It’s hard to imagine a better time of year to explore Yellowstone Park’s waters with a fly rod—especially one rigged with a dry fly—than mid-July. These days offer more opportunities for the dry fly angler than any other time of the year. You could practically throw a dart at a map of Yellowstone and land on a body of water with rising fish and active hatches.

Here's this week's standouts. 

Yellowstone River – Caldera Stretch

The upper Yellowstone River in the Caldera continues to be a shining example of what makes this place so special for fly anglers. Morning and evening spinner falls have been the highlights with fish rising to Grey Drake, Green Drake, Flav, and PMD spinners. Be sure to have a good selection of imitations in olive and rusty size #12-16. 

Yellowstone Lake

The first Callibaetis hatches of the summer are now bringing fish to the surface on calm, warm mornings.

• Gull Point is a great area to explore, especially if you enjoy stalking cruising trout in shallow water.

• If the surface action is sparse, try a slow-stripped Callibaetis nymph just under the surface.

Northeast Corner – Slough, Soda Butte & Lamar

The Cutthroat Corner Triumvirate (Slough Cr, Lamar River, Soda Butte Creek) are all in their prime right now with good hatches of pmd's, caddis, and drakes. It's also worth carrying a good assortment of terrestrials like ants, hoppers, beetles, and crickets in the park these days, certainly when visiting the northeast corner. 

Gallatin River

The Gallatin River inside the Park continues to fish well, offering a similar lineup of summer hatches—PMDs, Caddis, Drakes, and terrestrials—with the added bonus of cool, clean water. As the coldest river in our area, the Gallatin remains a great option for hot afternoons, providing consistent dry fly action in a spectacular setting.

Warm water temperatures and low river flows prompt fishing closures on select Park waters.

Effective Saturday, July 12, 2025, select Yellowstone National Park rivers will close to fishing due to warm water temperatures and low river flows. This closure will protect the park’s native and wild trout fisheries and remain in effect until conditions improve.

What will be closed?

• The Madison River and all associated tributaries.
• The Firehole River and all associated tributaries.
• The Gibbon River and all associated tributaries downstream of Norris Campground.
• The closure will be reassessed when water temperatures cool and flows return to more typical summer conditions.

These rivers naturally experience high water temps in summer as they drain the thermal basins of Yellowstone. We’re glad to see the Park Service taking proactive steps to give these beloved fisheries a rest during the warmest part of the season. Cooler days will return soon enough, and we’ll be back on these waters come fall.

Currently, these are the only waters in the park under restriction, but conditions can change quickly. Be sure to stay tuned for updates from the Park Service here.

Fish More, Stress Less- Tips for Summertime Visits to Yellowstone

We're in the throws of peak tourist season in Yellowstone. Millions of visitors flock to the world’s first National Park every summer, and crowded roadways are to be expected. If you’re planning to head in for a day of fishing, we have a few tips to make your visit as enjoyable as possible.

START EARLY.

We can’t stress enough the value of an early start to your fishing day in the park even if the Hatch are hoping to find won’t begin until 10 or 11 AM it’s worth getting through the gate in West Yellowstone before 7 AM.

GIVE YOURSELF PLENTY OF TIME, AND BE PATIENT.

Traveling through Yellowstone during peak tourist season can be a slow affair. Be sure to give yourself some extra time to reach your destination so you’re not sitting in a Bison jam while the hatch of the century is rolling off your favorite fishery.

STAY LATE.

Whenever possible, plan to spend the whole day in the park. Pack a bunch of food, some chairs, and your favorite beverages. There are tons of great picnic areas and vistas to enjoy a picnic dinner while you wait for the evening rush of traffic to leave the park. Evening fishing is also pretty good on most of our favorite fisheries.

BE A TOURIST.

Even if you have been in the park a million times, and you’re just on a mission to fish your favorite hatch on your preferred water, take some time to look around. Check out the visitors centers. Grab an ice cream cone. Go gawk at the Upper Falls. There’s a good reason millions of people come back to Yellowstone year after year.

As always, check in with the shop for the latest conditions, fly recommendations, and river updates. We’re here to help you stay dialed in for your next adventure!