A Month by Month Rundown of the Fishing in Yellowstone Country

by Walter Wiese

PFS Head Guide

The purpose of this piece is to condense much of the information in our Trip Planner into an easy to read synopsis of fishing conditions throughout the year.  This can aid in trip planning if you are flexible on when you can come.  It can also help you know what to expect if you've already made your plans.  For more information, view our Trip Planner.  Our Guided Trips page includes more information on what trips are available when and rates, which are higher during our summer and early fall peak season than they are when it's colder. 

January

        In a Sentence: COLD!

        Avg. Fishable Days: 5-10

        Pros: Excellent wildlife watching, excellent winter sports, no crowds either on the roads or on the rivers.

        Cons: fishing opportunities profoundly limited due to sub-freezing temperatures (often subzero), ice, and very lethargic fish.

        Closed/Unfishable Water: Everything except the Yellowstone River and the private Paradise Valley creeks is either frozen or closed.  Further afield, the Madison, Missouri, and a few other rivers are open.

        Top Guided Trip Options: Parks' Fly Shop does not guide in January.

        Description: While there are some opportunities to catch a fish in January, this is the coldest month of the year and the worst fishing month.  Midges are the only real bets in the big river, while egg flies and occasional winter Blue-winged Olive hatches are also draws on the spring creeks.  The bottom line is that you should only fish in January if you're already here for something else.

February

        In a Sentence: Some breaks in the winter weather can make for excellent fishing, but it's still cold.

        Avg. Fishable Days: 10

        Pros: Excellent wildlife watching and winter sports, no crowds, and surprisingly good midging action IF there's a break in the weather.

        Cons: Breaks in the weather are still very rare, thus the fishing remains more inconsistent than consistent.

        Closed/Unfishable Water: See January.  All conditions still apply.

        Top Guided Trip Options: The Paradise Valley spring creeks and the Yellowstone itself are options late in the month if weather permits.  We will not take guide trip bookings more than a week in advance in February, since day-to-day conditions dictate if fishing is possible.

        Description: Late February can offer excellent fishing some of the time, with midge activity, Blue-winged Olives, and streamer fishing all getting better over the course of the month.  This is not a steady improvement, however, as winter still rules the land and cold, wet weather or even very warm weather (which sends cold snowmelt into the river) will shut things down completely.  Like January, February fishing for non-locals is best planned as a sidetrip to wildlife watching or skiing excursions in Yellowstone Park, though your chances for success are higher in February.

March:

        In a Sentence: When it's good, it's great.

        Avg. Fishable Days: 15-20 depending on your tolerance to cold/wet weather and whether or not you want to fish the private creeks if the Yellowstone is out of play.

        Pros: Lack of crowds, aggressive pre-spawn rainbows, some excellent (but unpredictable) hatches, chances for bigger fish are good (esp. later in the month).

        Cons: Weather still very chancy, hatches inconsistent even when conditions are "right."  Early in the month ice floes limit boat fishing.

        Closed/Unfishable Water: same as above.  Though open, the low-elevation area lakes are usually still frozen, though probably not hard enough for ice fishing to be safe.

        Top Guided Trip Options: The Paradise Valley creeks are a great option all month, and walk or float trips on the Yellowstone River can bring impressive action if conditions are right.  Our primary guiding season begins in March, mostly because we feel confident we can put our clients on fish starting in March.  Flexible scheduling is important, however, especially if you wish to float the Yellowstone, as we may need to push your scheduled trip back a day or two while waiting for prime conditions.

        Description: some significant warming occurs in March, which both makes the fish much more active and can dirty the river if it warms up too much.  The spring creeks are uncrowded, on winter rates, and fish well during the month.  Along with April, March fishing is one of the few remaining "sleeper" periods to fish in the Yellowstone region.  Downsides are the fact that Yellowstone Park is still closed to fishing and that the Yellowstone River is either on "all the way" or not at all, meaning flexibility is a must: visit the Park to watch wolves when it's 10 degrees, fish Depuy Creek when it's 50 and the Yellowstone is muddy, and slam fish on the Yellowstone when it's 40 degrees and the prespawn rainbows are going nuts after nymphs, streamers, and BWO.

