3 June, 2022 - Yellowstone River and Livingston Area Fly Fishing Report
Happy Friday, folks! It’s a beautiful day here in Livingston. The rain has abated for a time, and the sun is shining and it’s just an awesome day to be out and about. It’s going to be a nice weekend here with a lot going on. The Downtown Livingston Car Show is downtown tomorrow - be sure to stop in and swing through our shop if you’re out for that!
The Yellowstone River has come down quite a bit since its peak last week, but keep in mind that this wasn’t the peak for the entire runoff. We still have a lot more snow up in the high country, we just need some warmer weather to get it moving. This cooler and wetter spring has been really incredible, fingers crossed it keeps up!
Water clarity is notably better today, with our reliable reports saying up to 18” of visibility here in town. The river is definitely still off color, but it’s doing a whole lot better than last week. Big flies pushing lots of water could be productive - such as big streamers or dead drifted large nymphs. A big nymph followed by something like a worm pattern can be really good in this higher, heavier water.
There isn’t a lot going on for dry fly action around our area these days, but you might find some midges or a few scattered BWOs here and there on the tailwaters such as the Missouri and Madison. All the freestones in the area like the Yellowstone, Gallatin, and Boulder are right on the edge of fishable, and it’s going to be a day by day situation. We have heard the Henry’s Fork is fishing really well and that the salmonflies are out…
For us here in Livingston, the Yellowstone River is right on the edge. With some more rain and warmer temps, it could blow out again, or we could get a few days of fishable water. Get out and enjoy it while you can! You can either call the shop, stop in, or check the streamflow data for yourself to get a feel for it. Get real time data here: Yellowstone River Flows.
Runoff is a great time to fish the spring creeks, lakes, or even small water. It’s also a great chance to get out on the mountain bike (on gravel since most of our local trails are pretty wet), go hiking, or even just go enjoy a cold Dan Bailey’s Wall of Fame Red Ale next door at the Murray Bar.
We’ve got everything you need from rods, reels, lines, leaders, apparel, waders and much, much more. Our store is full at the moment, and it’s a great time to shop! Give us a call if you’re thinking about fishing Montana this summer, it should be a good one!
