Yellowstone River Fishing Report for September 28, 2025 - Streamers, Nymphs, and Afternoon BWO Hatch

Artificial Lure here with your Yellowstone River fishing report for Sunday, September 28, 2025.

We’re waking up to a crisp fall morning with air temps around 43 degrees near Yellowstone Lake, highs later pushing into the upper 70s to low 80s depending on your stretch of river. Winds are steady out of the southwest at 10-14 mph and we’ve got a 30% chance of scattered showers and an isolated thunderstorm this afternoon. You'll want a jacket early, but strip down to a flannel by midday. First light hit around 7:16 AM, and sunset’s coming at 7:07 PM, giving us plenty of time to wet a line and explore some new water according to the National Weather Service.

There’s no tidal swing to worry about here in Montana, but the river is running cool and clear—perfect for late September fishing. Streamer season is firing up as brown trout get aggressive ahead of the spawn. Local anglers have been moving good fish on olive and black articulated streamers, with some slabs pushing over the 20-inch mark. If you’re swinging meat, focus on deeper runs and undercut banks between Livingston and Big Timber. Nymphing continues to be steady, especially in the morning; stonefly patterns like Pat’s Rubberlegs in brown/tan paired with smaller baetis and midge nymphs (try the Lil’ Spanker or Zebra Midge, 16-22) have been putting plenty of rainbows in the net, with the occasional whitefish as a bonus.

On cloudy afternoons, expect a Baetis (Blue Winged Olive) hatch—bring a few Parachute Adams in sizes 16-20 if noses start poking up in the slicks. There’s even been the odd hopper take here and there, but these fish are already shifting into fall mode, so smaller bugs and more natural presentations will outperform big foam most days. The word from Montana Outdoor is that streamer fishing is heating up across Montana, with the Yellowstone leading the pack. Usual bait options always include nightcrawlers or dead drifted worms, but the fly folks are sticking with the classics right now.

Best bets for hot spots? Check out the Paradise Valley stretch, especially around Mallard’s Rest and the put-in at Pine Creek. Both have been producing browns on streamers and solid numbers of rainbows on nymphs. Another reliable zone is the “Town Stretch” right through Livingston where the riffles drop into deeper water—ideal for prospecting with a streamer or dead drifting a double nymph rig. For a little solitude, head downstream toward Spring Dale; fewer boats, but the brown trout are starting to move upriver and the flat water here is underrated for big fish.

Recent catches have included multiple browns to 22 inches, rainbows averaging 14–18 inches, and the occasional cutthroat mixed in. Not huge numbers of anglers out, but those putting in time and covering water have been rewarded. The clarity is good, but after any rain, keep an eye out for a slight green tinge that could put fish on the bite.

If you’re spinning gear, try a black and gold Panther Martin or a small Rapala. Fly anglers, stick to olive/black streamers, Pat’s Rubberlegs followed by a small midge dropper, and keep those BWO dries handy for the afternoon hatch.

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