Yellowstone River FLy FIshing
Classic Montana Freestone Fly Fishing
Yellowstone River Fly Fishing Trips
The Yellowstone River is the longest undammed river in the contiguous 48 states and one of the finest freestone trout rivers in the world. From it’s headwaters in Yellowstone National Park, down to the roaring rapids of Yankee Jim Canyon, on through Paradise Valley, and further down east of Livingston, the Yellowstone River offers anglers a lifetime of fly fishing on a uniquely diverse and productive fishery.
The Yellowstone River has something to offer every angler, and is easily one of the favorite rivers amongst both anglers and guides. Our Yellowstone River fly fishing trips focus on the most productive stretches and anglers can expect to cover 8-15 miles of river per day. Our guides use drift boats to access the more than 200 miles of productive trout water, and rafts with fly fishing frames through the whitewater sections. The Yellowstone River is well suited for both seasoned and beginner anglers and should be considered a ‘must-fish’ river for anglers on any Montana fly fishing trip.
Fly Fishing the Yellowstone River
In many ways the Yellowstone River is the classic Montana fly fishing river. The Yellowstone is big, broad, and loaded with wild trout. The river is host to a variety of species of fish. Anglers can expect a mixed bag of rainbow trout, brown trout, and native cutthroat trout. The Yellowstone is famous for its dense hatches of caddisflies, mayflies, stoneflies, and terrestrials that all provide for excellent dry fly fishing from March through November.
Floating is the preferred means to access the Yellowstone River for our Montana fly fishing guides. Opportunities for wade fly fishing are plenty on the many inside bends, gravel bars, and islands, one flows are at safe levels, but covering large stretches of water is the best way to maximize the fly fishing and scenery. In Yellowstone National Park our guides lead hikes into the remote reaches of the Black Canyon as well as more accessible wade fly fishing near the mouth of Yellowstone Lake.
Due to its length, there is a wide variety of fly fishing to be had on the Yellowstone and tactics to employ. Dry fly fishing, nymphing, and streamer fly fishing can all be effective and anglers can expect to use all methods over the course of a Montana fly fishing season. The combination of dense hatches and eager trout make the Yellowstone River of Montana’s premier rivers for dry fly fishing. The annual salmonfly hatch and hopper-season generally give anglers the best opportunities at catching truly trophy-sized trout with dry flies. Streamer fly fishing is most effective early in the Spring and again in the Fall when the large, predatory brown trout become aggressive.
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Plan Your Trip
Prime Season:
April 1-May 10 and July 1-October 15
Notable Hatches:
Mothers Day Caddis (Early May); Salmonflies and Goldenstones (July 1-July 15); Hopper-Season (August 1-September 15)
Nearby Towns:
Bozeman, MT; Livingston, MT; Gardiner, MT; Big Sky, MT
Nearby Rivers:
Madison River, Yellowstone National Park, Paradise Valley Spring Creeks, Gallatin River, Boulder River, and Stillwater River