River Reports
Big Horn River 
With fantastic fishing year round, the blue ribbon Bighorn River is a tributary of the Yellowstone River and is rated one of the world's finest trout streams because of its abundant trout, dense insect hatches, and easy accessibility. With the completion of Yellowtail Dam at Fort Smith around 1965, the river was transformed from a slow warm body of water to the classic cold and clear tailwater river it is today.
Game Fish Opportunities:
Brown Trout, Channel Catfish, Mountain Whitefish, Rainbow Trout
Detailed Information
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Current Conditions - 9/04/10
The Bureau of Rec has dropped flow rates to about 2500cfs. This reduction has started the long awaited black caddis hatches. Hopper fishing has started to heat up and down the river.
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Recommended Fly Patterns
| Red, brown and wine are starting to work well. Fire beads, softhackle sowbugs and pink and grey ray charles are working well during high water.
Sowbugs, pink, grey and tan size 16, trailed by midge larvae: red, olive black. zebra midges and rootbeer midges are working well in size 18. Glass bead Quill nymphs in size 18 are starting to work. |
Dry Flies
Black caddis are going stong right now. Hoppers are woriking mainly in the lower river!! Hopefully some Tricos,soon! |
StreamersStreamers are still working, but as water temps drop fish become more sluggish. Black woolly buggers JJ specials brown and yellow buggers and circus peanuts. |
Yellowstone River 
The Yellowstone has survived as one of the last, free flowing rivers in the continental United States. Originating in Wyoming, it flows through Yellowstone National Park before entering Montana at Gardiner. From the park boundary to Livingston, the river flows north through Paradise Valley, flanked by the Absarokee Mountains on the east and the Gallatin Range on the west. From the clear, coldwater cutthroat trout fishery in Yellowstone National Park to the warmer water habitat at its mouth, the river supports a variety of aquatic environments that remain relatively undisturbed. Excellent fly fishing can be found from Gardiner to Park City, and the Yellowstone is floatable all spring and summer.
Game Fish Opportunities:
Brown Trout, Burbot, Channel Catfish, Mountain Whitefish, Paddlefish, Rainbow Trout, Sauger, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout
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Current Conditions - 9/04/10
THE LOWER RIVER from Livingston down has been high and muddy from a week of hard rain! However, it should clear fast and come down just in time for the big Labor Day weekend. The fishing has been good all up and down river still with Hoppers Caddis and Streamers. nymphs are working during the day. THIS IS THE BEST TIME OF YEAR FOR THE YELLOWSTONE; Hopper fishing is at its peak, and the streamer fishing is just getting started, and will go through October!
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Recommended Fly Patterns
| Nymphs Beadhead stoneflies and prince nymphs, coppr johns, hares ears, and lightning bugs. |
Dry flies: Elk hair caddis and X caddis in size #14 and #16 Stimulators size 10 in yellow and olive. Hoppers are here... Club sandwiches, para hoppers and rainys foam hoppers are all doing well. |
Streamers Brown and yellow , olive, and black woolly buggers
White zonkers and woolly buggers are working well. |
Stillwater River
This tributary from the Yellowstone is another blue ribbon river. Although named the Stillwater, this scenic, sometimes rough river has very few truly still places. The river begins in the mountains of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness Area where it flows for more than twenty miles through the wilderness area. It then flows for another 45 miles through a mix of canyons, prairie and forest until meeting up with the Yellowstone River near the town of Columbus, Montana. Once the Stillwater River leaves the wilderness, access for most of its length is good due to numerous road, bridge and designated fishing access sites.The Stillwater River is only 45 minutes from Billings, Montana. This excellent free flowing river is floatable in June and July.
Game Fish Opportunities:
Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Mountain Whitefish, Rainbow Trout, Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout
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Current Conditions - 9/04/10
The Stillwater below Absarokee was high and muddy from recent rains and running about 650 cfs. The river is starting to come down and fisherman in the lower river are doing well fishing a hopper dropper rig. The upper river is low and clear, and The fishing is really good. Starting to see lots of caddis. Hopper fishing has been really good! . Water temps are fluctuating but average temperatures are around 54-60 degrees. |
Recommended Fly Patterns
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Nymphs Nymphs are working in the morning. The usual spring beadheads are working-Copper Johns, March Brown biot, Hares Ears, prince nymphs, pheasant tails, and lightning bugs in sizes 16 and 14. Caddis pupa and cased caddis are starting to catch fish.
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Dry Flies Olive and yellow Stimulators. Sizes #12 and #14 in Para Adams,and wulff patterns. Elk hair caddis, goddard caddis are working in sizes #16 and #14. Jack Cabes and Para Hoppers in size 10.
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Streamers Black and brown woolly buggers are working
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Rock Creek
This red ribbon river is only 60 miles from Billings, Montana. A tributary to the Clark Fork River on the famous Lewis and Clark Trail, Rock Creek is a fisherman's paradise.This absolutely beautiful small free flowing river is very solitary.
Game Fish Opportunities:
Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Mountain Whitefish
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Current Conditions 9/04/10
Rock Creek is still high at 120 cfs, but it is running clear. Fishing is starting to pick up with caddis and attractor patterns working the best. Hoppers are working good from Roberts up to Red Lodge. |
Recommended Fly Patterns
| Nymphs Big Stonefly nymphs and beadhead nymphs. Prince nymphs, lightning bugs, pheasant tails, and cased caddis.
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Dry Flies Olive and yellow stimulators in sizes #10 and #12 Now Caddis are starting to come off. Grasshoppers size #10
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Streamers
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Boulder River
The Boulder River originates in the rugged, high elevations of the Beartooth Mountains in the Gallatin National Forest. It tumbles down 7,300 feet and 60 miles through mixed conifers, deciduous trees, shrubs, grassland, and agricultural land, to join the Yellowstone River. Most of its drainage lies within the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. The main Boulder, East and West Boulder rivers and their many tributaries provide a wide diversity of fisheries habitats.This blue ribbon river is excellent fishing and is floatable in the months of June and July.
Game Fish Opportunities:
Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Mountain Whitefish, Rainbow Trout
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Current Conditions 9/04/10
The Lower River had jumped up to around 300 cfs at the beginning of the week. The rains are subsiding and the lower river should return flowing around 150 cfs. and starting to fish. Caddis patterns are working early and late, along with attractor patterns like red and yellow humpys and royal wulffs. Hopper fishing is here during the heat of the day.
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Recommended Fly Patterns
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Nymphs Nymphing is starting to pick up with larger stonefly nymphs: Bitch creeks and black and brown stonefly patterns. Beadhead nymphs such as Lightning bugs, copper johns, princce nymphs, and pheasant tails all are working
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Dry Flies CADDIS, elk hair, x-caddis and goddards in sizes #16 and #14! Olive and Royal Stimulators have been working. HOPPERS are next!
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Streamers Olive and black woolly buggers are working on cloudy days.
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