Yellowstone River Fishing Report by Yellowstone Angler, May 7, 2026
Angela Montana·May 10, 2026
The Yellowstone has truly been showing off lately. We’ve enjoyed an incredible three-week stretch of the Mother’s Day Caddis (in honor of Mother’s Day today!), navigating everything from 70-degree sunshine to spring snow squalls. Between the heavy hatches and surprisingly long windows of clear water, the fishing has been nothing short of legendary—provided your timing is right.
However, the clock is ticking on these prime conditions. With a heatwave on the horizon and river flows beginning to shift, here is the latest update on what Yellowstone Angler is seeing from Corwin Springs to the Lower Madison:
A nice brown caught in Paradise Valley (Sunday 5/3 at 4:15 PM)
We’ve been fortunate to fish the Mother’s Dad Caddis for nearly 3 weeks this year! During that time we’ve seen some 70 degree days and we’ve seen some snow, (which thankfully added to our 80% snowpack).
It’s been one of the better Caddis hatches we’ve seen in years, combine the bugs with the duration of clear water and it has been down right epic, (if you are in the right spot at the right time).
Keep an eye on the CFS this week as the river is bound to start ramping up. The river dropped a bit in town today, but CFS at Corwin Springs is showing a new rise after the drop.
You will see more caddis up high now, of course that’s also where you will see more mud first, (once it starts coming). With temps in the 80’s Sunday and Monday, our guess is we have another few days of fishing the Yellowstone before we start heading over to the lower Madison.
Keep in mind Grey Bear access is closed as they are working on a new parking lot. 89 bridge is open – however you can’t access it driving east from Livingston on I-90. Instead, you’ll have to drive past it, exit a Mission Creek, do a u-turn and drive west on I-90 exiting at 89 North. (The reason for this is they are working on the bridge that goes over I-90).
Give us a call to book a trip or for the latest clarity/wind report: 1-406-222-7130
It’s still caddis time, get out there while you can!
