Livingston Montana Fishing Report

Detailed Reports

This Livingston Montana fishing report is valid from April 25 until about May 10.

General Comments

Cool and generally overcast but not rainy weather has kept the Yellowstone and Gardner Rivers in play by holding off the spring melt, but this may end as soon as this weekend. More likely, we’ll be in for bouts of muddy water in our nearby rivers that force us to head to the Boulder and Madison, or to private lakes, but still have some windows of clear water through about May 10. Right now outlooks are calling for above normal temperatures in mid-May. If that pans out, the full might of the spring melt will hit and that will be that for our early spring fishing.

The Details

The Yellowstone River has been in and out of clarity for the past few weeks, but mostly in. Depending on how much rain we get this weekend (a lot is forecast, including up to high elevations), it may blow out for the spring as early as Sunday. More likely, it’ll be Tuesday or so. We have had a few Mother’s Day caddis so far, mostly near hot springs and the like, but water temps have just barely gotten to 50 degrees, and 53 is the magic number for this bug. BWO and March Browns have been more common, but streamer fishing in the somewhat murky water we’ve had has definitely been the ticket and will continue to be unless you see bugs. Let’s hope for two days in the 60s with some morning sunshine to warm the water before the big melt. That’s what we need for a good caddis hatch. I doubt we’ll see the extended window of good caddis fishing we had last year.

The Boulder River is still at only 273cfs as of this report, too low to float. The magic number for us is 500cfs. 350 is doable in an ultralight raft if you’re sneaky. That said, the weather for this weekend should bring the river up to floatable levels, and it will stay clear longer than the Yellowstone while also becoming clear sooner with any cool spells. We expect the Boulder to be floatable by the end of the month, roughly. Streamers are good choices on the Boulder in spring, and the same hatches you see on the Yellowstone can happen here. The caddis will be a few days later.

The Stillwater River Split the difference between the Yellowstone and Boulder.

The lower Madison River will run clear upstream from Cherry Creek, though on the warmest days and after rains, Cherry Creek will pump in pure filth. Eggs are a good bet right now, but stay away from fishing or wading directly over redds. March Browns and BWO may hatch on cloudy days. The best caddis hatches here occur in late May, rather than early May. As the river starts to come up, fish San Juan Worms. Crayfish patterns (usually meaning olive Zirdles) are always on the menu here.

The Paradise Valley spring creeks are now on spring rates and are still a good choice. Eggs, San Juan Worms, and BWO nymphs in the deeper runs and pools downstream from shallow spawning areas are good choices. Only pathetic doofuses fish the spawning areas. Any light-colored patch of gravel on the bottom should be avoided. Streamers can also work on cloudy days, and BWO and midge hatches will be good on calm, cloudy days. The BWO will peter out by mid-May, as will the egg and worm bite.

The Missouri River will fish best below Hauser and Holter Dams. It is in the process of blowing out for spring upstream from Canyon Ferry Reservoir and is unlikely to run clear enough to fish again until late June there. Some chances of midge and BWO hatches PM, particularly below Holter (the Hauser Tailwater fish only rise when there is an infinite number of bugs). The water is warming, so medium-speed runs are better than the dead slow stuff, and the fish may move into faster riffles during hatches. Streamer fishing is becoming a very good choice even from a boat due to this increased effectiveness, with stripping meat now as good a choice as swinging. As is the case with the creeks, beware of spawners. You will see lots of people pounding on redds. Some of these some people also complain on the Internet about how the fishing isn’t as good as it used to be. I wonder why?!!?

Area Lakes and Reservoirs are a great bet now and will be for the next two months. We’re talking about the low-elevation ranch lakes and prairie reservoirs, here. High-elevation lakes are still a month from losing their ice, and mid-elevation reservoirs like Hebgen that will lose their ice in a couple weeks are a long way from here. On the prairie lakes and ranch ponds, Fish leeches, San Juan Worms, egg patterns and weird UK-style patterns like Blobs. Fish the windward sides of the lakes, particularly where there is rock. Since the fish are stocked and spawning is unsuccessful in lakes (all true trout vs chars such as brookies and lakers need flowing water to spawn), feel free to target fish going through the motions of spawning. Unlike in rivers, you won’t hurt the next generation since it comes from a hatchery truck anyway. Hatches won’t begin on the low-elevation lakes until mid-May.

Yellowstone Park’s general season is closed. The year-round fisheries in the park are the Gardner River downstream from Osprey Falls and the Madison near West Yellowstone. The Gardner is muddy or at least deeply murky more often than not of late. When clear, it has fished well with stonefly nymphs and eggs in the bigger pools, and BWO nymphs, attractor nymphs, and caddis pupae in the pocket water. Some caddis have hatched below Boiling River, and March Browns and BWO are possible on all the open water. The Madison will stay clear enough much later into May, and will be clear enough overall more often than not through spring, but it is an awful long way from here and we have no recent intel.

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