Yellowstone River Fishing Report
Date: 05/06/2026
Posted by: Toby SwankCurrent Conditions
The Yellowstone River has been bumping in flows over the last several days, and the river is starting to change quickly. Cooler nights have helped stabilize things in the mornings, but as temperatures rise throughout the day, the river continues to come up.
Caddis are still around in good numbers, but conditions are getting tougher by the day. With the added color and higher water, dry fly fishing has become more challenging compared to what we were seeing last week. The big Mother’s Day caddis hatch will most likely line up with the river being fully blown out, which is pretty typical for the Yellowstone this time of year.
For anglers still fishing the Yellowstone while it’s on the rise, expect tougher conditions. Trout generally do not feed as actively when flows are increasing, and a lot of the softer water fish were using has started to change. Fishing slower edges, softer banks, and anything off the heavier current is going to be the best way to find fish right now.
We’re watching the Yellowstone closely, as this could very well be the beginning of runoff if warmer weather continues.
Additional Resources:
- Yellowstone River Fly Fishing In Spring
- Fly Fishing Bozeman In April
Stream Flows
Flows
Recommended Flies
Tan Razor Caddis
Peacock Elk Hair Caddis
X caddis
Tungsten Jigged Prince
Prince Nymph
Olive Double Gonga
Coffee/Black Restless Stone
Butano Lite Brite Perdigon
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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