April:

        In a Sentence: The peak of spring fishing, and arguably the best time to come for comfortable weather, excellent fishing, and lack of crowds.

       Avg. Fishable Days: 18-23 if considering the Yellowstone River, 25-28 if considering the creeks or low-elevation lakes.

        Pros: excellent BWO and streamer fishing, and in dry years the spring Mother's Day caddis hatch, limited crowds, generally comfortable weather except when it snows.

        Cons: Yellowstone River clarity unpredictable towards the end of the month (runoff), still less variety of water available than in the summer and early fall, spring creeks go on higher spring rates at mid-month.  Though the fishing is excellent, it's not for raw beginners.

        Closed/Unfishable Water: The Yellowstone River tributaries (and most creeks in Montana) and Yellowstone Park remain closed.  Dailey Lake and other low-elevation stillwaters are now ice-free, though high-elevation lakes like Hebgen remain frozen.

        Top Guided Trip Options: Numerous floats on the Yellowstone produce well in April, and the spring creeks see their best spring hatches and have "enhanced" populations of fish due to spawning rainbows present (though we never, ever fish over redds).

        Description: With only the threat of spring snow storms or warm spells messing up conditions, April is arguably the best time for experienced anglers (those who can cast fairly well) to fish the Yellowstone River if solitude is a primary goal.  Typically the trout are very aggressive, weather is usually of the  comfortable "jacket and long sleeves" variety except when storms threaten, and hatches can be good.  Some flexibility is a must especially late in the month, when the high-elevation snowpack might start to let go if the spring is warm and dry.  Otherwise, the only downside is that Yellowstone Park remains closed, as some rivers would fish extraordinarily well if they were open.

May

        In a Sentence: Caddis, runoff, and the Park opener.

        Avg. Fishable Days: 15-20 unless lakes and the Paradise Valley creeks are considered.  Runoff is the limiting factor elsewhere.

        Pros: The Mother's Day caddis hatch around the beginning of the month is arguably the most impressive hatch the river hosts.  The Salmonflies in July are the other contender.  Even if they aren't rising, the caddis typically make the fish very active, so that subsurface techniques bring excellent results most of the time.  Yellowstone Park's opener is among the highlights of the year for many anglers, with the Firehole River and possibly the Park section of the Madison, the Gibbon, and the Gardner also fishing well, depending on snowpack and weather.

        Cons: Runoff ends fishing on the Yellowstone for roughly six weeks sometime around the 5th-15th of the month most years.  Spring creeks are on their spring rates but towards the end of the month get "funky" due to being between hatch cycles.  Until the Park opens, beginner options are generally unavailable.

        Closed/Unfishable Water: Yellowstone Park is closed until the annual traditional opener on the Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend, and the tributary creeks are closed until the third Saturday.  Much of the Madison is closed during this timeframe, as well.  Runoff puts the Yellowstone, all tributary streams, and most of the Yellowstone Park streams out of play for most of the month, even if they are technically open.

        Top Guided Trip Options: Early in the month, floating the Yellowstone can bring unbelievable action on caddis imitations, nymphs, and streamers.  The spring creeks fish well at this time, too.  After the Park opens, the Firehole offers anglers the chance to fish surrounded by geysers and bison.  There are a few other places I won't mention online that may be ready by the last week of the month, as well.

        Description: Until the Park opens, May can bring unbelievable fishing or it can bring mud and no fishing at all except on the spring creeks.  It all depends on the winter and spring weather.  If the Mother's Day caddis hatch is a good one, typically when the spring melt is delayed, you might encounter the hatch of a lifetime.  Keep in touch with us to determine when to come out if you're trying to hit the hatch.  Like the rest of spring, flexibility is a good thing, as flows usually fluctuate a great deal in early May, with the river running filthy and high one day and clear and low the next, depending on how much snow is melting.  After the Park opens, there are always public water options that are fishable, with the Firehole River being the most consistent.  In a dry year the river will be low and clear already, with caddis already hatching, while in wet years you may need to fish large streamers.  In a normal year, PMD, BWO, and wet flies are the top draws.  Actually, the top draw is the chance to fish in a river that has been called "the strangest trout stream on Earth," what with its geysers, bison, and feisty rainbow and brown trout that, while usually small, are beautiful and fight above their weight while sipping dry flies.

