Livingston Montana Fishing Report

Detailed Reports

This Livingston Montana fishing report is valid from November 19 through November. We did not update any of the detailed reports.

General Comments

It has been very cold and a bit snowy of late. As such, we are almost into winter water and fishing conditions now. When it has been warmer, it has been extremely windy (gusts over 50 in Livingston, sustained 40). Geyser-heated or spring-fed water will be your best bets for the next couple months.

The Details

The Yellowstone River is the best public nearby option. Nymphing the deep runs below spawning gravel using stonefly nymphs and eggs is one tactic. Swinging streamers through these areas is another good option. On warmer, calmer days, look for afternoon midge and BWO hatches, especially on the east side of the river where there is less afternoon shade and thus the water gets slightly warmer. No need to start until 11:00 at the earliest. Wade-fishing is now the better option than floating, though you can float to access good streamer runs for the next month or so.

The Boulder River is honestly too cold and low.

The Stillwater River is too cold and low, at least for us to make the 2hr drive.

The lower Madison River is a fair late fall and winter bet. Some BWO and midge activity is possible in the afternoons. Swinging streamers can also work. Shifting into “winter bug” mode is beginning to make sense: a San Juan Worm trailing a midge like a Zebra Midge, or perhaps some sort of “pink rig” like a sowbug trailing a pink Lightning Bug.

The Paradise Valley spring creeks are the best option overall from now until March, since they stay warmer. A San Juan Worm trailing a midge pupa will be our top bet for the next few months, though you might see some PM midge or BWO hatches. Through November, micro-eggs also make sense.

The Missouri River will fish best below Hauser and Holter Dams. Still some chance of PM BWO, but midges are more likely. Egg patterns will work below Hauser. Below Holter, some streamer-swinging still makes sense, but nymphing the slow walking-speed buckets with “pink stuff” is going to take over soon.

Area Lakes and Reservoirs are too cold for “liquid” season but not frozen yet. Wait until late December to get your ice-fishing perch fix.

Yellowstone Park’s general season is now closed. The year-round fisheries in the park are the Gardner River downstream from Osprey Falls and the Madison near West Yellowstone. Some egg and streamer fishing is still possible on both, but it is fading fast. Nymphing with a stonefly trailing a BWO or midge pupa will soon be the top bet. On calmer, warmer days, look for BWO and midge hatches around and after lunch. Access on both is getting difficult; the NPS has closed the “guide only” access at the old Boiling River bridge on the Gardner for the season due to snow, meaning you have to walk in from near Gardiner, and on the Madison near West Yellowstone snowshoes will soon be required.

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