Yellowstone River Autumn Fishing Report - Windswept Hoppers, Streamers, and Late Season Trout

Yellowstone River woke up windy today, just like the forecast said—sustained 21–30 mph with gusts peaking at 41. Water’s running at 1,580 CFS, with temps drifting from 61 to 67 degrees, so we’re still in that sweet spot for autumn action. Visibility’s been decent, though a bit of high haze and smoke this week makes for some moody river scenes—not bad if you like a little character with your drift.

Sunrise hit the valley at 7:57 AM, and we’ll be in the light till sunset at 6:23 PM. No tidal report to speak of this deep inland, but wind is your biggest “tide” on a day like this. If you’re floating, batten down because rowing’s for the strong. On foot, get low and tuck behind those willows.

The hopper bite’s still holding strong for late October, especially with that haze dulling the harsh sun. Locals are tying on peach and pink patterns, sizes 8–14 to match those bigger windswept bugs. Floating ant patterns have fooled a few smart cutthroat in the Valley and above Yankee Jim; while elk hair and Butch Caddis (#14–18) are catching that late caddis hatch in the afternoon.

In the last few days, anglers have been getting into decent numbers of rainbow and cutthroat in the Paradise Valley stretch. A couple guides out of Livingston report bows up to 18 inches and some healthy yellow-bellied cuts, mostly chasing hoppers with a dropper rig. If you’re swinging big, black leadeye streamers (#4–6), especially in the deeper slots by Emigrant, you’ve got a shot at a brown or two as dusk sets in. Flows and temps match up for aggressive fish moving out of the shadows. Nymphing runs? Bead Head Princes (#8–10) and Euro nymphs like blow torches and Duracell bomb browns (#12–18) are the go-to below riffles and bucket seams.

If you’re tossing gear instead of flies, stick to small minnow baits and spinners with a little color—think gold and black or chartreuse for visibility. Nightcrawlers will pull a stray whitefish if you’re looking for steady action, but trout today will want movement and flash with these conditions.

Hot spots right now:
- Look for quieter side channels and inside bends near Mallard’s Rest—fish are stacking to get out of the wind.
- Yankee Jim Canyon is worth the hike for those hunting bigger browns on streamers, just mind your footing in the gusts.
- The stretch from Carter’s Bridge down toward Pine Creek still flows steady and has given up some chunky late-season rainbows in the last couple nights.

Be courteous on the crowded water, especially in the wind—everyone’s working for their stripes out there. The valley is busy, so a little extra patience goes a long way. This is Artificial Lure wishing you tight lines. Thanks for tuning in and don’t forget to subscribe. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Yellowstone River woke up windy today, just like the forecast said.
Sustain twenty one to thirty miles per hour with gus
beaking at forty one. Water is running at one thousand,
five hundred and eighty cfs with temps drifting from sixty
one to sixty seven degrees, so we're still in that
sweet spot for autumn action. Visibility's been decent, though a

(00:21):
bit of high haze and smoke this week makes for
some moody river scenes. Not bad if you like a
little character with your drift. Sunrise hit the valley at
seven fifty seven am and will be in the light
till sunset at six twenty three pm. No title report
to speak of this deep inland, but wind is your
biggest tide on a day like this. If you're floating,

(00:41):
batten down because rowings for the strong on foot get
low and tuck behind those willows. The hopper bite still
holding strong for late October, especially with that haze dull
in the harsh sun. Locals are tying on peach and
pink patterns. Size is eight fourteen to max. Those bigger
wind swept bugs floating ant patterns of fooled. A few

(01:01):
smart cutthroat in the valley and above Yankee Gym, while
elcare and butch caddis number fourteen eighteen are catching that
late catus hatch in the afternoon. In the last few days,
anglers have been getting into decent numbers of rainbow and
cutthroat in the Paradise Valley stretch. A couple guides out
of livingstone report bows up to eighteen inhes and some
healthy yellow bellied cuts, mostly chasing hoppers with a dropper rig.

(01:26):
If you're swinging big black lead ice trainers number four six,
especially in the deeper slots by emigrant, you've got a
shot at a brown or two as dust sets in
flows and tempts match up for aggressive fish moving out
of the shadows. Ninphan runs, bead heead princes number eight ten,
and neuronifts like blow torches and dura cell bomb browns

(01:46):
number twelve eighteen are the go to below riffles and
bucket seams. If you're tossing gear instead of flies, stick
to small mino baits and spinners with a little color
thank gold and black or chartrews for visibility. The nightcrawlers
will pull a stray whitefish if you're looking for steady action,
but trout today will want movement and flash with these conditions.

(02:08):
Hotspots right now look for quieter side channels and inside bends.
Near Mallard's Rest, fish are stacking to get out of
the wind. Yankee Jim Canyon is worth the hike for
those hunting bigger browns on streamers. Just mind your footing
and the guests to stretch from Carter's Bridge down toward
Pine Creek. Still flows steady and is giving up some
chunky late season rainbows in the last couple nights. Be

(02:31):
courteous on the crowded water, especially in the wind. Everyone's
working for their stripes out there. The valley is busy,
so little extra patience goes a long way. This is
artificial lure. Wishing you tight lines. Thanks for tuning in,
and don't forget to subscribe. This has been a quiet
please production. For more check out Quiet please dot ai