Fishing Report for the Yellowstone & Spring Creeks – 12/11/25

By Rich Ridgeway and Jan Axtell

Last week it appeared that winter had settled in on our Paradise Valley fisheries, but Montana weather being what it is, we’ve been given a warm spell reminiscent of the first days of spring.  Warm temps, good cloud cover, dropping barometric pressure, and a little bit of the “W” word has made for good fishing conditions as we approach the holiday season.

Fishing on Yellowstone River is a winter game right now, keep it deep and slow. Nymphing deep and slower water with a double nymph indicator rig, starting about 6ft from top fly to indicator, is a good starting point. Make sure you are getting down there; let it bounce the bottom a couple times before adjusting. Running the big bug to little bug game right now can be effective. Running a size 8 Pats Rubber Legs with a size 14 Blue Perdigon is a good option. Don’t be afraid to run some smaller patterns like your Zebra Midges, Pheasant Tails, small stones and worms.

The Paradise Valley Spring Creeks have been fishing exceptionally well.   Spawning behavior has largely dwindled down, but there are still a few fish on Redds. Post spawn browns as well as rainbows have been grabbing flies as they look to bulk up after the rigors of spawning.  The weather has been great for slow swinging leeches, wet flies, and soft hackled flies in the greased line manner.  We continue to do very well on sow bug/scud and midge rigs under.  Additionally, we’ve been seeing a midge hatch during sunny, calm afternoons.  Fish are coming to the surface to feed. We’ve netted a few fish on a Harroup’s Hanging midge with a String Thing dropper.  Yup, we are still dry dropper fishing!

Regardless of how you are fishing, bites have been subtle in many situations. A highly reactive indicator will put more fish on the line than an overly buoyant one.  Even on the swing, the bite has been subtle. Fish a shorter leader and watch the tip of your fly line for lateral or upstream movement

Note on wading:   Please be mindful of the location of spawning redds and how we might reduce our disruption and crushing of eggs.  Focus your attention below the redds in the stable pools with egg or egg-like patterns fished near the bottom, slowly.  Future generations of brown trout will thank you.

Note on personal safety: whether you’re walking and wading or floating the Yellowstone, the Gardiner, or the Paradise Valley Spring Creeks please be aware of the effect of air and water temps during late fall and winter fishing.  The risk of hypothermia is increased: 1. Be prepared, weather conditions change throughout the day so have a plan. 2. Eat well and stay hydrated 3. If you’re fishing alone, let someone know your plan.

Flies To Try:

Nymphs/Wet flies

Egg patterns, hot bead sowbugs and other nymphs, Pink var. Blow Torch, Zebra midge (red, olive, black),  String thing #18-22 (red, olive, black, cream, brown),  Frenchie, Psycho Prince (yell/or) , Darth Baetis, Sawyer Pheasant tail #22, sow bug, scud, blood blister midge #18-20, Perdig-Ian (bwo) #18, Cheeseman Emerger (ol, blk, red),

Streamers

Ruby eyed Canadian Leach, Ice Breaker Leach, Mini Intruder patterns, bugger (black, olive), Sparkle minnow, Home Invader, Slump Buster, leach patterns, Baby Gonga, Rubber Legged Cone Head Krystal bugger (yellow), Galloup’s Boogey Man, Sex Dungeon (yel, ol, blk), Big Gulp Sculpin (black or olive)

Dries

Harroup’s Hanging midge (blk, gray) #20, Transitional midge 20, Snowshoe baetis #20-22, Sprout BWO #20-22, Last Chance Cripple #20-22, rusty spinner #20-22; 

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