Spring 2025 continues to produce good fishing on the Yellowstone River and the Paradise Valley spring creeks. Despite an increase in spring flows in the mainstem of the river fish have transitioned from the winter doldrums to early spring feeding patterns.
Yellowstone River
A bump in river volume due to rain and early melting snow has added some color to the water. The Yellowstone is still 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 has 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 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 2 nymph rig with a weighted anchor fly the 16-18 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.
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, 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, Perdigon nymphs, Cheeseman Emerger, Pink var. Blow Torch.
On the Yellowstone or Gardiner Rivers: Stonefly patterns like rubber legs, Craven’s Two-bit stone, Jig head zirdle bug, San Juan worm, Silverman’s sparkle worm, Perdigon and soft hackled Euro- style flies12-18, Tungsten Olive hare’s Ear 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, olive, 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
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