date: 12/05/2025
Posted by: Toby SwankCurrent Conditions
The Yellowstone River has been fishing well, but winter conditions are settling in. Ice is forming along the banks and some side channels, so the best fishing has been in the deeper, slower water during the warmest part of the day.
Nymphing is the most reliable approach. Small midges, slim perdigons, and simple attractor nymphs are working well on a 9-foot fluorocarbon leader of 4X.
Streamer fishing is limited but can produce a few fish on warmer or cloudy afternoons with smaller sculpin-style patterns.
Dry-fly chances are minimal, with only occasional midge activity later in the day.
Overall, the Yellowstone offers a small but dependable midday window for winter fishing—keep it simple and focus on the slow water.
Additional Resources:
- Yellowstone River Fly Fishing In Winter
- Fly Fishing Bozeman In Winter
Stream Flows
Flows
Recommended Flies
Butano Lite Brite Perdigon
Tungsten Jigged Prince
Olive Double Gonga
Brown Pat's Rubberleg
Tan and Yellow Double Gonga
Olive Mini Dungeon
Coffee/Black Restless Stone
Prince Nymph
Yellowstone River Fishing
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.
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