Yellowstone River Autumn Fishing Report: Nymphs, Streamers, and a Glimmer of Dry Fly Action

Yellowstone River folks, Artificial Lure here, reporting in bright and early on November 14th. We’re seeing a true Montana autumn: the last gasp of warmth is behind us and winter is teasing its arrival. Just up north of the park, the mercury’s been oddly high for November—caught locals off guard in shorts a couple days back with highs in the 60s—but the transition to colder, wetter, and snowier weather is underway according to The Outdoor Society and Cowboy State Daily. Expect more clouds, intermittent rain, and snow showers settling in for the remainder of the week, with daytime highs now drifting toward the low 40s to mid-50s. Montana Outdoor notes especially blustery and challenging conditions recently around Livingston.

Sunrise hit at 7:18 AM and sunset will drop close to 4:50 PM, so plan those outings for the late morning into early afternoon. While our Yellowstone River isn’t tidal, watch for flows and water clarity—recent patchy precipitation in northwest Montana has improved river conditions a bit, as reported by the National Drought Mitigation Center, so expect decent flow with a good bump from runoff.

Fish activity lately has keyed up on nymphs as the real chill arrives. Word from local guides and Montana Outdoor is that rainbows have been active in deeper runs, picking off rubberlegs, smaller stonefly nymphs, and flashy beadheads like the Rainbow Warrior and Spanish Bullet. Brown trout are still a primary target, hunkering down but taking small streamers—think olive or black Sparkle Minnow or Mini Dungeon, especially when the clouds roll in late in the day. The occasional dry window is still popping up with blue-winged olives and midges, so if you see trout sipping in eddies, don’t hesitate to throw a size 18–20 parachute BWO.

Catches have been solid for November—reports as recent as Nov 11 out of Montana Outdoor detail a decent amount of 14–18 inch browns and rainbows, with a handful of cutthroat showing up in slower side channels. Nothing hot and heavy, but enough action to keep things interesting if you put in the hours. Expect most successful anglers to be running double nymph rigs under indicators, ticking along riffle seams and slow wintering pools. If you’re after that aggressive pre-winter bite, swing or strip a streamer tight to structure in the afternoon.

Best lures and flies for current Yellowstone River conditions:

- Pat’s Rubberleg (brown or black)
- Rainbow Warrior
- Spanish Bullet Perdigon
- Olive or tan Mini Dungeon
- Black or olive Sparkle Minnow
- Parachute BWO or Midge (size 18–20 for the risers)

For bait anglers, nightcrawlers and salmon eggs drifted along the bottom are a classic late-season go-to, especially for deeper runs below Livingston or above Paradise Valley.

Hot spots to try:
- The point just downstream of Carter’s Bridge—lots of good structure and slower water holding post-spawn browns and late-season rainbows.
- Pine Creek access—side channels have been productive, especially mid-day as fish move to warmer, shallower flats.

Bring your patience. Be ready to adapt as the weather shifts and the barometer dips—a quick change from wind to sleet can trigger a short, frenzied bite window. Layer up, watch for rising fish during the warmer afternoon lulls, and don’t skip those slow nymph drifts. For November, it’s all about quality over quantity.

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