2026 Fishing Season Forecast
Posted on April 11th, 2026
Introduction: We’re Heading for Serious Drought
We got a below-average amount of snow this winter, winter was record-warm, the snow started melting six weeks early, and the summer outlooks are calling for hot and dry conditions. Those are the facts we’re dealing with this year. Here’s how it will impact the fishing.
First, some photos, since they’re worth a thousand words.
In this first one, the core of our operations area is that 79% basin in southern Montana. Portions of our operations area extend into that 66% basin and the 84% to the northwest. As you can see, we’re low, but still better off than anywhere else in the West. Colorado, Utah, and Oregon are in absolutely dire straits.
2026 Yellowstone Area Streamflow and Fishing Predictions
Posted on February 22nd, 2026
Introduction
Winter snowpack and how this snowpack melts from April through mid-June are the most important factors in determining summer water levels and fishing conditions. They’re also important factors in “quality of life” aspects of summer fishing, such as how much wildfire smoke can be expected in late summer.
This is our post about snowpack and expected conditions for the 2026 season. This post will be updated every couple of weeks as conditions change, until roughly June 5 to June 15, when we expect all area fisheries to be finished with the spring melt and ready to go for the summer season. The most recent revision date is given below.
Updated on March 22, 2026
There are substantial changes in this update due to the recent spell of record heat as well as a forecast calling for more above-normal temperatures.
Westwide snowpack as of March 21, with YCFF operations area circled.
Snowpack Update and Summer Streamflow and Fishing Forecast for April 19, 2024
Posted on April 19th, 2024
Winter and early spring 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 the potential for a very short fishing season. After strong improvement from mid-January through March, April has seen a decline in snowpack and we’re looking at tough conditions again in late summer and early fall.
Because of anticipated low and warm streamflows and a forecast for a hot, dry summer, we encourage anglers to visit sometime between June 20 and July 20 if you’re looking for consistent summer-type fishing with dry-dropper combos, fast, cold flows, etc. July 20 through August 20 are likely to see very low water and widespread 2:00PM mandatory closures. August 20 through September will see better conditions, but low, clear water will still make for difficult fishing on sunny days. Only in October and November will we be sure of aggressive fish again.
With Yellowstone Park opening portions of the Gardner and Madison Rivers to year-round fishing beginning November 1, this may be a year to skip August and come in early November instead, especially if you’re an angler who likes to walk-wade and doesn’t mind cold weather fishing.
Anglers who visit in late summer and early fall are strongly advised to be flexible as far as destinations, tactics, trip start times (we will likely want to meet before dawn) and durations (morning half-days might be the way to go in August) and even target species. Anglers here on August 15 up for doing oddball stuff like throwing grasshoppers for carp might be a lot happier than anglers who insist on trying to fish the same flies on the mellowest stretches of Paradise Valley on the Yellowstone on the same date…
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