Yellowstone River

Saturday, February 4, 6:32 p.m. MST

Current River Levels

For 7-day, 30-day, and one-year graphs, click bold type below.

GAGE LOCATION	DAY/YEAR GRAPHS	CURRENT STAGE/FLOW	WHAT TIME

Shields near Livingston	7 30 year	/	N/A
Boulder at Big Timber	7 30 year	1.88 / 112	5 pm
Lamar near Tower Falls	7 30 year	/	N/A
Gardner near Mammoth	7 30 year	2.19 / 107	5 pm
Yellowstone at Lake Outlet	7 30 year	/	N/A
Yellowstone at Corwin Spring	7 30 year	1.32 / 1000	5 pm
Yellowstone near Livingstone	7 30 year	1.14 / 1520	11 am

Weather

Click bold type for weather from NOAA, Accuweather, or The Weather Channel

CITY

Gardiner	NOAA	Accuweather	TWC
Livingston	NOAA	Accuweather	TWC
Billings	NOAA	Accuweather	TWC

What to Expect in February

What usually happens. Best way to use this section.

Hatches divided by half-month. Super Major Minor Slight None

HATCH	NYMPH/ LARVA	PUPA/ EMERGER	DUN/ ADULT	EGG- LAYER

Blue-winged olive
Spotted caddis
Green caddis
Golden stonefly
Salmonfly
Little brown stonefly
Skwala
Midge
Sculpin
Baitfish
Roe

The Yellowstone can be a problem in cold weather, with floe ice turning the river into a giant slushee. But if a chinook comes through and warms up the water, you might do well with some big streamers and may even find a midge hatch or two--if the chinook didn't melt so much snow that the river is blown out.

Some better, more reliable options in the area are the private Paradise Valley spring creeks. They are open, not terribly busy, and the price is around $50 for a day of fishing. There are far worse ways to spend $50 in winter.

See the Rivers in General report for additional winter fly fishing tactics.

Other Fisheries

Select a report for another fishery