Late-Season Riches on the Yellowstone

Artificial Lure here with your Yellowstone River fishing report for Monday, November 3, 2025.

We woke up to a clear and crisp Montana morning on the Yellowstone. According to Billings meteorological stations, temps at dawn were hovering around 6°C (43°F), rising into the upper teens by afternoon. Winds stayed mild, occasionally gusting from the southwest at 10-15 km/h—just enough to keep the autumn leaves dancing on the banks. Air quality is good, and no rain in sight, making for ideal late-fall angling weather. Sunrise came on at 7:06AM and we'll see the sun dip behind the Absaroka Range at 5:08PM tonight—so plan your floats and wades accordingly.

No tidal concerns here, of course, but river flows and clarity are the big variables. Recent rains put a touch of color in the lower Yellowstone, especially below the Lamar confluence. Don’t let a slight turbidity scare you off—above the Lamar, the river remains clear and hungry fish have been reported nabbin’ late-season hoppers and streamers. According to Montana Outdoor’s October report, “hungry rainbows await on the Yellowstone,” with browns getting aggressive as fall sets in. Brown trout are just starting to gear up for their annual spawning run, making now a prime time to target big fish on big flies.

Last week, local sticks at Macman's Flathead and folks around Livingston reported steady catches of rainbows in the 12-18 inch class, with a handful of feisty browns pushing past 20 inches. Nymphing with rubber legs and smaller beaded Pheasant Tails picked up numbers, especially in the riffles and seams. Streamer anglers throwing olive, black, or white Sex Dungeons and Peanut Envys near cutbanks drew out the larger, territorial browns. Dries are less consistent with the cold, but a Pavlovich's Sweet Dreams Hopper can still bring up an opportunistic cutty or rainbow in sunny stretches.

Bait isn’t legal on the Yellowstone for trout, but those targeting deeper holes outside park boundaries for non-native species are still getting slow bites on crawlers and bright spoons. Down by Duck Creek and the Silos, a few persistent souls reported late-season walleye—golden rewards for patient bottom draggers.

If you want to maximize your catch, focus on:
- The stretch from Livingston up to Emigrant: clear water, stable flows, and plenty of public access. The town stretch near Sacajawea Park always holds some sneaky fish, especially near deeper runs.
- Yankee Jim Canyon: a bit gnarly for the rowers, but the pocket water here is full of wild, unpressured trout. Streamers and big nymphs rule.
- Below Carbella: as water cools, the slower bends and tailouts come alive—try nymphing deep or swinging small streamers.
Recent stocking and restoration work means these waters hold healthy populations of wild Yellowstone cutthroat, rainbows, browns, and even the occasional Montana Arctic grayling from upstream efforts.

Best lures and flies right now:
- Streamers: white, olive, or black, especially articulated patterns
- Nymphs: Pat's Rubber Legs, Pheasant Tail, and copper Johns, sizes #8-14
- Hopper patterns: keep a Sweet Dreams Hopper handy for rising fish on warmer afternoons
- Spoons and paddletail plastics for deep-dwelling non-trout species in slower water

Fish activity is trending high during midday warmth. Early hours are chilly and fish are sluggish, but things pick up from 10AM–3PM. Look for deeper holes transitioning into shallow gravel bars—brown trout on the move, rainbows holding behind rocks, and eager cutthroat in tailouts.

No fishing closures at present, but mind your cold fingers and watch those river edges: slick with fall frost, and the foliage makes for tough footing in spots.

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