June

        In a Sentence: June is the peak of the season on the Firehole and Gibbon, and is the first month abundant options suitable for beginners are available, all with less crowds than later in the summer.

        Avg. Fishable Days: 30.  Something is always fishable in Yellowstone Park, and even large fish options are available every day if the Paradise Valley spring creeks are considered.  Though snow (especially flurries) is still possible until about the 20th even at low elevations, daytime temperatures are usually above freezing, meaning a good raincoat and layers are all that is necessary for comfort.

        Pros: Yellowstone waters get steadily better through the month, dramatically expanding area fishing options, crowds smaller than later in the summer, good wildlife viewing options, peak fishing of the year on the Firehole, Gibbon, and YNP section of the Madison.

        Cons: Except in dry years, the Yellowstone, Lamar, Slough Creek, and Soda Butte Creek remain unfishable due to spring runoff.  Crowds are larger than they are March-May, and big fish options are actually lower until the middle of the month (when Trout and Yellowstone Lakes open) than earlier in the year, since the Yellowstone is muddy.  Paradise Valley creeks go on peak summer rates at mid-month.

        Closed/Unfishable Water: The upper Yellowstone River is closed until mid-July.  Yellowstone and Trout Lakes are closed until 6/15.  The Lamar drainage, the rest of the Yellowstone, and most small streams are muddy until late in the month except during dry years.  Ice on the lakes and/or snow on the trails can delay access to Lewis, Shoshone, Grebe, and several other lakes until around the 10th.

        Top Guided Trip Options: Our bread and butter fishing in June is in the Madison drainage in the Park.  Our most common trip in June is a combo of fishing the Firehole in the morning and the Gibbon in the afternoon.  Anglers interested in staying out late should discuss a PM full-day trip after about the 10th of the month, during which Ben Jewell or Walter Wiese will guide you on the Gibbon in the afternoon and the Firehole until dark, when crowds are smaller than they are during the day and the fish are usually on caddisflies.  Other options are hike-in trips to various lakes and, late in the month, the Yellowstone in its canyons.  The Gardner is also an option for the physically fit.

        Description: June is still runoff season in our area, with the Yellowstone drainage (including the Lamar and its tributaries) still blown with runoff early in the month.  During drought years the Yellowstone fishes well by the 15th in its canyons, though it is closed between the falls and the lake and drift boat fishing is usually not good until at least the 20th --the 1st of July is more usual.  June is the best time of the year to fish the Firehole and the Gibbon in its canyon, with the precise peak for the former averaging around the 10th-20th and the latter best from the 15th-25th most years.  The Gardner River is brawling in June, but it's often clear enough to fish with stonefly nymphs and doesn't see anywhere the pressure of the Firehole, Gibbon, or Madison.  Top big fish options are the lakes, Lewis and Shoshone as soon as the ice goes out (usually between June 1 and June 10) and Yellowstone and Trout immediately after their openers on the 15th.  Grebe Lake is at its peak mid-month, with literally 50 grayling days quite possible.  Late in the month, stonefly nymphs begin producing very well on the Yellowstone and often in the Lamar Canyon, and the salmonfly hatch itself may take place on these rivers and the Gardner between the 20th and the end of the month during dry years.  It happens in the Firehole Canyon between the 1st and 18th depending on weather.

July

        In a Sentence: Peak hatches, peak dry fly fishing for above-average trout, and peak number of fishable waters, but also peak number of fishermen, peak biting bugs, and peak traffic on the roads.

        Avg. Fishable Days: 31.  There are numerous options almost every day in July.  Thunderstorms can muddy most of the famous water for a day or two.  There's always plenty of lakes and unfamous water available, however.

        Pros: Heavy hatches including salmonflies on the Yellowstone and Gardner, the end of runoff everywhere, comfortable weather, numerous fishable options, fish looking up even when there's no hatch, numerous beginner options.

