Yellowstone River Fishing Report
Date: 07/08/2026
Posted by: Toby SwankCurrent Conditions
The Yellowstone River has been fishing well and is in good shape heading into the week.
The river has cleared up nicely, and there are plenty of bugs around to keep fish looking up. Caddis are making up most of the hatch activity, with yellow sallies, PMDs, and a few golden stones still around depending on where you're fishing. The best dry fly fishing has been during the afternoon and into the evening, but fish have been willing to eat on top throughout much of the day.
A dry-dropper rig has been tough to beat. A purple or royal chubby chernobyl with a PMD-style perdigon a couple of feet below has been producing consistently. If fish start rising more regularly, don't be afraid to clip the nymph off and fish a single dry. There have been enough fish looking up to make it worthwhile.
If you're looking to fish streamers, the first and last hour of the day has been the best window. Smaller olive patterns have been moving a few better fish, but dry flies are where most anglers should be spending their time right now.
The Yellowstone is fishing the way it should for this time of year. There are good bugs, healthy flows, and plenty of opportunities to catch fish on top if you're willing to cover water.
Additional Resources:
- The Best Bozeman Fly Fishing in July
Stream Flows
View stream flow graph on USGS
Recommended Flies
Tungsten Jigged Prince
Salmonfly Supafly Stone
Olive Double Gonga
Chubby Chernobyl Pteronarcys
Prince Nymph
Coffee/Black Restless Stone
Butano Lite Brite Perdigon
Rainbow Warrior Jig
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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