Late Fall Yellowstone River Fishing Report: Trout, Midges, and Chilly Conditions

It’s Tuesday, November 25th, and this is Artificial Lure coming to you with your Yellowstone River fishing report out of Montana.

Let’s get right to the conditions. Last night brought in a winter weather advisory across the region, with snow totals of two to six inches in the valleys and heavier up high. Billings this morning clocked in at 22°F, and we’re not seeing much of a warming trend—expect highs only in the upper 20s and more snow showers drifting through by late afternoon, according to the National Weather Service and Ventusky. Sunrise rolled in at 7:36 AM, with dusk expected around 4:36 PM. We’ve got a classic late fall bite window: plan your best fishing between late morning and early afternoon when things nudge above freezing.

No tides to report since the Yellowstone River is all guts and gravel, but water levels are steady and cold. Wading may be a touch slick, so take care.

Fish activity is truly a story of the seasons right now. According to Montana Outdoor’s most recent Yellowstone River Fishing Report, those blustery fall days are keeping most folks parked around town, but for those tough enough to hit the banks, the river is still producing some solid late-season trout. Brown trout are in their full spawn mode—target the tailouts but tread lightly to avoid their redds. Rainbows and cutthroats are still willing down deep, especially on blue-winged olive (BWO) hatches and midges.

Recent catches reported around Livingston included several fat browns running 16 to 22 inches and strong numbers of 12 to 18 inch rainbows. DePuy’s and Armstrong’s spring creeks have also kicked out nice bows for anyone drifting tiny Baetis and midge patterns, according to Yellowstone Angler. If you’re lucky, you might even pick up a whitefish—they’re staging in softer runs and responding well to nymphs.

Best bet for flies: with PMDs and tricos waning, it’s all about the BWO and pseudo hatches. That means tying on Harrop CDC baetis emergers (#18-20), Baetis Vis A Dun (#20-22), or a Hi-Vis Baetis on top. Nymphers should go small and natural—think BWO Crack back nymphs (#18-22), thin baetis nymphs, and Sawyer Style PT’s (#14-16). For a little extra weight in this cold water, try a tungsten bead. Don’t overlook midge larvae, olive scuds, and leeches if you need to dredge. On sunnier banks, try a hopper or beetle, but those windows are short now.

Conventional anglers: it’s all about small spoons and spinners. Panther Martins in black and gold, 1/8 oz Blue Fox Vibrax, or a classic silver Kastmaster are all seeing results. For the die-hard bait crowd, drift a nightcrawler or single salmon egg along the bottom—whitefish and rainbows can’t resist.

As for hotspots, swing by the Paradise Valley spring creeks—DePuy’s and Armstrong’s are still producing, and with the browns on the move, the riffles just downstream of the Mill Creek confluence are worth a look. If you’re after solitude, check the gravel bars near Carter’s Bridge—just keep eyes on that ice buildup near the edges.

That’s the scoop straight from the banks of the Yellowstone. Thanks for tuning in—be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss next week’s bite window. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI