The Yellowstone River still has a little time before it is really back into prime shape. Crowds seem to be down following the holiday week as well as the passing of the salmonfly hatch. Flows out of Yellowstone Lake are almost below 5,000 cfs which means that the river should really be starting to clear in the next week or so. The river is at 7,400 cfs near Corwin Springs and at 8,310 cfs in Livingston. Each day flows are looking better and better! There have been a plethora of bugs throughout the day. Most notably are the Yellow Sallies and Caddis hatches that have been occurring daily. Additionally there have been some drakes mixed in on certain stretches of the river. All kinds of fishing has been tricking fish to eat. During the mornings and evenings the dry fly bite has been decent when bugs are out, however it definitely has been turning off during the late morning into afternoon. As usual, bobber rigs are producing fish as well, prince nymphs, pheasant tails, and other traditional nymphs below a stonefly nymph will draw some trout in as well. There has also been a solid streamer bite throughout the day. It is starting to seem that the trout are beginning to transition from an aquatic insect to a terrestrial insect diet. Get on the bench and start tying your hopper, beetle, and ant patterns!
As a side note, we would also like to again reiterate that the river is still at a dangerous level. This past week we have heard numerous reports of boats flipping in the upper section and have had one fatality on the river. When floating please use your best judgement and do not row any sections you are not prepared for. Take time to scout technical sections to ensure that you and your anglers are safe. Feel free to stop by the shop and we can answer any questions you may have about certain floats.