August 13, 2026
Yellowstone River Fishing Report
CFS at Carter's: 2,270
TEMP at Carter's: 64.2 - 68.2°
Paul Fingersh with a good one! Photo: Hank Bechard
Due to cooling weather and water temps, the hootowl from 89 to Laurel has officially been lifted on the Yellowstone as of 8/13/26.
The river has been a little on the slow side this week, although some nice fish have still been getting caught... The cooler weather forecasted for next week should help extend the morning fish bite and the mid-week rain should knock down some of the smoke we've all been experiencing.
Chubbies and Hoppers have been good choices for top flies, each get a few grabs throughout the day. Keep your eyes peeled in the "good water" and make your dry fly chances count, as you won't get as many hits on these as you will on your nymphs. If you see fish rising in the foam eddies you might size down and try some smaller parachutes, beetles, or ants.
It seems as though everything was early this year, except for hoppers. Usually mid-August is go time for hoppertunity, but it seems those wheels are just starting to get going. With a lot of smaller hoppers jumping around in the grass, late August and September look promising.
There is still a Hootowl restrictions on the lower Yellowstone from the HWY 89 bridge to WHY 212 (Laurel). If you are not familiar with hootowl restrictions, this means anglers must quit fishing at 2:00PM (until midnight) each day.
Take water temps a few times a day, if the river reaches 68-70 degrees, you might consider calling it a day...
Ryan Mincey with a buttery brown, (caught by Joel)... Photo: Eric Rudrud
Brendan Droll on a roll! Photo: Noah Riemenschneider
Sami with a great evening float brown! Photo: Sean Tomlin
Dries:
Nocturnal Stones (#6-12)
Golden Stone dries (#6-12)
Hoppers (#8-14)
Ants (#14-20)
Brindlechute (#12-18)
Caddis (#12-16)
Green Drakes (#10-12)
PMD's (#14-16)
Spruce Moth (#10-14)
Nymphs:
Buggerlegs (Various colors) (#6-10)
Tungsten Buggerlegs (Various colors) (#6-10)
Tan/brown Rubberlegs (#6-10)
Beadhead Prince (#10-18)
Perdigons (#14-18)
Duracell Bomb Brown (#14-16)
Blow Torch Dark (#12-18)
Blow Torch Hare's Ear (#12-18)
Torch Light Fertile Caddis (#14-16)
CDC Pheasant Tails (#10-18)
Streamers:
Olive Zonker (#3-8)
Home Invader White #2/6
Olive Leadeye Stinger #4/6
Black Leadeye Stinger #4/6
Mini Kill Whitey Olive #4
Olive Sex Dungeon #4
Black Sex Dungeon #4
Peanut Envy Rootbeer #4
Sparkle Minnow #4-8
Yellow Silk Kitty #2
White Silk Kitty #2
Olive Silk Kitty#2
White Home Invader #2-4
Olive Leadeye #6
Olive Swim Coach #4
Coffee Sparkle Minnow #4-6