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Yellowstone Runoff Report: Anglers Tackle Tricky Conditions on the Mighty River
Good morning anglers, this is Artificial Lure bringing you today's fishing report from the mighty Yellowstone River in Montana.
We're deep into runoff season now, folks, and the river continues to be a bit of a wild ride. The past couple days have seen some fluctuation in flows following last week's readings of around 8,000 to 12,000 CFS. Water clarity has been improving in spots but remains murky in others - typical May conditions for us locals.
Weather-wise, we're looking at partly cloudy skies today with temperatures climbing into the mid-60s by afternoon. Sunrise was at 5:45 am and sunset will be around 8:45 pm, giving you plenty of daylight to work those productive evening hatches.
The fishing has been hit-or-miss lately, but that's just how it goes during runoff. When the water settles and clears a bit, anglers have been having success with browns and rainbows in the 12 to 18-inch range, with the occasional chunky cutthroat in the mix. Most of the action has been in the stretches from Livingston up through Yankee Jim Canyon, with some bigger browns hanging around deeper runs and boulder fields.
If you're heading out today, I'd recommend focusing on the slower edges and inside seams where fish are finding refuge from the heavier current. Stonefly nymphs, San Juan worms, and larger attractor patterns have been producing when fished deep. When you see fish rising, switch to size 14-16 caddis patterns or larger attractors like Chubby Chernobyls.
For hot spots, the stretch below Emigrant through Paradise Valley has been fishing well when the water clears, with some nice browns tucked in along the banks. The section from Gardiner to Yankee Jim Canyon is also worth exploring if you're looking for that dry fly action with cutthroats in some absolutely gorgeous scenery.
A word of caution: be extra careful out there. The recent high waters have reshuffled debris and created new hazards. Even at current flows, there's still a lot of water moving through, so pick your wading spots carefully and always wear a life jacket if you're floating.
Remember, the key during runoff is timing - look for those windows when flows start to drop after a spike. That's your green light for the day.
This is Artificial Lure signing off - tight lines and see you on the water!
We're deep into runoff season now, folks, and the river continues to be a bit of a wild ride. The past couple days have seen some fluctuation in flows following last week's readings of around 8,000 to 12,000 CFS. Water clarity has been improving in spots but remains murky in others - typical May conditions for us locals.
Weather-wise, we're looking at partly cloudy skies today with temperatures climbing into the mid-60s by afternoon. Sunrise was at 5:45 am and sunset will be around 8:45 pm, giving you plenty of daylight to work those productive evening hatches.
The fishing has been hit-or-miss lately, but that's just how it goes during runoff. When the water settles and clears a bit, anglers have been having success with browns and rainbows in the 12 to 18-inch range, with the occasional chunky cutthroat in the mix. Most of the action has been in the stretches from Livingston up through Yankee Jim Canyon, with some bigger browns hanging around deeper runs and boulder fields.
If you're heading out today, I'd recommend focusing on the slower edges and inside seams where fish are finding refuge from the heavier current. Stonefly nymphs, San Juan worms, and larger attractor patterns have been producing when fished deep. When you see fish rising, switch to size 14-16 caddis patterns or larger attractors like Chubby Chernobyls.
For hot spots, the stretch below Emigrant through Paradise Valley has been fishing well when the water clears, with some nice browns tucked in along the banks. The section from Gardiner to Yankee Jim Canyon is also worth exploring if you're looking for that dry fly action with cutthroats in some absolutely gorgeous scenery.
A word of caution: be extra careful out there. The recent high waters have reshuffled debris and created new hazards. Even at current flows, there's still a lot of water moving through, so pick your wading spots carefully and always wear a life jacket if you're floating.
Remember, the key during runoff is timing - look for those windows when flows start to drop after a spike. That's your green light for the day.
This is Artificial Lure signing off - tight lines and see you on the water!
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By Quiet. PleaseGood morning anglers, this is Artificial Lure bringing you today's fishing report from the mighty Yellowstone River in Montana.
We're deep into runoff season now, folks, and the river continues to be a bit of a wild ride. The past couple days have seen some fluctuation in flows following last week's readings of around 8,000 to 12,000 CFS. Water clarity has been improving in spots but remains murky in others - typical May conditions for us locals.
Weather-wise, we're looking at partly cloudy skies today with temperatures climbing into the mid-60s by afternoon. Sunrise was at 5:45 am and sunset will be around 8:45 pm, giving you plenty of daylight to work those productive evening hatches.
The fishing has been hit-or-miss lately, but that's just how it goes during runoff. When the water settles and clears a bit, anglers have been having success with browns and rainbows in the 12 to 18-inch range, with the occasional chunky cutthroat in the mix. Most of the action has been in the stretches from Livingston up through Yankee Jim Canyon, with some bigger browns hanging around deeper runs and boulder fields.
If you're heading out today, I'd recommend focusing on the slower edges and inside seams where fish are finding refuge from the heavier current. Stonefly nymphs, San Juan worms, and larger attractor patterns have been producing when fished deep. When you see fish rising, switch to size 14-16 caddis patterns or larger attractors like Chubby Chernobyls.
For hot spots, the stretch below Emigrant through Paradise Valley has been fishing well when the water clears, with some nice browns tucked in along the banks. The section from Gardiner to Yankee Jim Canyon is also worth exploring if you're looking for that dry fly action with cutthroats in some absolutely gorgeous scenery.
A word of caution: be extra careful out there. The recent high waters have reshuffled debris and created new hazards. Even at current flows, there's still a lot of water moving through, so pick your wading spots carefully and always wear a life jacket if you're floating.
Remember, the key during runoff is timing - look for those windows when flows start to drop after a spike. That's your green light for the day.
This is Artificial Lure signing off - tight lines and see you on the water!
We're deep into runoff season now, folks, and the river continues to be a bit of a wild ride. The past couple days have seen some fluctuation in flows following last week's readings of around 8,000 to 12,000 CFS. Water clarity has been improving in spots but remains murky in others - typical May conditions for us locals.
Weather-wise, we're looking at partly cloudy skies today with temperatures climbing into the mid-60s by afternoon. Sunrise was at 5:45 am and sunset will be around 8:45 pm, giving you plenty of daylight to work those productive evening hatches.
The fishing has been hit-or-miss lately, but that's just how it goes during runoff. When the water settles and clears a bit, anglers have been having success with browns and rainbows in the 12 to 18-inch range, with the occasional chunky cutthroat in the mix. Most of the action has been in the stretches from Livingston up through Yankee Jim Canyon, with some bigger browns hanging around deeper runs and boulder fields.
If you're heading out today, I'd recommend focusing on the slower edges and inside seams where fish are finding refuge from the heavier current. Stonefly nymphs, San Juan worms, and larger attractor patterns have been producing when fished deep. When you see fish rising, switch to size 14-16 caddis patterns or larger attractors like Chubby Chernobyls.
For hot spots, the stretch below Emigrant through Paradise Valley has been fishing well when the water clears, with some nice browns tucked in along the banks. The section from Gardiner to Yankee Jim Canyon is also worth exploring if you're looking for that dry fly action with cutthroats in some absolutely gorgeous scenery.
A word of caution: be extra careful out there. The recent high waters have reshuffled debris and created new hazards. Even at current flows, there's still a lot of water moving through, so pick your wading spots carefully and always wear a life jacket if you're floating.
Remember, the key during runoff is timing - look for those windows when flows start to drop after a spike. That's your green light for the day.
This is Artificial Lure signing off - tight lines and see you on the water!