        Cons: intense crowds on famous waters that are easy to reach, heavy tourist traffic on the roads, biting bugs are awful during many years, small streams may still be too high for peak fishing until late in the month, heavy boat traffic (both fishing boats and pleasure boats) on the Yellowstone River, difficulty finding lodging and guides on short notice

        Closed/Unfishable Water: The upper Yellowstone River opens the 15th.  Some small streams are closed until mid-August due to bear activity.  The Firehole and to a lesser extent the lower Gibbon and Madison inside Yellowstone Park become too warm to fish well (if at all) by the 4th of July most years, other waters may face angling restrictions in the afternoon during exceedingly hot and dry summers due to high water temperatures.

        Top Guided Trip Options: Options in July are off the scale.  The Yellowstone River usually fishes well all month from the driftboats, and while truly large fish are still going to feed primarily subsurface, lots of nice ones are boated on dries.  Yellowstone Park offers options from tiny creeks where beginners can catch their first trout in beautiful surroundings to hike-in trips up Slough Creek, where big cutthroat are no fools.  The Paradise Valley spring creeks see their most consistent hatches (of Pale Morning Duns and summer Baetis or Sulphurs), making this the most popular time to fish them, requiring bookings at least three months in advance even for one-person parties.  If the weather allowed, we could probably put together a different trip for you every day of the month.

        Description: July is the busiest month in Yellowstone, for good reason.  Weather is comfortable and fishing options abound.  For anglers who don't mind crowds, or are willing to hike or to fish small streams for small-medium trout, July is probably the best time to come for consistent fishing.  Crowds are much smaller in spring and fall and somewhat smaller in June, August, and September, and big fish options are also better in spring and fall, though it's possible to catch bigger fish on dry flies in July than any other month.  Book your guides and lodging early for July.  In 2008, we had some days fully booked by February.

August

        In a Sentence: Slightly less consistent fishing than July, but slightly smaller crowds, less biting bugs, and better small stream and backcountry fishing.

        Avg. Fishable Days: 31.  Like July, the wealth of small streams and ponds coupled with generally pleasant weather means that provided you're not dead set on fishing the big, famous rivers which might get muddy from thunderstorms, there are fishable options every day.

        Pros: Smaller crowds than July, better small stream fishing, fewer boats on the Yellowstone, the first fall Blue-winged Olive hatches late in the month, sublime terrestrial and attractor dry fishing, significantly fewer biting bugs than in July, numerous beginner options.

        Cons: During extremely dry/hot years many famous waters will face afternoon angling restrictions (though there are always small streams available), hatches are generally more scattered than in July, fish are somewhat warier in August than July, meaning more stealth and better presentations are required, crowds are still larger than spring and fall, typically the Yellowstone River outside the Park will have a week or so of slow fishing late in the month due to low water and bright sun, a pattern which breaks with the first fall cold front sometime at the end of the month.

        Closed/Unfishable Water: The Firehole, Gibbon, and Madison remain too warm to fish well.  In dry years, the Gardner below Boiling River joins this list, especially late in the afternoon.  Late in the month the Madison may turn on somewhat.  In exceedingly dry and hot years, many streams may face afternoon angling closures.

        Top Guided Trip Options: Again, there are really too many August options to list.  We may hit the backcountry even more in August than in July, since hiking is easier without the bugs and by late in the month temperatures usually range from the fifties to the low eighties, making walking easier than during the 80-90 degree days common in late July and early August.  Small stream exploration is a great bet in August, and there are a few spots where PFS guides can put you on shockingly big fish in small water consistently by mid-month, though we're not going to say exactly where.

