Yellowstone River Fishing Report
Date: 05/19/2025
Posted by: Toby SwankCurrent Conditions
The Yellowstone River has dropped quickly with the cooler weather, surprising everyone in the area. It's still dirty, but these are the conditons when a "big one" just might come and eat a well-placed streamer in some soft water, next to the bank. This is "skilled angler" and oarsman water right now, so don't go out there with expectations of big numbers of happy fish...yet!
It's worth watching as the fish will be happy and abundant if it continues to drop just another 1000-2000 CFS
You can check current water clarity through a handful of webcams in the area, here's one that our Bozeman fly fishing guides watch at Pine Creek and one that is hosted by Montana Whitewater in Gardiner.
Stream Flows
Flows
Recommended Flies
Olive Mini Dungeon
Olive Swim Coach
Brown/Yellow Barely Legal
Hare's Ear Guides Choice
Frenchie
Peacock Elk Hair Caddis
Tungsten Soft Hacke Pheasant Tail
Royal Wulff
Yellowstone River Fishing
The Yellowstone River is a 600-mile-long river in Montana that originates in Yellowstone National Park. The river offers world-class trout fishing opportunities and flows through breathtaking mountain landscapes with cottonwood-lined banks. Anglers can enjoy diverse fishing experiences, ranging from the whitewater of Yankee Jim Canyon to the peaceful glides near Livingston and the broad riffles near Big Timber.
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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