Wow, what a week we have seen fishing and weather wise in Park County. Fishing has been great to very good over the last week in and around Livingston. Anglers have responded in kind and it really appears as if the Pre-runoff season has begun in earnest. With the exception of a late week snow storm, we can expect continued spring like temperatures throughout the weekend and subsequently some good fishing to be had. Check your local weather resources of dips and declines
Yellowstone River
Low flows and spring-like weather have made for some good early season fishing on the Yellowstone. We are starting to see a fair amount of walk and wade fishing traffic at the local accesses. We’ve seen some good midge hatches in town at Sacajawea Park as well as above Carters bridge. Swinging and stripping streamers and wet flies, as well as dead drifting nymph rigs through pools below the riffles is producing some good fishing. Stoneflies, baetis, March brown nymphs, Midge larvae, and caddis larvae are all active and present.
Paradise Valley Spring Creeks
The Spring Creeks have been producing good baetis hatches over the last week – good enough to bring fish to the surface to feed. Fish are on the nymphs, and emergers and appear to be eating them over midges.
Drifting a baetis nymph rig deep on appropriately buoyant indicator in feeding lanes throughout the stable pools has been producing great fishing throughout the day. Some extra weight on the leader or incorporated in your anchor fly will help achieve a slow drift through targeted water. We’ve found fish not only in the seams but in the riffles and runs as well. They are clearly lining up to feed.
If you find some rising fish, pairing a Baetis dry or surface emerger with a small unweighted nymph dropper has also put some fish in the net.
In the coming weeks as the days begin to lengthen and temperatures warm, we can expect to see greater intensity of spring midge and baetis hatches not only on the spring creeks but on the Yellowstone as well. This will make for some much-anticipated dry fly fishing. Additionally, our local population of rainbows should begin their rights of spring in the next month. Which makes for some of the best fishing of the year.
Buckle up we are getting started!
Flies For the Season
Nymphs
On the spring creeks: Cheeseman Emerger #20 olive, Darth Baetis, Juju Baetis, Sawyer Pheasant tail – slim, Zebra midge (red, olive, black) 20, Axtell’s Assassin Midge #20, Minimalist midge #20-22(red, black, olive), Trashcan midge #20-22, Tailwater sowbug, Ray Charles, Hunch back scud, Euro-style soft hackled nymphs #16-20, Perdigon nymphs, Cheeseman Emerger, Pink var. Blow Torch. Perdigon,
On the Yellowstone or Gardiner Rivers: Stone fly patterns like rubber legs, Craven’s Two-bit stone, Jig head zirdle bug, Perdigon and soft hackled Euro-style flies 12-18, Tung Ol hares year soft hackle, Psycho prince, Flashback pheasant tail 12-18, Zebra midge (black, olive, red) #16-20
Streamers
Wooly bugger (black, olive, white,), Sparkle minnow (olive, black), Lil Kim 6-12, Zonker, Home Invader, Slump Buster, leach patterns, Sculpzilla, Baby Gonga, Rubber legged cone head Krystal bugger (Black, ol, yellow), Intruder style Spey flies, large soft hackle flies, McCune’s Olive Sculpin.
Dries
On the spring creeks olive comparadun 18-20, Last Chance Cripple (BWO) 20, Sprout BWO, BWO spinner 18-20, Smoke Jumper Baetis, Film Critic Baetis, Harroup’s hanging midge, Harroup’s Transitional midge, Brooks sprout midge emerger, cluster midge, Harroups CDC adult midge,
2025 Fishing licenses go on sale March 1, 2025.
Notes on safety
Whether you are walk and wading the Yellowstone, the Gardiner, or the Paradise Valley Spring Creeks please be aware of the effect of air and water temps during winter and early spring outings. As temperatures warm ice will begin to degrade. Use caution traversing ice covered shoreline, shelf ice can give way, and be a slip, trip, fall hazard.
Follow USCG cold water precautions: Cold_Water_Safety_Sept_2018.pdf
- Wear a USCG approved life jacket.
- Dress appropriately for the water temperature.
- Be situationally aware and have a plan.
- Consult the National Weather Service for updated conditions and hazard warnings before venturing out on the water.
- National Weather Service: 7-Day Forecast 45.66N 110.56W
- Double up on communications
- Have a GPS or Nautical charts that mark hazards. Know how to use them.
- Plan for shorter days
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