Carbella to Emigrant

General Characteristics

• Banks: crumbly mix of dirt, rock, sage and brush.
• Water: Generally flat with gravel bar riffles and cut banks. Very few rapids exist but they are not non-existent.
• Wade Accessibility: Challenging for on-foot fishing, requires some scrambling and physical fitness. Lots of private lands following the river corridor.
• Float Accessibility: One of the less technically challenging sections on the Yellowstone but does still have dry run channels, low head dams and some rapids.
• Bottom: gravel/cobble, small boulders, some mud and vegetation.
• Susceptible to blow out due to rains all summer.
• Can get very crowded with drift boats during peak summer season.

Fishery

• Unique combo of decent-sized cutthroat trout.
• Take dry flies, nymphs, streamers.
• Prime spots rare, more unsafe areas than fishable ones.

Fishing Season

• All season after runoff subsides.
• Stoneflies (July), caddis & hoppers (August), mayflies (cooler temps).
• Western Green Drakes & Drake Mackeral prominent.

Recommended Access points

• Crystal Cross
• Carbella
• Point of Rocks I & II
• Meditation Point
• 26 Mile
• Emigrant

Skill Level & FIsh Size

• Suitable for all skill levels.
• Average fish: 12-16 inches, potential for low 20s.

additional notes

• Consider mud impact throughout the season.
• Run off is fairly considerable on this river.