The guys just dropped another great spring fishing report for the Yellowstone River! Check it out, then head to the river and do some wade fishing. It’s fun, trust me!
First off we would like to thank everyone again for their participation in the crazy times river cleanup this past weekend. It is awesome to see all the folks filling up garbage bags and hauling them off! Good work citizens of Park County, the River Gods will reward you’re next fishing voyage. And you’ve still got a couple of days to get out safely with the family, give back to the river we love, and get yourself entered in a sweet raffle! Check out our Facebook Event for more details. Thanks!
The Yellowstone River is flowing at around 1,700cfs in the Livingstone area with water temps reaching the low 50’s in the evenings. The weather this coming week looks like it should continue to stay warm, so we may start to see things changing in the river a bit. The Shields River east of Livingston is dumping some off color water at the moment, but all other tributaries upstream in the valley are still flowing clear as of 4/20.
We have been seeing more and more Baetis these days, and good dry fly action here and there when the “fast moving air” allows for it. Keep an eye out in foam lines and slack water for rising fish, and a purple haze to a small griffiths gnat is a great tandem dry fly rig for this time of year.
In terms of nymphing, we have definitely noticed a pick up in the effectiveness of small mayfly nymphs- be it a CDC Pheasant tail, or any other small olive mayfly looking nymphs. We have also been seeing more and more stoneflies about. If you search rocks on the bank and flip them over, you will find yourself some stoneflies too. A double- bead stone in a golden or black variety have both been producing fish for us at the shop. Don’t be afraid to try a nymph with a certain color hot spot either! With water visibility going in and out a good hot head, or hot spot attractor is always a good choice as well. Our favorite colors are red, chartreuse, and yellow.
With the Medowlarks singing and bluebirds flying around the backyard, I think it’s safe to say Spring is here. We have been finding fish tucked up at the very top of shelf drop-offs, in riffly water. As the water flows and temperatures continue to bump up, we will start to notice fish in different lies than we were finding them a month ago. Food availability will start to increase more and more as the baetis hatch thickens, and we start to get into some caddis fishing in the weeks after. That is isn’t to say your favorite winter hole will no long be productive, but it is just something to think about- things are definitely happening in the river right now.
Streamer fishing has seemed spotty for us this past weekend, but as a little more color comes into the river, streamers are always a first choice for us at the shop. Good luck out there and stay safe! And distant!
Bevans FlyBox:
NYMPHS:
Double Bead Stone (Golden or black) 8
Rubberlegs 8
Explosion Stone 10
TJ Hooker Blk/ Brwn 12
Red copper John 14
Black copper John 16 or 18
Green mo 16 or 18
Zirdle 8
CDC pheasant tail 14-18
DRIES:
Adams parachute 18
Purple haze 18
Purple Nurple 18
Griffiths gnat 20
HiVis Baetis 18
Sprout Baetis 18 or 20
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