Yellowstone River Fishing Report
Yellowstone River Fishing Report
7/17/2025
Always be cautious when floating the Yellowstone River. Flows are at low levels and some side channels can be hard to navigate, be sure to only take routes downriver that you are familiar with and if you are doing any exploring do it on foot before deciding to take your boat down a new channel.
Dry fly action has been good as of late on the Yellowstone River. Hoppers are in the mix. Caddis, Yellow Sallies, and Nocturnal Stoneflies are still present.
Early morning has been great for throwing streamers and fishing Chubby Chernobyl patterns. Water temps are still cool enough to keep the river off of Hoot Owl Restrictions but those might show up here soon if things get warmer. Keep an eye on all fishing restrictions and closures by clicking this link.
Focus your fishing efforts on structure tight to the bank, at the dropoffs of gravel bars, and inside corners. The fish are there and they will eat when given a good presentation.
Dries: Chubby Chernobyl Royal #12-18, Carlson's Olive Haze #16-18, Dornan's Water Walker Peanut #10-12, Skater Tot (Purple, Olive, Black) #12-14 , Cornfed Caddis #14-16, Elk Hair Caddis (Olive, tan, Pearl) #16
Nymphs: Pat's Rubber Legs (black/brown, coffee, olive, black) #8-12, Prince Nymph #8-16, 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, Tung Jig Yellow Hotspot #16-18, 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
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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.
