The Yellowstone River in the Park looks better this week after last week’s clarity issues have resolved.  There will be showers in and around the Park for the next few days, so be prepared to alter your location and approach accordingly.

Flows remain very low overall - at the Yellowstone Lake Outlet today (0515) flows are 594 cfs (average 1130 cfs, the 20% marker is 860 cfs).

Below Fishing Bridge right now is probably one of the least productive areas in the Park to fish in our minds - there just aren’t many (hardly any) fish in this section of the river this time of year.  If you just have to fish here, try a cloudy, overcast BWO type day, find fish, and cast to the risers.  You could cover lots of water with a streamer or streamer / mymph set up too, though odds are you’ll have a skinny day.

Yellowstone Canyons - there’s probably still two reasonable approaches here, and this is where we’d fish the river today if we could (we’re going tomorrow!).   You should be looking for BWOs on the cooler and overcast / precipitation days - the challenge might be finding where the hatch is the most prolific.  If we were fishing this water today though I’d throw streamers (or streamer / nymph - double nymph set ups) and plan to cover some water.   On a warm fall afternoon that feels more like summer than fall, still think about hopper / dropper and attractor / dropper set ups (it may be warm and sunny again by Friday per the forecast).

Down near Gardner (and below) we would suggest terrestials or maybe a small attractor with a dropper rig, and streamers in the morning will be productive if you’re willing to be diligent, make some adjustments, and again cover some water.  BWOs will again start showing on the cooler days.

We have a full report available (updated yesterday) for the Yellowstone River outside the park on Best Fly Fishing Montana (this link will take you right to the report blog).

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Flies to have in the box:

Dries:  baetis - BWO, Blue Dun, Olive Sparkle Dun, Para-adams; Caddis - EHC, X Caddis, - tan, olive, black;  your attractor package

Nymphs:  Lightning bug, green and gold; Hares Ear, include BH;  Copper John, various colors; FB PT; SH PT; Prince - BH; your favorites

Terrestials: Hoppers - Grand, Whit, Dave’s, Carnage, Kicking  ; Beetles- Fire, Foam, HiVis, Sam’s;  Ants - Chernobyl, ParaAnt, black and cinnamon, CDC Flying ant, black, brown, cinnamon; Epoxy, same colors
 
Streamers / Others:  Woolly Buggers, brown, olive, black, Rubberlegs, brown, olive, black; Sparkle Buggers, brown, olive, black; Bow River Buggers; Girdle bug; Zonkers; Yuk Bug

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