Yellowstone River Fishing Report
Yellowstone River Fishing Report
12/31/2025
Always be cautious when floating the Yellowstone River. Flows are at low levels, and some sections of the river can have huge ice sheets in them that can block the river or break free and be moving downriver.
The Yellowstone River can be a lot of fun on foot or by boat in the wintertime, but remember to be extremely careful; many boat ramps get snowed in, sections of the river can be blocked by ice, and ice sheets frequently are moving downriver.
Find deep, slow-moving runs or areas with fast depth transitions where the water goes from fast to slow, boulder pockets, the inside of bends, and tailouts. All of the fish should more or less be sitting in the same water types right now.
Dries: Buzzball #18, Cluster Midge #16-20, Skittering Zelon Midge #20, Weise's Hazy Cripple (Purple) #18, Chubby Chernobyl (Royal, Black/Purple) #18
Nymphs: Pat's Rubber Legs (black/brown, coffee, olive, black) #8-12, Perdigon (Hollow Point, Pearl, any color Lite Brite) #16-18, Soft Hackle Lightning Bug (silver, gold) #14-16, Galloup's UV Pupa (Olive, Tan) #16, Primetime Pupa (Tan) #16, BH Pheasant Tail CDC #14-16, Duracell (Black, Brown) #16
Streamers: Kill Whitey's, Barely Legal's, Sex Dungeon's, Silk Kitty's, Sculpzilla, Sparkle Minnows and Li'l Kim
New to the Yellowstone?Head over to our shop in Big Sky or reach out to us for information about trips with our experienced guide staff, up to date fishing advice, and the right tips to get you on the water and finding fish.
Want to fish the Yellowstone summer 2023? We're ready to book trips for 2023, just give us a call at the shop. 406-995-2290
Our Fly Fishing Guide School has helped lots of anglers achieve their dream of being a fishing guide. With schools throughout the spring and fall, there is likely a week of fishing that will fit your schedule. Check out our Montana Fishing Guide School to become a more rounded fisherperson or to jump-start your career in this amazing industry.
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Thanks for checking out our Montana fly fishing report for the Yellowstone River Fishing Report brought to you from beautiful Big Sky, Montana. Also serving Bozeman, Ennis, West Yellowstone, Belgrade, and Livingston, Montana.
