Still mostly winter on the Yellowstone but forecasted high temps are going to help break up some of the smaller chunks. But, often along with those high temps often comes gnarly winds. So...probably some better options for at least a few more weeks. If you do go, target the top of longer and slower runs to find feeding trout first but if success doesn't happen, go deeper and find even slower water. Plan on fishing the after lunch hours with nymphing being the staple. Rubberlegs trailed by a prince is as fancy as you need to get. The most important thing is to find a nice winter holding run with steady slow current and a few feet of depth and continue to work the deeper runs slow and steady until you feel like you've covered the water.
On the Yellowstone River near Livingston, Bozeman, Big Timber, and on down to Billings the Yellowstone is still deep into its winter mode of fishing. At least for the next few weeks, the fishing on the Yellowstone River might be tough as shelf ice, slush, and floating ice are making things a little difficult. If you do plan to go fishing, be cautious, tell a friend, as a slip and fall into the water when the air temperature is so cold means hypothermia can set in quickly.
The mountains that feed the Yellowstone River are getting some solid snow right now which should increase our mountain snowpack. The catch basin for the Yellowstone River is basically most of the high country of Yellowstone National Park and north into the Beartooth and Absaroka Mountains. Every little bit helps and will be a nice boost for our summer streamflows for fishing on the Yellowstone River. Fishing on the Yellowstone River this weekend is going to be a hit-and-miss proposition.
Read some of our recent blog posts featuring: 5 Tips for Winter Fly Fishing, Winter Fly Fishing Tips that Go Beyond Just Dressing Warm, 5 Tips to Improve Your Fly Fishing with Streamers or Winter Fly Fishing Options Near Bozeman. Our tailwater fisheries of the Upper Madison and Missouri Rivers are good bets right now while a freestone river like the Yellowstone River may soon have shelf ice and where you can fish safely will be limited to certain sections.
Best Flies for the Yellowstone River Right Now:
Beadhead Pheasant Tails in size 16-20
Beadhead Copper Johns in sizes 16-20
Rainbow warriors in sizes 16-20
Zebra Midges in sizes 16-22
Beadhead PTs in sizes 18-22
Juju beatis in flash, black, or olive in sizes 16 and 18
Current Conditions:
Streamflows are well below average for this time of year which makes it a little easier to find the trout. Look in the deeper water next to shallow water, adjacent to riffles, shelfs, and banks. Trout will still be where there is some current because the current is what is bringing them food. Most trout are going to be caught in water that is 4-6 feet deep and has some current but isn't too fast or pushy. Trout want consistency right now...consistency of flow and food source. Trout on the Yellowstone River right now aren't actively feed nearly as much as they were even just a few weeks ago. But if you fish during the warmer parts of the day you might get into some pretty solid action.
The Month Ahead:
The ‘Stone will be a tough option once the big ice shelves begin to form and the slush is in the river. The best winter fishing tends to be up near Gardiner and around Livingston where a few springs and spring creeks enter into the river.