There might not be a more beautiful place to fly fish than Montana’s Yellowstone River, a major artery that supplies nourishment from the headwaters within the Wyoming side of the Yellowstone National Park on into southwest Montana.
And oh yeah, the fishing isn’t too bad either.
The Yellowstone River is not only the longest undammed river in the lower 48 states, it’s also one of the most productive trout fisheries with you’ll come across in the lower 48 as well.
The Yellowstone River fly fishing opportunities are amazing thanks to massive runs with widths surpassing 300 feet on some stretches, which makes it best fished by boat.
As far as species, the Yellowstone is known for its nice mix of brown trout, rainbow trout and Yellowstone cutthroats. There are also plenty of whitefish here as well, whether you like it or not. But on a bad day of trout fishing, the Rocky Mountain whitefish might just be your best friend.
Yellowstone National Park
Access to the Yellowstone River is not easy on the upper stretches, particularly in the canyons (Yellowstone and Black Canyon).
If you want to fish within the park, your best bet is from Yellowstone Lake on down to the falls, where you have the best chance of hooking up with a native cutthroat.
While the park can be flooded with crowds during the summer, this is probably your best bet to fly fish away from the crowds as few people think of packing their rods when vacationing in Yellowstone … there’s just too much else to see.
Gardiner to Yankee Jim Canyon
The river seems to pick up speed as it crosses the border and reaches Gardiner, Montana. The calmest stretches probably come after the midway point at Corwin Springs, where the river flattens out a bit before plummeting into Yankee Jim Canyon. If you’re not an experienced boater, leave the rapids to the rafters below Joe Brown – the last landing before the canyon.
Tom Miner Bridge to Livingston
After Yankee Jim Canyon comes one of the most fished sections of the river. The conditions are pretty good, and the fish big, from Tom Minger Bridge on down to Carter’s Bridge.
Along the way are stops at Emigrant, one of the easiest access points, and Mallard’s Rest, which allows anglers to fish some deeper pools and cast up against the banks.
Carter’s Bridge is located about five miles south of Livingston, where you’ll find resourceful fly shops like Yellowstone Angler (YellowstoneAngler.com, 406-222-7130) Sweet Water Fly Shop (SweetWaterFlyshop.com, 877-628- 3474) if you need to stock up on flies or in need of pointers.
Livingston to Columbus
The Lower River from Livingston to Columbus isn’t as heavily fished because of fewer fish and fewer riffles and pools.
But these sections of the river can also turn in a hurry, particularly late in the summer and early fall when the terrestrials come out and play along the river’s edge.
This is when tucking ’hoppers tight against the banks can lead to some big fish and even bigger takes.
