Yellowstone River Fishing Report
Date: 07/29/2026
Posted by: Toby SwankCurrent Conditions
The Yellowstone River continues to improve every day and is worth fishing again. Water clarity has been getting better, and fish are settling back into their normal holding water. Early mornings have been the most productive, but anglers can still find good fishing well before the warmest part of the day.
A dry-dropper is the best place to start. Fish a tan or purple chubby chernobyl with an olive, black, or silver perdigon underneath. If the water still has a little color, a beadhead pat's rubberlegs is a good option for the top fly. Add weight before changing flies if you're not getting down.
More fish are looking up as the river continues to clear. Caddis, PMDs, yellow sallies, and the first hoppers are all producing fish, but the dropper is still accounting for most of the action.
The Yellowstone is headed in the right direction and should continue to improve if weather conditions remain stable. Anglers looking for a freestone river should have it back on their list.
Additional Resources:
- The Best Bozeman Fly Fishing in July
Stream Flows
View stream flow graph on USGS
Recommended Flies
Circus Peanut Water Walker
Tungsten Jigged Prince
Tan/Yellow Mini Masked Avenger
Butano Lite Brite Perdigon
Olive Double Gonga
Prince Nymph
Coffee/Black Restless Stone
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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