Wade · Best fit82/100
Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.
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Fly fishing report · West
Yellowstone River In Yellowstone Park
Is Yellowstone River In Yellowstone Park worth the trip today? Check flow, weather, hatches, access, and rules for Wyoming before you go.
See the flow chart ↓Photo: Brocken Inaglory Opens in a new tab. · CC BY-SA 3.0
Good day to fish?Latest river check
Good fishing
Yes. Fishing looks good.
82
Good fishing based on the verified flow and weather. No official live water-temperature reading is available. Carry a thermometer during warm weather and stop if the water is stressful for trout.
See update time and confidence
Live data checkHighHow much of the live flow, weather, and alert data came back.
Today's callMediumWater temperature not verified; do not use this score to clear warm-water risk.
Score calculated Aug 22, 2026, 8:15 PM MDTUsually checks again about every 45 minutes
Best access methodWade
These scores compare the risks of wading, bank fishing, and floating.
Bank / edgeNot recommended
This report does not recommend bank fishing on this reach.
FloatNot recommended
This report does not recommend floating this reach.
Your plan
Today's Yellowstone River In Yellowstone Park plan.
The Yellowstone River inside the park crosses different management zones and several permanent closures. The page is useful only when it keeps the exact reach, open dates, native cutthroat rules, and road status in front of fly choice.
- Check first
- Check the 2026 NPS rule PDF and the Southeast/Northeast reach pages before fishing.
- Try
- Confirm the exact open reach before leaving the vehicle.
- Leave when
- Skip the Yellowstone inside the park when the exact reach is closed, native trout rules are unclear, road or wildlife conditions are poor, the river is high or cold after runoff, or the day depends on downstream Montana assumptions.
Live river check
What the river is doing
Check the latest flow and weather before you go. A quick change can make the river harder or less safe to fish.
Showing the latest stored river check while current readings load.
- Flow
- 1,450 cfs
- From the latest stored river check. Open the official source for the newest reading.
- Air now
- 63°F
Current NWS forecast period
- Next 24h high
- 70.0°F
NWS air forecast near
- Rain chance
- 38%
For this forecast period
This is an air forecast, not a river-temperature reading. Check the water with a stream thermometer before fishing in hot weather.
Latest stored weather check
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
- Wind
- 2 mph
- Weather checked
Recent flow chart is loading
The latest stored reading is shown above. Check the official source below if you need the newest value now.
More forecast and source details
National Weather Service
Yellowstone River at Yellowstone Lake Outlet
The National Weather Service forecast is temporarily unavailable.
Live data
Where these readings come from
Latest stored USGS gauge: Yellowstone River at Yellowstone Lake Outlet
From the latest stored river check. Open the official source for the newest reading.
How to fish it
How to fish Yellowstone River In Yellowstone Park today.
Fish only after confirming the exact reach is open and accessible. Stable weather, clear water, and legal native-trout reaches are the right combination. Uncertain closures are a hard stop.
Open, clear, cool reach
Best for dries, dry-droppers, and careful sight fishing.
Closed or uncertain reach
Do not fish. Move to a confirmed legal water instead.
High spring water
Even if open, crossing and wading can be dangerous. Use edges only.
Warm summer water
Fish early, check temperature, and reduce native-trout handling stress.
Fishing words used on this page
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) gauge
- A USGS gauge is an official river station that measures flow or water height.
- Cubic feet per second (cfs)
- Cubic feet per second, or cfs, shows how much water passes the gauge each second.
- Nymph
- A nymph is a young water insect. Anglers also use the word for a fly that copies it.
- Riffle
- A riffle is shallow, fast water broken by rocks.
- Blue-winged olive (BWO)
- Blue-winged olives, or BWOs, are small mayflies that often hatch in cool or cloudy weather.
- Caddis
- Caddis are small water insects. The adults look a little like tiny moths.
- Emerger
- An emerger copies an insect as it rises from below the water toward the surface.
- Midge
- Midges are tiny flies and a common trout food, especially in cold water.
- Pale morning dun (PMD)
- Pale morning duns, or PMDs, are light-colored mayflies that often hatch in warmer months.
- River reach
- A reach is one named section of a river or stream.
Why this call
Why this score
Short-term weatherUse caution
The forecast has storm or heavy-precipitation risk, so timing and access matter more than the score alone.
FlowHelps
USGS shows 1,450 cfs. The flow has been stable over about 6 hours. USGS marks this reading provisional and may revise it. USGS records for this date (1927-2025, 96 readings) show a typical middle range of 1,360 cfs to 2,330 cfs. Flow is within the typical range for this date, so weather, temperature, and access become the next checks.
SeasonHelps
Summer: Primary dry-fly and terrestrial season on legal reaches, with crowds and heat checks.
WeatherHelps
The current NWS air forecast is about 63F, and the next 24-hour high reaches about 70F. Chance Showers And Thunderstorms.
Public alertsHelps
No active NWS alert was returned for this forecast point.
Trip notes
Trip notes
Check these before you choose a reach.
