Fishing Report and COVID-19 Update

Dear Yellowstone River Outfitters family and friends,

We hope you are safe and healthy while reading this letter! First, some very good news. Our snowpack is just about perfect right now. We are currently sitting at 117% of our average snowpack as of today. This is wonderful for our fish. We should have cold, clear water all the way through November. Furthermore, 2020 will be the fourth consecutive year of fantastic water levels. Hopper fishing last August was insane…. Could 2020 be better? So far our Spring fishing has been awesome. Last Friday it got up to 66 degrees. We got an early mini-dose of our Mother’s Day caddis hatch. A snowstorm over the weekend put a halt on the Caddis, but the storm sure is adding snow to our already stable snow pack. Our Spring fishing should be lights-out for the next 2 or 3 weeks before things get muddy. Give us a call with any questions about what is happening on the Yellowstone River or the Spring Creeks .

COVID-19 and 2020 Season Update

Yes, the past few months have been pretty tough for everyone in the world. This unpredictable event has put a stand-still on everything- including Outfitting in Montana. Currently, Governor Bullock has issued a “Stay At Home '' order through April 24th and there is a mandatory 14 day quarantine for people who travel from out of state. Guiding/Outfitting are not considered “essential businesses,” so our guides are doing a lot of “personal scouting” until we can get back to work. Additionally, Yellowstone National Park is currently closed. As of now this does not have a big impact on the fishing because the fishing season does not start until May 23 this year. We will keep everyone posted on what is going on here in Montana and any updates/changes that happen.

In an effort to be as flexible as possible during this strange 2020 season, Yellowstone River Outfitters has made the following changes to adapt to this ever changing situation:

We have updated our trip cancellation/refund policy from 60 days out from your trip to 14 days out. Final payment balances are due 14 days prior to your trip.
All trip balances will be paid via credit card
All of our guides will have hand sanitizer on guided trips and disinfecting wipes to make sure all equipment is properly sanitized (honestly, we probably should have been doing this the whole time!).

Casting to risers on the Yellowstone River

If you are concerned, worried, or excited about your 2020 fishing trip….. Or just want to talk fishing…. Please give us a call . We much prefer talking on the phone, but can be contacted through other methods such as, but not limited to: email, ZOOM, spacechat, beaming, Skype, etc.

What can you do to help us here in Montana and at Yellowstone River Outfitters right now?

Practice your casting in your backyard. When you do make it here, the fishing will be good and you won’t want to be rusty!
If you have been on trips with us in the past and are sitting in front of your computer right now…. Please write a review on Trip Advisor . These make a big difference, and we love to hear your stories.
Please follow the CDC and your state guidelines. The more we all play by the rules right now, the sooner we will all get to cast dry flies to rising trout in Montana.
Smile, give your family a hug, take deep breaths, dream of Salmonflies
Watch a River Runs Through It ; it will get you pumped up!
If you are in the mood to donate during these trying times, please consider making a donation to Loaves and Fishes, our local soup Kitchen here in Livingston, MT.
If you are considering booking a trip, we are actively taking trip bookings. Contact us when you are ready.

We know that a lot of life is up in the air right now. We are excited to fish with you when you get here. Stay safe, wash your hands, don’t break your wrist, and we will see you in Montana.

Tight Lines,

Brogan, Molly, Lady, and the Yellowstone River Outfitters crew.

Brogan BallardApril 13, 2020