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Yellowstone River Fishing in Peak Caddis Season - Catch the Hatch While You Can
Yellowstone River Angler Update - May 2, 2025
Hey folks, Artificial Lure here with your Friday morning fishing report. The Yellowstone is shaping up nicely today! Flows have stabilized and might drop even more by the weekend, making for some prime conditions for local anglers.
We've got ourselves smack in the middle of the famous Mother's Day caddis hatch that typically hits late April to early May, and let me tell you, it's producing some fantastic dry fly action. If you haven't been out already, you're missing quite the show! Blue Wing Olives are also making a good showing, giving you multiple bug options.
Just a heads-up though - we're on borrowed time with the snowpack at 105% of median in the Upper Yellowstone Basin. Expect runoff to kick in soon, possibly within the next couple weeks if temperatures stay warm. The high country melt usually turns our river to mud by mid-May, so get out while the getting's good.
For today's hot spots, I'm hearing great reports from the stretch between Carter's Bridge and the Highway 89 crossing. The riffles and runs there are holding good numbers of fish, though rowing can be a bit tricky. If you're after bigger specimens, try the Lower Yellowstone between Highway 89 and Big Timber. The action might be slower, but some real lunkers have been pulled from these waters lately.
Lure selection is straightforward right now - match the hatch with caddis patterns in sizes 14-16, or go with Blue Wing Olive imitations. If you're targeting those big boys downstream, streamers are your best bet. For the adventurous types, hopper patterns and large attractor dries have been surprisingly effective despite the season.
Weather-wise, we're looking at typical spring conditions - quick-changing and unpredictable, so layer up and be prepared for anything. The recent rain added a touch of color to the water, but there are still plenty of bugs to keep the fish feeding.
For wade fishing, the public access points near Livingston offer decent entry, but watch your footing as the river has some muscle this time of year. The back eddies are particularly powerful after Carter's Bridge.
All considered, this is one of those windows of opportunity that Montana anglers live for - good flows, active hatches, and not too many folks on the water yet. I'd get out there while you can before Mother Nature flips the switch to runoff mode.
Tight lines until next time!
Hey folks, Artificial Lure here with your Friday morning fishing report. The Yellowstone is shaping up nicely today! Flows have stabilized and might drop even more by the weekend, making for some prime conditions for local anglers.
We've got ourselves smack in the middle of the famous Mother's Day caddis hatch that typically hits late April to early May, and let me tell you, it's producing some fantastic dry fly action. If you haven't been out already, you're missing quite the show! Blue Wing Olives are also making a good showing, giving you multiple bug options.
Just a heads-up though - we're on borrowed time with the snowpack at 105% of median in the Upper Yellowstone Basin. Expect runoff to kick in soon, possibly within the next couple weeks if temperatures stay warm. The high country melt usually turns our river to mud by mid-May, so get out while the getting's good.
For today's hot spots, I'm hearing great reports from the stretch between Carter's Bridge and the Highway 89 crossing. The riffles and runs there are holding good numbers of fish, though rowing can be a bit tricky. If you're after bigger specimens, try the Lower Yellowstone between Highway 89 and Big Timber. The action might be slower, but some real lunkers have been pulled from these waters lately.
Lure selection is straightforward right now - match the hatch with caddis patterns in sizes 14-16, or go with Blue Wing Olive imitations. If you're targeting those big boys downstream, streamers are your best bet. For the adventurous types, hopper patterns and large attractor dries have been surprisingly effective despite the season.
Weather-wise, we're looking at typical spring conditions - quick-changing and unpredictable, so layer up and be prepared for anything. The recent rain added a touch of color to the water, but there are still plenty of bugs to keep the fish feeding.
For wade fishing, the public access points near Livingston offer decent entry, but watch your footing as the river has some muscle this time of year. The back eddies are particularly powerful after Carter's Bridge.
All considered, this is one of those windows of opportunity that Montana anglers live for - good flows, active hatches, and not too many folks on the water yet. I'd get out there while you can before Mother Nature flips the switch to runoff mode.
