Guided drift boat floats on more than a hundred miles of river between Gardiner and Big Timber. You reserve the day; we match the stretch to flows, clarity, weather and how you like to fish.
Included: guide, drift boat, shuttle, flies and terminal tackle, on-the-water instruction, drinks, and a riverside lunch on full days. Rods and reels if you need them. Wader rentals and your Montana license are extra.
The Yellowstone is the core of Swan's Fly Fishing. Based in Livingston, we row it from the canyon water above Gardiner, through Paradise Valley, and east past town toward Big Timber. It is the river most of our guests float and the one we have spent the most days reading.
That range is the point. A long freestone river changes by the mile, and so do the flows, the clarity and the wind. Some days call for a fast canyon float; others fish better in the valley or farther east where the river spreads, braids and slows into classic rainbow and brown trout water. We choose the stretch the morning of the trip, not weeks before.
Most Yellowstone trips are full-day drift boat floats. The river rewards using the boat well: reading seams, setting angles and moving to the next good piece of water instead of forcing one plan all day.
Section choice is most of the job. Here is what each piece of the Yellowstone does well and who it suits.
Fast, boulder-strewn water just north of Yellowstone National Park. Scenic and energetic, with quick casts to short seams from a moving boat.
Best for: anglers comfortable fishing quickly, summer stonefly and attractor days, anyone who wants the big-canyon scenery.
Long glides, riffle corners, braided side channels and the Absaroka skyline the whole way down. This is the stretch most people picture when they think of the Yellowstone, and the one we float most.
Best for: mixed-experience groups, first drift boat trips, dry-fly and hopper season, anyone staying in Livingston, Bozeman or the valley.
Below town the river spreads out, braids, and sees far fewer boats. Big cottonwood bottoms, long banks, and brown trout that like a streamer.
Best for: late-summer terrestrials, fall streamer days, anglers who want space, and days when the upper river is crowded or off-color.
When the Yellowstone says no, we pivot. High water, mud from a tributary, or a hard wind can take the river out for a day. When that happens we move to the Madison, the Boulder or Stillwater, the Paradise Valley spring creeks, or a private lake, all within easy range of Livingston. Your day is built around fishable water, not a fixed plan.
Each season does something well. Match your dates to the window that fits how you want to fish, and we will handle the rest.
Before runoff the river drops into shape and the fish wake up. Stable flows and clean water make for quietly excellent days, with the Mother's Day caddis the headline event when the timing lines up.
Once runoff clears, the Yellowstone turns into classic big-water dry-fly fishing. Stoneflies first, then caddis and PMDs, then the hopper weeks of August and September. The busiest and most-requested window.
Cooler nights, fewer boats, and brown trout that get aggressive before the spawn. Streamer days and afternoon blue-winged olive hatches, with the valley in full color. Our favorite time to row the river.
When the weather allows we float short sections close to Livingston and fish the warm part of the day. When it does not, the Paradise Valley spring creeks and the Lower Madison are within easy range.
We meet in Livingston or at a convenient ramp, talk through your goals and experience, and head for the stretch that fits the day. On the water your guide handles every oar stroke and boat position so you can focus on timing, angles, mends and clean drifts. Full days run about eight hours on the water with a riverside lunch; half days are four to five hours on a shorter section and suit families, Bozeman day trips and travel-day schedules.
The style is instructional without being overbearing. The goal is for you to fish well that day and leave with a clearer sense of how to read big freestone water anywhere. New to fly fishing? Our instruction page covers what to expect on a first trip.
Booking a Yellowstone trip really means booking the best water for your dates. These are where we go when the big river is not the answer.
The dependable float when the Yellowstone is high or off-color.
Madison trips
Fast pocket water near Big Timber when levels line up in summer.
Boulder trips
DePuy's and Armstrong's: clear, technical, fishable all year.
Spring creek trips
Quiet water and big rainbows, strong for beginners and kids.
Lake tripsFloat part of the day, then wade a spring creek or hit a second piece of water when conditions call for it.
See hybrid tripsLearn to read current and run your own boat on the Yellowstone with a guide on the oars beside you.
Rowing lessonsHow we decide between the Yellowstone, the spring creeks and the Madison from December through April.
Read the postFull-day floats are $700 for one or two anglers and half-day floats are $600. Guide, boat, shuttle, flies and terminal tackle, on-the-water instruction, drinks, and a riverside lunch on full days are all included. Rods and reels are available if you need them. Not included: your Montana fishing license, wader and boot rentals if needed, and guide gratuity.
We guide it year-round. Spring brings midge, blue-winged olive and Mother's Day caddis windows before runoff; July through September is the main dry-fly season with stoneflies, caddis and hoppers; fall has fewer boats, streamer fishing and afternoon olive hatches; winter offers short floats near town when the weather allows. If you have fixed dates, send them and we will tell you honestly what to expect.
More than a hundred miles between Gardiner and Big Timber: the fast canyon water near Gardiner and Yankee Jim, the classic Paradise Valley reaches south of Livingston, and the wider braided river east of town. We choose the section the morning of the trip based on flows, clarity, wind and recent fishing.
Yes. It is one of the best learning rivers in Montana. The drift boat keeps you on productive water all day and the guide coaches casting, mending and reading water as you go. Beginners, intermediate anglers and mixed groups all fish well from the boat, and no prior experience is needed.
Livingston sits right on the river, about 26 miles and 30 minutes east of Bozeman on I-90. Paradise Valley starts just south of town. Most Bozeman visitors drive over for a day trip; many stay in Livingston or the valley for multi-day trips.
A Montana fishing license, polarized sunglasses, sun protection, a rain layer and shoes that can get wet. We provide rods, reels, flies and lunch; waders and boots can be rented if you need them. In spring and fall bring warmer layers than you think you need; the valley wind is real.
We pivot to the best nearby option: the Madison, the Boulder or Stillwater, the Paradise Valley spring creeks, or a private lake near Livingston. Spring creek rod fees, if any, are extra. The goal is always the best water available for your dates, not a forced plan.
Use any booking button on this page, or call or text Matt at (406) 224-8972. A 50% deposit confirms the reservation and we ask for 48 hours' notice to cancel. Trips we cancel for unsafe conditions are refunded in full.
Have dates? Check availability and hold the day. Still planning a Livingston or Bozeman trip? A quick text with your dates and where you are staying is enough to start.
All our waters · Fall, winter & spring rate · The guides
Matthew Swan · Owner-Operator · MT Outfitter #26324
P.O. Box 1642 · Livingston, MT 59047
Based in Livingston and guiding the Yellowstone River, DePuy’s and Armstrong’s Spring Creeks in Paradise Valley, the Madison River, and surrounding southwest Montana waters.
Where We Fish
Yellowstone River Fly Fishing
DePuy’s & Armstrong’s Spring Creek Trips
Madison River Fly Fishing
Rates & Policies
Where to Stay & Eat in Livingston
Trip Planning Hub
Fishing Journal & Reports
These pages cover typical seasons, water types, and what to expect on guided days, from Yellowstone River floats to technical instruction on DePuy’s and Armstrong’s spring creeks.