29 October, 2021 - Yellowstone River and Livingston Area Fly Fishing Report

As November approaches we are easing into a late fall pattern here in Livingston. Even though the weather might not feel like it, winter is right around the corner! Fishing has remained pretty decent, even if it’s not the normal fall pattern. 

Action on the Yellowstone River has been primarily subsurface. The BWO hatch has been scattered at best with this bright and sunny weather. Nymphing has been the most productive - if you want bent rods all day and don’t mind catching whitefish tie on something bigger and flashy and go have a blast. 

Dead drifted streamers have also been quite productive. Always fish a streamer under an indicator with a dropper fly. Fish will see the larger fly from farther away, come investigate, and if they don’t want to eat that the smaller dropper can often be the ticket. 

If you are only looking for dry fly action, the local private spring creeks on a cloudy day are your best bet locally. Feeling like a drive? Head to the Missouri River for more consistent hatches. The Madison (both Upper and Lower) is fishing well enough to justify the drive these days. The Gallatin has been a little off color from snowmelt up the canyon. 

If you want to fish Yellowstone National Park one last time before the season closes, now is the time. The fishing season always closes on the first Sunday of November, which this year is the 7th. The Firehole is very low and the fish have had a pretty stressful year with low water and hot temps. You can still find a few fish here and there, and there are scattered BWOs out. The Madison in the park has been very busy, but fishing well. The Northeast Corner is a great option in the fall, and should be less crowded than the west side streams. 

One thing to keep in mind from here on through the winter is we are getting to windy season here in Livingston. Especially on warmer days, expect the wind to be blowing. Not just a gentle breeze, but like blowing. Local know what we mean. Livingston in the fall/winter/spring = wind and lots of it. A good waterproof jacket or shell can be a total gamechanger on windy days. Find the sheltered water if you can.

Need up to the minute info, gear and flies? Come down to the shop! We’ve got everything you need and more.