Yellowstone River Fishing Report

Yellowstone River Fishing Report

3/31/2025

Be sure you've purchased your 2025 fishing license before heading out on the water! You can get a new license here.

Keep an eye out for spawning fish this time of year. If you see a fish sitting in shallow water on top of gravel that looks cleaner than the rest of the river bottom be sure to leave it alone, DO NOT try and catch that fish, that fish wants to make more fish for us!

The Yellowstone River can be a lot of fun in the Springtime but you need to be extra careful, low flows and changing conditions can make this river hard to navigate during the early season. Keep an eye on conditions, always check the wind forecasts, and don't try to explore a channel you have never been down. Staying safe is always the priority during a fishing trip so be sure to not get too adventurous this Spring on the Yellowstone.

Recently, we have seen flows slowly start increasing on the Yellowstone, near Livingston, and the water has a little bit of color to it. We love when the Yellowstone has a deep green color to it and are always excited when the weather cooperates with us and we can spend a day on the water in the Spring!

Nymphing dark colored rubber legs and leeches or dead drifting a streamer is a great way to start a day on the Yellowstone, and like with streamers, in the winter time we pair every fly we use with what the sky look likes. Bright days get the flashier and lighter color flies, dark days get darker colors and less flash.

Slow stripping leeches, sculpin patterns, or other small streamers around boulders, gravel bars, and tailouts can be pretty productive in the winter and keep you from nymphing. Aside from that, whenever we get fronts coming through or an extra warm day, the fish will be happy to rise in some of the slowest moving water and can be a lot of fun to fish to from the bank or pull over and anchor up on a spot.

Dries: Buzzballs #18-20, Midge Cluster #18-20, Glarachute Adams #16-18, Carlson's Olive Haze #16-18

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, Little Green Machine #14-16, Lil Spanker (gold, silver, pheasant tail) #14-20, Soft Hackle Lightning Bug (silver, gold) #14-20

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. 

Even the NY Times has caught wind of the growth of women in the fly fishing industry.Gain the skills to fish confidently on your own in our Montana Women’s Fly Fishing School. 

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.