        Description: August is generally slightly less busy around here than July.  The last ten days of the month are typically less busy than even early September, as the fall crowds haven't arrived and the summer crowds (people with kids) have left to put the tikes back in school.  Generally the bugs are nowhere near as bad, especially after the 15th, and except in low-water and hot years, fishable options are about the same, with small creeks actually fishing better than they do in July most years.  This is basically a result of the water being lower in August than in July.  Hatches are not as good in August as in July, especially on larger rivers.  In the Lamar drainage, Green Drakes (D. grandis) and a smorgasboard of other mayflies give way to PMDs and scattered smaller Green Drakes (either D. doddsi or D. flavilinea), all of which may be scattered.  Late in the month the first fall BWO may hatch, especially on Soda Butte and the Yellowstone.  Otherwise, attractors and terrestrials are the tickets.  Where rainbow and brown trout predominate, you should expect to go subsurface for more consistent large trout action, and even on the floatable portion of the Yellowstone immediately downstream of Gardiner where cutthroats dominate, nymphs generally turn larger fish except in the evening.  In sum, August is a great time to come, especially if you are okay with slightly more challenging fishing than in July, since chances for solitude are better in August than in July.

September

        In a Sentence: September is the start of fall fishing, meaning the first fall-run browns, spooky cutthroat, and lots of BWO, and it is the only month when all streams in the area are fishable.

        Avg. Fishable Days: 28 if considering only rivers.  30 if lakes and the Paradise Valley creeks are considered.  Since small stream options generally shut down by the 20th, any rain (or snow) that falls late in the month can muddy the larger streams and drastically narrow the public water options.  Lakes and the Paradise Valley creeks are unaffected

        Pros: All major waters are fishable by around the equinox and remain so until the end of the month, the only time this is the case.  Hatches improve over late August, and crowds on the Yellowstone and less famous waters decline substantially after Labor Day.  Brown trout and fall-run rainbows begin preparing to spawn, meaning large fish become a better and better possibility through the month.  Streamer fishing is excellent on the Yellowstone River, especially in the canyon in the Park.

        Cons: Low water and spooky fish require polished skills on many famous waters, especially early in the month.  Crowds on famous streams in Yellowstone Park remain high until late in the month

        Closed/Unfishable Water: Most freestone creeks get very shaky by mid-month, and most brook trout populations vanish as the fish move into headwater tributaries to spawn.  Rain and early snows can occasionally muddy rivers, but only for a day or two.

        Top Guided Trip Options: There are lots of options in September, though the small creeks are mostly out of play by the 15th, which is one reason by beginner fishing tails off towards the end of the month.  Otherwise, all of the summer options remain viable.  The fall-run browns get going in some areas in September, which means we often split our walk trips into two parts: half the day is spent hunting "runners" and half is spent fishing the Lamar drainage or the Yellowstone in the Park.

        Description:  September is becoming more and more popular a month to fish in the Yellowstone area, which means that though the crowds of "regular" tourists are lower, there are almost as many anglers as August, at least early in the month.  Because fishing on small streams is starting to peter out, because the water is low and very clear, and because the trout in famous rivers have seen lots of flies since early July, September offers fewer options for the beginner.  In other respects, it is a time of transitions.  Snow and 80 degree temperatures are both possible.  Because of this, you need to be prepared for a wide variety of conditions and to use a wide variety of tactics in September.  On the Yellowstone alone you might fish streamers, large hoppers, and #18 BWO on the same day.  Out of the water, the elk are rutting, trees at higher elevations are changing colors, birds are migrating, and otherwise fall is in the air.

October

        In a Sentence: October is big fish time.

        Avg. Fishable Days: 25 or so for public water, all but one or two of the coldest days if the Paradise Valley spring creeks are also considered.  Melting early snow can put some rivers out of play for a day or two.

        Pros: big browns, good BWO hatches in many places, small crowds.

        Cons: It's starting to get cold, more and more waters shut down due to cold as the month progresses, few beginner options, picky fish when they're rising.

        Closed/Unfishable Water: Early in the month virtually all high elevation freestone streams begin slipping into their winter doldrums, meaning that by the tenth only large rivers, those emerging from lakes, spring creeks, and creeks and small rivers receiving geyser runoff fish well.  Cold and dirty snowmelt after early winter storms can muddy many rivers for a day or so.

        Top Guided Trip Options: Once the last Green Drakes hatch in the Lamar drainage, we have four major options: fishing the Firehole for its fall BWO hatches, fishing streamers and BWO on the Yellowstone (both from the boat and in the Park), chasing fall-run browns in the Park, and hitting the spring creeks, where BWO and fall-run browns are present.  The creeks go on their low winter rates at mid-month.  In general, the fall-run browns in the Park and on the Yellowstone are our personal favorites in October: it's hard to argue with fish averaging 16-20 inches.

