Fly fishing report · West

Yellowstone River

A practical Yellowstone River report for the Paradise Valley and Livingston corridor, with flow, hatches, access, regulations, and safe-day planning.

Check flow & weather

Today's river scoreHigh source confidence

Poor

Best option: Wade.

Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.

Updated Jul 13, 11:17 PM UTCUsually refreshes about every 45 minutes

Recommended approachWade

Mode scores adjust the river-wide score for the risks of wading, bank fishing, or floating.

Wade · Best fit44/100

Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.

Bank / edge44/100

Bank and edge fishing remains a practical low-commitment option if access is legal and footing is safe.

Float44/100

A float is in play where this report supports boat access and wind, releases, and shuttle logistics are manageable.

Confirm before you leave

Flow and weather right now.

Use the flow trend to confirm the score before you leave. Weather can change the safest and most productive fishing window.

River strategy

Treat the Livingston gauge and FWP restriction page as the first two checks.

The Yellowstone is a large, free-flowing river. It can be excellent when flow is stable and temperatures are safe, but runoff, wind, or warm summer water can turn a good plan into a poor one quickly.

Use the Livingston gauge for Paradise Valley and town-section planning.
Check Montana FWP current restrictions before committing to a trout day.
Fish banks, shelves, and soft inside seams instead of trying to cover the whole river.
Expect different rules and species issues as you move from the upper trout corridor to lower river water.

Why this score moved

Best mode nowLowers score

Wade: Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.

FlowUse caution

USGS shows 4,370 cfs with a stable over about 6 hours trend. same-date USGS history (1897-2025, 101 readings) puts normal around 7,610 cfs and the lower quartile near 5,420 cfs; today's flow is below normal for the date. This is below normal, so edge depth, temperature, and pressure matter.

Target choiceUse caution

Trout and salmonids need extra handling discipline in this temperature window; consider warmwater targets where that matches the river and rules.

Water temperatureUse caution

USGS water temperature is about 70F. Fish early and stop if handling stress is likely.

Public alertUse caution

A heat alert is active near this forecast point, so the score is capped until water temperature and fish-handling risk are checked. NWS alert: Extreme Heat Warning issued July 13 at 1:08PM MDT until July 14 at 12:00AM MDT by NWS Billings MT.

Read the water

What changes the plan.

Best bets are stable post-runoff flows, cool mornings, and days with enough clarity to fish dry-droppers or streamers along edges. If the river is rising, dirty, restricted, or too warm, move to a colder tributary or fish early and stop.

Stable and clear

Fish dry-droppers, caddis, PMDs, terrestrials, and streamer edges.

High or rising

Avoid aggressive wading and look for protected banks only if safe.

Runoff stain

Use large dark streamers or wait until clarity returns.

Warm water

Check restrictions, fish early, and stop trout fishing before handling becomes risky.

Field plan

Fish it with intention.

Best flows

Use RiverReports and USGS 06192500 near Livingston together. Dropping post-runoff water and cool stable mornings are the cleanest windows; rising dirty water or hot low conditions should move the plan to another river or a shorter safe edge.

When to skip

Skip or pivot when runoff is rising, FWP restrictions are active, water temperatures make trout handling poor, wind makes boat control unsafe, or the public access and takeout plan is not clear.

Local plan

Start with the Livingston gauge, current restrictions, and one access pair such as a Livingston-area or Mallard's Rest plan. Then decide whether the day is a nymph, dry-dropper, hopper, or streamer window.

Backup water

If the Yellowstone is high, dirty, hot, windy, or crowded, compare the Gallatin for canyon wading, the Madison for a different west-side freestone, or the Missouri for steadier tailwater conditions.

Hatches & flies

Bring a flexible box.

TimingWhat to watchUseful flies

March to AprilSkwalas, March Browns, BWOs, midges, and early stonefliesSkwala dry, Pat's rubber legs, March Brown, BWO emerger, zebra midge

Reviewed family · report says “Skwala dry”Skwala Stonefly PatternsSkwala is an insect and hatch label. Dark olive-brown nymphs and olive adult dries are materially different forms; seasonal timing also varies by watershed.See family guide

Reviewed pattern · report says “Pat's rubber legs”Pat's Rubber LegsA weighted long-shank nymph, variegated chenille body, two tails, and multiple pairs of long rubber legs identify the core form. Generic rubber-leg stoneflies remain a broader family, not automatic Pat's Rubber Legs matches.See photos & how to fish it + 3 more reviewed guides in the Fly Box

