Today
68°F
Sunny
S 7 to 13 mph · 0% precip
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Today’s verdict
Current River Conditions
As of (15 days ago)
This intel is a couple of weeks old — conditions may have shifted.
As of ~2 weeks ago, conditions were fair.
The Yellowstone is running with some color right now after a stretch of weekend rain pushed mud through the system, but it's still fishing — don't let the off-color water keep you off the water. Conditions vary stretch to stretch, so if one spot looks too dirty, move up or downstream and you'll likely find cleaner water. The river has been dropping and slowly clearing over the past few days, and things should continue to improve as the rain tapers off.
Hatches
Tactics
1,420 CFS is on the low side for September — this stretch typically runs 1,520–2,210 CFS.
With flows lower than usual, wading is generally easier and more forgiving — but beds still shift and cold water saps strength fast, so read the water, stay within your limits, and check conditions on-site. You remain responsible for your own safety.
At 55°F, the water is in the prime range for trout — cold enough to fish and to handle fish safely.
Weather
51°F
Wind NNW 4 mph
Sunrise 7:01 AM · Sunset 7:34 PM
Observed (3 hours ago) ⚠ 3h 28m old
NWS / weather.gov · fetched 11:00
Today
68°F
Sunny
S 7 to 13 mph · 0% precip
Tonight
38°F
Mostly Clear
S 5 to 10 mph · 0% precip
Tomorrow
71°F
Sunny
NNW 3 to 7 mph · 0% precip
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Size #10-14
Size #12-16
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.
1,420 CFSFlow
55°F−3°Water temp
68° / 38°Weather