Use USGS 06186500 at the Yellowstone Lake Outlet for upper-river context. Stable or gradually improving flows are easiest to plan around, while high runoff, canyon closures, road impacts, or cutthroat conservation concerns should end the trip plan.
Skip the Yellowstone inside the park when the exact reach is closed, native trout rules are unclear, road or wildlife conditions are poor, the river is high or cold after runoff, or the day depends on downstream Montana assumptions.
Start with the NPS fishing page and 2026 rule PDF, then match the day to the Southeast or Northeast reach guidance. Use the lake-outlet gauge for upper context, and keep canyon, Hayden Valley, Fishing Bridge, and other closure notes in front of fly choice.
If the Yellowstone reach you wanted is closed, high, crowded, or unsafe, compare the Madison inside the park, the Montana Yellowstone downstream of the park, or the Snake River for a different cutthroat plan.
What to try
Yellowstone River In Yellowstone Park flies through the year.
Match the time of year, then let rising fish and current speed guide the next change.
SeasonWhat to look forFlies to try
Late May to June
What to look forCold-water midges, BWOs, caddis, and early stoneflies when park water is open
July
What to look forPMDs, caddis, golden stones, Green Drakes in suitable water, and spinner falls
August to SeptemberCurrent
What to look forTerrestrials, ants, beetles, hoppers, small caddis, and evening spinners
October
What to look forBWOs, midges, streamers where legal, and short cold-weather feeding windows
Each fly name opens its matching Fly Box guide.
Access and safety
Yellowstone River In Yellowstone Park access and rules.
Use these places as starting points. Open the access link below and check posted signs before you park or enter. Check Yellowstone National Park's current rule PDF and section-by-section NPS pages before fishing. This report does not replace the park permit, open dates, permanent closures, or native-fish conservation rules.
Yellowstone Lake outlet context
Use the USGS lake-outlet gauge, then confirm NPS open-water rules.
Southeast Yellowstone reach checks
NPS Southeast rules include open dates and important permanent closures.
Northeast Yellowstone reach checks
NPS Northeast rules include different native/nonnative fish handling details.
Fishing Bridge, LeHardys Rapids, Hayden Valley, canyon, and other reach closures must be checked in current NPS rules.
Downstream of Gardiner is a Montana rule topic, not this park page.
Road, bear, bison, fire, and weather conditions can change access after the page is reviewed.
River sources
Official Yellowstone River In Yellowstone Park sources.
Official agencies and primary river operators come first. Secondary tools are labeled so you know what carries the most weight.
How this report was checked
How this report was checked
Reviewed byBlueStreamFly River Review Team
Trip guidance checked
What was checked: This report is maintained from current regulation, access, flow, weather, and public planning sources so anglers can make better trip decisions than a raw gauge or generic overview would allow.
Live measurements and forecasts keep their provider timestamps. Rules, access, and trip guidance use the source-review date shown here. BlueStreamFly planning advice is editorial interpretation, not an agency notice.
First-hand experience: BlueStreamFly does not claim a first-hand visit or local field test for this report unless a real contributor is explicitly named and linked.
Rules and closures
Check what is allowed, where the rule applies, and whether the river is open.
Flow and weather
Check the latest river reading and forecast before you leave.
Access and land
Check public entry points, land rules, and seasonal access changes.
More helpful links
Use these links for stocking, safety, and other local details.
See all 9 checked sources
Rules and closures
Check what is allowed, where the rule applies, and whether the river is open.
What this source covers
Open the current rules and check the river section, season, and special limits.
What this source covers
Open the current rules and check the river section, season, and special limits.
What this source covers
Open the current rules and check the river section, season, and special limits.
What this source covers
Open the current rules and check the river section, season, and special limits.
Flow and weather
Check the latest river reading and forecast before you leave.
What this source covers
Open this page and check the latest safety advice before your trip.
What this source covers
Open this river reading to check the latest level, flow, and update time.
Access and land
Check public entry points, land rules, and seasonal access changes.
What this source covers
Open the land or access page, then check signs before you park or enter.
More helpful links
Use these links for stocking, safety, and other local details.
What this source covers
Open this page for more river information and check when it was last updated.
What this source covers
Open this page and check the latest safety advice before your trip.
Quick answers
Quick Yellowstone River In Yellowstone Park answers.
What should I check before fishing Yellowstone River In Yellowstone Park?
Yellowstone permit, 2026 NPS reach rules, permanent closures, road status, USGS flow, and weather
Which flow should I use for Yellowstone River In Yellowstone Park?
Use USGS 06186500 at the Yellowstone Lake outlet for upper park context, then check current NPS reach rules and conditions before treating flow as fishable access.
Where should I start on Yellowstone River In Yellowstone Park?
Start by choosing the exact park reach, then compare it against the NPS rule PDF, Southeast/Northeast pages, current conditions, and road status.
Can I wade Yellowstone River In Yellowstone Park?
Only in confirmed open reaches and safe flows. Closed zones, canyon water, wildlife, and cold current make casual wading a bad default.