Late Winter Fishing Report: Yellowstone & Paradise Valley Spring Creeks near Livingston | Madison River near Bozeman
I have been on both the Yellowstone and the Paradise Valley spring creeks recently, and our Madison River specialist Bill Schoonover has been excited about how the Madison is fishing as well. Between those three fisheries, this is one of the better late-winter windows I have seen in a long time.
Most of my recent days have been floats through Paradise Valley. Winds have been up enough that covering water in the boat has been the best call, and that has really shaped how I have been looking at this stretch. Instead of forcing one plan, we have been watching the weather, staying flexible, and picking the water that makes the most sense that day.
That is really the whole idea behind the Late Winter & Early Spring Special. This winter has been different. Conditions are lining up more like what I would normally expect in mid to late April, except we are seeing it in early March. I have not seen this kind of setup in decades, and it feels like a real opportunity.
Yellowstone River
The Yellowstone is fishing surprisingly well right now. Most years this is when shelf ice and bitter cold can make the river tough to even consider, but this year it has stayed open and very fishable. We have had constant activity, honestly more like the kind of consistency you expect later in the spring or even early summer than this time of year.
Trout are holding in the larger back eddies, slower inside seams, and softer winter edges where the river drops speed. Fish are still scattered through the system like they always are, but the better concentrations have been in that slower winter water. On a couple recent floats we have had long stretches of river completely to ourselves, which is one of the best parts of being out there right now.
Small pheasant tails under Thin Mints with a medium stonefly as the lead fly have been producing well, and mixing in a Slump Buster has been a good way to move fish when the water slows down and you want to change the look a little. There are plenty of midges in the softer back eddies. You will see the occasional rise, but most of the fish are still feeding below the surface right now.
Paradise Valley Spring Creeks
I have also been on the Paradise Valley spring creeks recently, and we are starting to see rainbows moving in from the Yellowstone ahead of the spawn. That is one of the things that makes this time of year interesting on Armstrong’s and DePuy’s. It is also the time of year to pay attention to redds and avoid stepping on spawning beds.
Jan Axtell has also been out with very good success on the spring creeks. That tracks with what we have been seeing. There are fish in the system, there is enough bug activity that trout are feeding consistently through the day, and if you pick your day right the creeks feel very much alive already.
The creeks are steady, technical, and a little more alive every week. Midges are the main game, baetis nymphs are starting to show up more often, and if the wind stays manageable you can put together a very good day.
Madison River
Bill has been itching to get more time on the river and is excited about how it is fishing right now. He recently floated the Madison and reported a strong day with a lot of fish and several noticeably larger trout mixed in.
The Madison is fishing well too, and it is worth keeping in the mix right now alongside the Yellowstone and the spring creeks. Fish are still holding in slower seams and deeper buckets, but they are beginning to slide around a little more during the warmest part of the day.
How the Special Fits
This special is built around conditions, not a fixed script. We are not trying to force one river every day. We look at the wind, the weather, and what is actually happening on the water, then choose the river that gives us the best shot at a good day.
Some days that means floating the Yellowstone. Other days it means heading to a spring creek or making the Madison the call.
- 1–2 anglers per guide
- Yellowstone, spring creeks, or Madison depending on conditions
- Rods, reels, flies, and terminal tackle included
- Waders available if needed
- Lunch and non-alcoholic beverages included
- Participating spring creek access fees included during the special dates
- No deposit required
- Payment is made the day of the trip
- No-questions-asked cancellation for the special rate window
Fish This Window While It Is Here
Current conditions on the Yellowstone, spring creeks, and Madison are exactly why this special exists. Pick a day and we will line up the best river for the wind, the weather, and the kind of day you want on the water.
Participating spring creek access fees are included during the Late Winter & Early Spring Special.
