Yellowstone National Park Fishing Report - May 21, 2026
Saturday of Memorial Day weekend may be opening day for the general fishing season in Yellowstone Park, but we’ve been enjoying Spring fishing on the Firehole, Gibbon, and Madison rivers since the early opener on May 1, and that’s still where you can expect to find the best fishing.
What’s left of this year’s modest snowpack continues to dwindle. The Blackbear Snotel site is sitting at about 38 inches of snow depth on the ground. To put that in perspective, last year at this time, we reported 54 inches of snow, and in 2024, it was 62”. Weather forecasts show seasonal temps for the upcoming week, with lows in the upper-20s to low-30s, keeping snowmelt in the 1’’-2’’ per day range. At that rate, the remaining snowpack may last for another 3-4 weeks. If warmer temps creep back in, we will see that go quicker.
Currently, streamflows on the Firehole, Gibbon, and Madison remain at very fishable, albeit unusually low, levels due to minimal runoff this spring. What little snowpack remains has consolidated into a dense, cohesive layer of ice. This ice should melt gradually over the coming month, continuing to feed cold water into the rivers and helping maintain cooler temperatures. That relationship is especially critical on these fisheries, where hot springs comprise a substantial portion of base flow. Without adequate snowmelt to balance the geothermal input, warm water temperatures will quickly become a limiting factor as the season progresses.
Firehole River
The Firehole River is traditionally a highlight for visiting anglers on Memorial Day Weekend. This year, we continue to have limited access following a bear incident on May 4. The full details can be found HERE on the YNP website. As of this writing, the Firehole River remains closed to fishing from Fountain Flat Drive to Black Sands Basin. Please see the map below for more information, and feel free to call the shop (406-646-7801) anytime for the latest updates.
Sections of the Firehole that remain open will fish well this week. Afternoon hatches of Baetis and Pale Morning Dun mayflies have been consistent on cloudy afternoons. When the sun peeks out, expect to see fewer bugs and less consistently rising trout. In many cases, you can still elicit a rise from these fish if you can mark them and present a pmd, baetis, or even a beetle presentation with a good, drag-free drift. In the absence of rising fish, it’s still prime time to swing a soft hackle through riffles and runs. It’s also worth a stroll through the canyon section of the Firehole, prospecting the pocket water with an adult salmonfly imitation.
Gibbon River
The Gibbon has long been one of the most overlooked and underrated fisheries in the Park, and this spring has been a perfect reminder of why. The pocket water stretches above and below the falls have been producing fun, consistent action for anglers prospecting with dry-dropper rigs, indicators, or single dry flies. With a surprising diversity of species present, anglers have opportunities at rainbow, brown, and westslope cutthroat trout, along with the occasional shot at a grayling. The meadow stretches of the upper Gibbon offer a terrific opportunity to test your stalking skills and presentation as you hunt for brown trout quietly sipping small mayflies along grassy, undercut banks.
Madison River (in YNP)
The Madison River in the Park will also offer up a diversity of opportunities this week. Flat water sections will continue to produce hatches of Baetis and PMD mayflies, especially on cloudy afternoons. Oftentimes, the hatch will kick off on the Madison later in the day than it does on the Firehole. So, the next time your afternoon emergence on the Firehole starts to wane, consider jumping back in the vehicle and making your way over to the Madison for a chance to extend your dry fly fishing session deeper into the day.
Anyone fishing the Madison in the park this week should also have an assortment of salmonfly adult and nymph imitations. Rough water sections like the one upstream of Mt. Haynes or the Barns Pools are great places to explore with a stonefly.
Now that we have reached the general open season in the Park, more options will come into shape every week. If the current trend continues, many of the fisheries we start visiting in late June might be worth checking out over the coming weeks. Keep a close eye on the current weather and water conditions, and always feel free to give us a shout in the shop (406) 646-7801 for the most up-to-date info.
