Yellowstone River Fishing Report
Date: 01/26/2026
Posted by: Toby SwankCurrent Conditions
The Yellowstone River has been fishing well and remains very accessible right now. There’s been little snow along the river corridor and only minor ice along the banks in a few places. Wind has been the biggest thing affecting the day, but when it settles, fishing has been best from late morning into the afternoon.
Nymphing has been the most dependable way to find fish. Larger attractor and stonefly-style nymphs have worked well as lead flies, followed by smaller patterns like perdigons, pheasant tails, and zebra midges. A 9-foot fluorocarbon leader of 3X or 4X has been a good setup for managing weight and keeping flies where they need to be.
Streamer fishing has been worth mixing in at times during the afternoon. Medium-sized streamer patterns have moved fish in deeper water, though results have varied and nymphing has been more consistent overall. A shorter leader of 5–6 feet of heavier fluorocarbon keeps those setups simple and controlled.
Dry fly activity has been limited. Midges are around, but surface activity has been brief. If you see fish up, a small midge dry or emerger can work, but subsurface fishing has been the better play most days.
Overall, the Yellowstone River is in good shape right now. Planning around the wind and focusing on the middle of the day has been the best approach.
Additional Resources:
- Yellowstone River Fly Fishing In Winter
- Fly Fishing Bozeman In Winter
Stream Flows
Flows
Recommended Flies
Butano Lite Brite Perdigon
Tan and Yellow Double Gonga
Prince Nymph
Brown Pat's Rubberleg
Coffee/Black Restless Stone
Tungsten Jigged Prince
Olive Double Gonga
Olive Mini Dungeon
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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