Summer Streamflow & Fishing Forecast for Early April, 2024
Posted on April 1st, 2024
Winter 2023-2024 has been warm and dry in Yellowstone Country, just like it has just about everywhere except California through Colorado. For a while we were flirting with record-low snowpack, and 50 degree days have been more common than below-zero here in Livingston. At the end of January we were expecting dire summer water (and fire) conditions. While February and March have generally been wet, and not as warm relative to average, we still anticipate a light runoff that ends early, followed by low water and difficult conditions in late summer. Cross your fingers for a late runoff and wet spring and early summer.
The above is basically the same as our previous update. That’s because things haven’t changed much. They have improved slightly, however.
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Summer Streamflow & Fishing Forecast for Mid-March, 2024
Posted on March 13th, 2024
Winter 2023-2024 has been warm and dry in Yellowstone Country, just like it has just about everywhere except California through Colorado. For a while we were flirting with record-low snowpack, and 50 degree days have been more common than below-zero here in Livingston. At the end of January we were expecting dire summer water (and fire) conditions. While February and early March have generally been wet, and not as warm relative to average, we still anticipate a light runoff that ends early, followed by low water and difficult conditions in late summer. Cross your fingers for a late runoff and wet spring and early summer.
Note that the maps we used to include on these posts are no longer produced. Instead, find them here: NWCC Maps.
Late Fall Yellowstone Fishing Trips
Posted on January 25th, 2024
Walter caught this one. He’s not alone in doing much of his personal fishing in late fall. The fishing is great, but guide business drops off since only hardcore visitors like to fish when it might be snowing sideways and 15 degrees.
Introduction to October Fishing Trips in Yellowstone and Montana
Late fall begins when the first extended cold weather hits, usually in the first ten days of October. October fishing in Yellowstone is not for the faint of heart, but it is fantastic for the right anglers in the right places.
While fewer waters fish well at this time than earlier in the year, simply because most waters are already at winter-low flows and have cold water temperatures and lethargic fish to match, those that do fish well at this time fish really well. Walter caught 53 trout in three hours on his last personal trip in October 2023, for example. That’s at the high end, but less unusual than if he’d caught ten.
The best waters are those that host fall-run brown trout, though nowadays we often focus on the non-spawning trout that follow the browns to eat their eggs and the bugs their spawning behavior disturbs, rather than the browns themselves. This is to avoid stressing actively-spawning trout and the angler crowds the spawn can bring to the best areas.