Spring 2025 fishing continues to be great here in the Yellowstone Valley. Water levels on the Yellowstone continue to drop after last week’s precipitation.
Yellowstone River
The river volume is dropping from last week’s rain and snow event and clearing, very fishable though and we are consistently taking trout as the river begins to clear. We are finding pods of fish in their winter quarters still – back eddies and foam holes adjacent to moderate current tongues. Clearing – off color – water on the Yellowstone can make for some great fishing. Fly patterns that are easily seen like Squirmy and San Juan worms paired with a highly visible stone fly have produced good numbers of fish. Dead drifting and actively stripping streamers have been productive – although not as productive as nymphing. Fishing has been best during the warmer afternoons.
Yellowstone River near Livingston, MT – USGS Water Data for the Nation
Paradise Valley Spring Creeks
The Spring Creeks have been producing good midge and baetis hatches over the last week – good enough to bring some fish to the surface to feed. While the dry fly fishing has been spotty, fish are aggressively on the baetis nymphs and emergers and appear to be eating them over midges.
Drifting a 2-nymph rig with a weighted anchor fly the 16-18 (scud or sowbug) and a #20 baetis nymph or midge dropper fished in feeding and holding 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 slow glassy water look for afternoon midge hatches.
The rainbows are in the creeks in a big way. Most all riffles and holes are holding fishing. The redds below Eva’s hut are full and active. Please be mindful to avoid spawning redds and the subsequent disruption to fish actively using them.
Flies For the Season
Nymphs
On the spring creeks: Cheeseman Emerger #20 olive, Darth Baetis, Juju Baetis, Sawyer Pheasant tail – slim, Glass perdigon, Spanish Bullett, Zebra midge (red, olive, black) 20, Axtell’s Assassin Midge #20, Minimalist midge #20-22(red, black, olive) , Trashcan midge #20-22, Tailwater sowbug, Hot Bead Ray Charles, Tailwater sowbug, Pill popper, Hunch back scud , Bighorn scud, Euro-style soft hackled nymphs #16-20, Spanish Bullet, Cheeseman Emerger, Pink var. Blow Torch.
On the Yellowstone or Gardiner Rivers: Stone fly patterns like rubber legs, Craven’s Two-bit stone, Jig head zirdle bug, San Juan worm, Silverman’s sparkle worm, Perdigon and soft hackled Eur0- style flies12-18, Tung Ol hare’s 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 (black, grey,olive), Harroup’s Transitional midge, Brooks sprout midge emerger, cluster midge, Harroups CDC adult midge
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