Tight lines until next time!
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By Quiet. PleaseYellowstone River Angler Update - May 2, 2025
Hey folks, Artificial Lure here with your Friday morning fishing report. The Yellowstone is shaping up nicely today! Flows have stabilized and might drop even more by the weekend, making for some prime conditions for local anglers.
We've got ourselves smack in the middle of the famous Mother's Day caddis hatch that typically hits late April to early May, and let me tell you, it's producing some fantastic dry fly action. If you haven't been out already, you're missing quite the show! Blue Wing Olives are also making a good showing, giving you multiple bug options.
Just a heads-up though - we're on borrowed time with the snowpack at 105% of median in the Upper Yellowstone Basin. Expect runoff to kick in soon, possibly within the next couple weeks if temperatures stay warm. The high country melt usually turns our river to mud by mid-May, so get out while the getting's good.
For today's hot spots, I'm hearing great reports from the stretch between Carter's Bridge and the Highway 89 crossing. The riffles and runs there are holding good numbers of fish, though rowing can be a bit tricky. If you're after bigger specimens, try the Lower Yellowstone between Highway 89 and Big Timber. The action might be slower, but some real lunkers have been pulled from these waters lately.
Lure selection is straightforward right now - match the hatch with caddis patterns in sizes 14-16, or go with Blue Wing Olive imitations. If you're targeting those big boys downstream, streamers are your best bet. For the adventurous types, hopper patterns and large attractor dries have been surprisingly effective despite the season.
Weather-wise, we're looking at typical spring conditions - quick-changing and unpredictable, so layer up and be prepared for anything. The recent rain added a touch of color to the water, but there are still plenty of bugs to keep the fish feeding.
For wade fishing, the public access points near Livingston offer decent entry, but watch your footing as the river has some muscle this time of year. The back eddies are particularly powerful after Carter's Bridge.
All considered, this is one of those windows of opportunity that Montana anglers live for - good flows, active hatches, and not too many folks on the water yet. I'd get out there while you can before Mother Nature flips the switch to runoff mode.
Tight lines until next time!
Hey folks, Artificial Lure here with your Friday morning fishing report. The Yellowstone is shaping up nicely today! Flows have stabilized and might drop even more by the weekend, making for some prime conditions for local anglers.
We've got ourselves smack in the middle of the famous Mother's Day caddis hatch that typically hits late April to early May, and let me tell you, it's producing some fantastic dry fly action. If you haven't been out already, you're missing quite the show! Blue Wing Olives are also making a good showing, giving you multiple bug options.
Just a heads-up though - we're on borrowed time with the snowpack at 105% of median in the Upper Yellowstone Basin. Expect runoff to kick in soon, possibly within the next couple weeks if temperatures stay warm. The high country melt usually turns our river to mud by mid-May, so get out while the getting's good.
For today's hot spots, I'm hearing great reports from the stretch between Carter's Bridge and the Highway 89 crossing. The riffles and runs there are holding good numbers of fish, though rowing can be a bit tricky. If you're after bigger specimens, try the Lower Yellowstone between Highway 89 and Big Timber. The action might be slower, but some real lunkers have been pulled from these waters lately.
Lure selection is straightforward right now - match the hatch with caddis patterns in sizes 14-16, or go with Blue Wing Olive imitations. If you're targeting those big boys downstream, streamers are your best bet. For the adventurous types, hopper patterns and large attractor dries have been surprisingly effective despite the season.
Weather-wise, we're looking at typical spring conditions - quick-changing and unpredictable, so layer up and be prepared for anything. The recent rain added a touch of color to the water, but there are still plenty of bugs to keep the fish feeding.
For wade fishing, the public access points near Livingston offer decent entry, but watch your footing as the river has some muscle this time of year. The back eddies are particularly powerful after Carter's Bridge.
All considered, this is one of those windows of opportunity that Montana anglers live for - good flows, active hatches, and not too many folks on the water yet. I'd get out there while you can before Mother Nature flips the switch to runoff mode.
Tight lines until next time!