Yellowstone Lake
lake in Wyoming
The largest high-elevation lake in North America, this is the historic home of the Yellowstone Cutthroat and offers unique stillwater fly fishing.
River flow last 30 days
What's working on Yellowstone Lake
- 01Yellowstone Lake is fully open and active for the summer season.
- 02PMDs and White Miller Caddis are hatching in other park waters, indicating similar insect activity is either present or imminent on Yellowstone Lake.
- 03Subsurface patterns like midges, scuds, and leeches are proving highly effective.
- 04Expect Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout to be cruising shallow bays, weed lines, and submerged structures.
- 05Dry fly opportunities are increasing, particularly during consistent hatches.
Past reports week by week
6 weeksWhat to tie on
Picked from reports, hatches and the season. Tap a fly for the recipe and where else it works.
Zebra Midge
Midges are the primary forage that remains active throughout the winter. Small black or red Zebra Midges (sizes 18-22) fished deep effectively imitate midge pupae.
Buy at AmazonBalanced Leech
Leeches are a year-round staple in Yellowstone Lake. In winter, a balanced version suspended under an indicator (or through the ice) remains level and attractive to lethargic Cutthroat and Lake Trout.
Buy at AmazonPine Squirrel Leech
The natural movement of pine squirrel fibers works well with very slow retrieves necessitated by cold water temperatures. Black or olive are the preferred winter colors.
Buy at AmazonGame Changer
For Lake Trout, which remain active in the cold, a large articulated fly in 'sucker' or 'trout' colors can trigger predatory strikes from trophy fish looking for a large meal.
Buy at AmazonWhere to fish and who to ask
Fishing Bridge Area
Where the Yellowstone River exits the lake, providing incredible fishing for migratory trout.
Grant Village Shoreline
A prime location for wading and sight-casting to large cruising cutthroat trout.
Fly shops within 40 miles
Madison River Outfitters
Get Yellowstone Lake reports by email
Every Thursday: conditions, hatches and what's working across Wyoming, with Yellowstone Lake at the top.
Wyoming season by season
What changes on the water through the year, with the flies for each season.
Read before you go
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Quick answers
Common questions about Yellowstone Lake.
What flies work best on Yellowstone Lake?
Our top scored fly patterns for Yellowstone Lake right now are Pale Evening Dun Sparkle Dun (80% confidence), Pine Squirrel Leech (80% confidence), Zebra Midge (80% confidence). These picks are scored from recent fishing reports, hatch data, and seasonal patterns.
What fish species are in Yellowstone Lake?
Yellowstone Lake holds Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout. See the species links on this page for fly recommendations and seasonal behavior for each.
Is Yellowstone Lake fishing well right now?
We publish a fresh bite report for Yellowstone Lake each week based on recent on-the-water intel. The current report — with conditions, hatches, and what's producing — is on this page.