Yellowstone Park
YELLOWSTONE PARK
ReportThe Madison River drainage now has a hoot owl restriction throughout, meaning no fishing after 2 PM daily. Water temperatures have improved to favorable levels on all streams outside of the Madison River drainage. Rains have brought occasional turbidity to Soda Butte Creek and the Lamar River. This turbidity can extend down to the Yellowstone River below the Lamar River confluence.
Slough Creek remains clear with a Hecuba emergence taking place and an abundant bankside terrestrial insect population. Early in the day and during evenings remain the best time to fish all park streams. Cooler weather has resulted in a BWO hatch on the Gallatin River. Here a precise drag-free drift into pockets and near undercuts brings trout up. Tricos are beginning to show during mornings on Fall River Basin streams.
Beula Lake continues with some of the fastest still water fishing in the park, with cutthroat trout feeding on speckled dun, cinnamon caddis, and damselflies. Best shoreline fishing is at the Fall River inlet, but packing in and using a flotation device opens the whole lake to fishing. Riddle Lake, with a shorter walk (a bit more than a mile), has good shoreline fishing and is not far behind Beula with respect to fly fishing action.
| Insect | Size | Activity | Prime Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue-Winged Olive | #22 | Active — cooler weather triggering hatch | Mornings and evenings, Gallatin River |
| Hecuba (Yellow Sally Mayfly) | #10–12 | Emergence underway | Early morning and evening, Slough Creek |
| Trico | #20–22 | Beginning to show | Mornings, Fall River Basin streams |
| Cinnamon Caddis | #16–18 | Active on stillwater | Mornings and evenings, Beula Lake |
| Speckled Dun | #14–16 | Active on stillwater | Mornings and evenings, Beula Lake |
| Damselfly | #12–14 | Active — cutthroat keying on them | Midday, Beula and Riddle Lakes |
- EARLY MORNING (first light to 9 AM): Trico spinner falls on Fall River Basin streams; BWO hatch on the Gallatin; terrestrial and Hecuba action on Slough Creek
- EVENING (5 PM to dark): Best window for all park streams — terrestrials on Slough Creek, BWO and caddis on the Gallatin, and stillwater cruisers at Beula and Riddle Lakes
- BEFORE 2 PM ONLY: Any fishing in the Madison River drainage — the hoot owl restriction closes all Madison drainage waters at 2 PM daily