May to JuneRunoff edges, salmonflies, golden stones, caddis, PMDsChubby Chernobyl, salmonfly dry, golden stone, caddis pupa, PMD emerger

Reviewed pattern · report says “Chubby Chernobyl”Chubby ChernobylIdentify the construction, not the color: a long foam overbody over a segmented dubbed underside, rubber legs at two tie-in stations, two distinct buoyant synthetic-yarn wing sections, and a short flash tail. The paired wing stations and layered foam-and-dubbing body separate the reviewed Chubby from the original Chernobyl Ant and from generic foam hoppers or beetles.See photos & how to fish it

Reviewed family · report says “salmonfly dry”Salmonfly PatternsSalmonfly is a hatch label, not a single dry fly. Nymphs are heavy and bottom-oriented; adults are large winged stoneflies represented by several distinct foam and hair patterns.See family guide + 3 more reviewed guides in the Fly Box

July to AugustCaddis, PMDs, hoppers, ants, beetles, nocturnal stonesHopper-dropper, X-caddis, foam ant, beetle, small perdigon

Reviewed pattern · report says “X-caddis”X-CaddisThe trailing Zelon-style shuck, low dubbed body, deer-hair wing, and absence of hackle distinguish the X-Caddis from an Elk Hair Caddis.See photos & how to fish it

Reviewed family · report says “foam ant”Ant PatternsAnt patterns can be foam, fur-bodied, winged, or sunken. The narrow waist and paired body lobes matter more than one material recipe.See family guide + 2 more reviewed guides in the Fly Box

September to OctoberMahoganies, BWOs, October caddis, baitfish, fall streamer windowsMahogany, BWO, October caddis, sculpin, leech

Reviewed family · report says “Mahogany”Isonychia and Mahogany Dun PatternsIsonychia nymphs are active swimmers; emergers, parachute or other dry forms, and spinners occupy different levels. Mahogany Dun can be regional hatch wording, so it does not identify one exact fly recipe.See family guide

Reviewed family · report says “BWO”Blue-Winged Olive PatternsBWO describes a hatch group, not one fly. Nymph, emerger, dry, cripple, and spinner profiles must stay separate because they occupy different parts of the water column.See family guide + 3 more reviewed guides in the Fly Box

Start with the Livingston gauge, then decide whether the day is better for floating, careful wading, or skipping the river.

Fish bank-soft spots and inside shelves with a large dry and a weighted dropper after runoff clears.

Use streamers on cloud cover, slight stain, or low light, but keep casts tight to structure.

Carry smaller caddis, PMDs, and BWOs for riffle pods when the river calms down.

Check FWP restrictions and smallmouth/cutthroat rules before fishing a different reach.

Access & responsibility

Know the entry. Know the exit.

Montana FWP regulations include reach-specific trout and smallmouth bass rules on the Yellowstone. Check FWP regulations, restrictions, and access information before fishing.

Mallard's Rest FAS

Popular Paradise Valley access with boat and wade planning.

Pine Creek Bridge area

Important upper-river rule and access reference point.

Carter's Bridge and Mayor's Landing

Livingston-area access points for town-section planning.

Transparent sources

Check the facts behind the plan.

Last material review: 2026-05-31

flowRiverReports Yellowstone River near Livingston flowUSGS Yellowstone River near Livingston 06192500 regulationMontana FWP fishing regulations regulationMontana central district fishing regulations accessMontana stream access law safetyMontana FWP current waterbody closures and restrictions backgroundMontana FishMT Yellowstone River waterbody accessMallard's Rest fishing access site regulationYellowstone National Park fishing information safetyNational Weather Service forecast point

Common questions

Before you leave.

What should I check first before fishing the Yellowstone River?+

Check RiverReports or USGS at Livingston, FWP restrictions, water temperature, wind, clarity, and the exact reach rules.

Are there special regulations on the Yellowstone River?+

Yes. Rules differ by reach, especially for cutthroat and smallmouth bass. Use current Montana FWP regulations.

What flies should I bring for the Yellowstone River?+

Bring the hatch-chart flies, a few confidence nymphs, and a streamer or warmwater box that matches the river's species. Then adjust for water temperature, clarity, and the insects or baitfish you actually see.

Can I wade the Yellowstone River?+

Yes in public reaches, but it is big water. Wade conservatively and respect private-land boundaries.

When should I skip the Yellowstone River?+

Skip it when flows are unsafe, water is too warm for trout, emergency closures are active, or legal access for the reach is not clear.