Today
53°F
Partly Sunny
SSE 10 mph · 5% precip
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Today’s verdict
Current River Conditions
As of (2 days ago)
This past week, the river has been fishing well.
The Yellowstone is fishing well right now, with the best action coming during the afternoon window. Water clarity is generally good, though it's worth checking conditions around Livingston after any rain or snow. The river is settling into lower, clearer fall flows, and mild weather is expected to hold through the week.
Nymphing is the most reliable approach, and a double-nymph rig is hard to beat. A stonefly or rubberlegs pattern up top with a smaller baetis nymph or perdigon trailing is the go-to setup — fish it deep in the slower pockets and run edges rather than the fastest water. Streamer fishing is also picking up, especially on overcast days, with olive and black sculpin-style patterns drawing the bigger browns.
BWOs are the hatch to watch — they've been coming off regularly and should strengthen as days get shorter and cooler. Look for rising fish during the afternoon on overcast days, and keep a BWO comparadun or small mayfly pattern handy. October Caddis are also in the mix and can be skated or cruised on the surface for an exciting eat.
There's also a mahogany spinner fall happening in the late afternoon and evening on cloudy days.
1,120 CFS is right around its typical level for October — this stretch typically runs 1,120–1,530 CFS.
Wading tends to be more manageable at typical flows, but beds shift and cold water saps strength fast — read the water, stay within your limits, and check conditions on-site. You remain responsible for your own safety.
At 47°F, the water is in the prime range for trout — cold enough to fish and to handle fish safely.
Weather
43°F
Wind N 6 mph
Sunrise 7:58 AM · Sunset 6:14 PM
Observed (2 hours ago)
NWS / weather.gov · fetched 15:01
Today
53°F
Partly Sunny
SSE 10 mph · 5% precip
Tonight
36°F
Chance Rain Showers
SE 9 mph · 39% precip
Tomorrow
48°F
Chance Rain Showers
SSE 7 mph · 53% precip
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Size #12-18
Size #6-12
Size #10-12
Conditions are estimates from USGS data. Always assess on-site conditions and use your own judgment.
The Corwin Springs gauge sits right where the Yellowstone leaves the national park and enters Paradise Valley — the stretch most first-trip anglers mean by "the Yellowstone." It's a long-record station with live flow and water temperature, so the conditions here reflect the water you'll fish.
Location
© OpenStreetMap contributors · © Geoapify
Helpful Links
Montana fishing resources
Other Montana rivers with live conditions
The Yellowstone is a large, free-flowing freestone river whose trout water changes from rugged canyon reaches to broad pastoral valley floats. Brown, rainbow and Yellowstone cutthroat trout are the principal targets, with mountain whitefish also common. The river is best experienced from a drift boat or raft, although public fishing-access sites and selected upper reaches provide wading opportunities. Spring fishing can be productive before snowmelt, but runoff commonly limits the river from May into late June or early July. Prime summer fishing begins as the river clears, with salmonflies, golden stones, yellow sallies, caddis and pale morning duns. Late summer adds hoppers, ants and beetles, while fall brings blue-winged olives and strong streamer fishing for aggressive brown trout. Nymphing stoneflies, caddis and mayflies is the dependable approach; dry-dropper rigs work well along banks and seams, and streamers are especially useful in stained water or cloudy weather. Because flows and clarity can change rapidly, anglers should check tributaries, gauges and local reports before launching.
Hatches
Tactics
1,120 CFSFlow
47°F+1°Water temp
53° / 36°Weather
Size #4