        Description:  For the hard-core angler, October vies with March and April for the crown of "top month."  There are several reasons.  Foremost are the fall-run browns and a handful of rainbows that run in their largest numbers in October.  While you still need to be lucky to catch a true monster, fish in the 16-20" range are caught on a regular basis in the right places.  You'll share these "right" places with a few other serious anglers, but with high temperatures in the 40s-50s and lows in the 30s on average, overall crowds and crowds of fair weather fishermen are nowhere to be found.  Other draws are good BWO hatches on the Yellowstone, Gardner and Firehole, and early in the month in the Lamar drainage, lake trout doing their own spawning in Lewis and Yellowstone Lakes, cheap rates coupled with consistent fishing on the spring creeks, and hot streamer action in the Yellowstone both inside and outside the Park, both where run-up fish are present and where they're not.   Because snow and rain can muddy some rivers through the month, since the snow usually doesn't fall at low elevations and doesn't stick around more than a day or two even up high this early in the year, flexibility is a must.  Be prepared to observe rutting elk or to fish the Firehole (which seldom gets dirty) when the Gardner or Yellowstone muddies up for a day or two.

November

        In a Sentence: Good fishing for the stout-hearted, followed by the onset of winter.

        Avg. Fishable Days: 15-20 on public water, 20-25 on spring creeks.  The first Sunday is the last day of fishing in Yellowstone Park, which significantly reduces options.  Snowmelt from early winter storms often dirties the Yellowstone, and heavy snows at low elevations can shut things down for days anytime.  By late in the month winter is here for awhile.

        Pros: No people, big browns, some heavy BWO hatches early in the month, spring creeks already on low winter rates though their fishing remains excellent.

        Cons: Cold, significantly fewer fishable options after the Yellowstone closure, inconsistent fishing due to snowmelt and bad weather means flexibility is critical.

        Closed/Unfishable Water: YNP closes to fishing after the first Sunday.  While public creeks outside the Park remain open until late in the month, they are unfishably cold.

        Top Guided Trip Options: Before YNP closes, all options mentioned for October remain good choices.  During the rest of the month, float trips on the Yellowstone hitting BWO hatches and fishing streamers for the browns (which are still running) is our major tactic, but for those willing to pay the reasonable $40 spring creek fees, BWO, streamer, and egg pattern fishing remains outstanding.  November is the final month in our guiding year, with most trips taking place before mid-month.

        Description: November is October on steroids.  It's colder, the fishing is slanted even more heavily towards big browns (especially in the Yellowstone,) fishing options get ever more limited, and crowds are a fraction of what they were a few weeks earlier, as much because many locals are out big game hunting as because of the end of the major tourist season.  Anglers who come fishing in November should expect cold, short days, dreary weather, and throwing streamers and nymphs except during BWO hatches, which are fairly common until the first significant snow at low elevation, which typically occurs around the 20th and will leave snow down until March.  Experienced anglers who can tolerate the cold can do quite well in November, especially during the first half of the month, and you can turn some huge fish, but be sure to pack your layers, good raingear, and neoprene fingerless gloves.

December

        In a Sentence: The beginning of fly tying season.

        Avg. Fishable Days: 10-15 depending on resistance to cold.

        Pros: No people, some BWO and midge activity, wildlife watching and winter sports get better and better as the month progresses.

        Cons: Rivers go into winter mode, meaning fishing is very inconsistent even if it is sometimes good.  Ice in the river eliminates floating as a viable option.

        Closed/Unfishable Water: The Paradise Valley spring creeks and ice-free sections of the Yellowstone are our only options.  Further afield, the Missouri, Madison, Gallatin, and Big Horn remain good bets.

        Top Guided Trip Options: We do not guide in December.

        Description: December probably reads a bit like January did, doesn't it?  This is apt.  Though there may still be a handful of spawning browns early in the month, we mostly take December to visit family and/or go steelhead fishing.  There's some fishing, but you shouldn't make it the focus of your trip.

For more information, contact us.