Fly Fishing in Yellowstone’s Rivers
Our walk-wade trips in Yellowstone National Park explore iconic waterways like the Lamar, Firehole, Yellowstone, Gardner, and Gibbon Rivers. Fish for native cutthroat, brown, and rainbow trout in a true wilderness setting.
The Lamar River provides incredible wildlife viewing and premier fly fishing.
The mineral-rich Firehole River supports abundant insect hatches.
The Gibbon and Gardner Rivers have diverse angling experiences from technical dry fly fishing to probing deep runs.
With over 200 fish-bearing streams, Yellowstone's rivers promise unforgettable days on the water amid breathtaking scenery.
Book a full-day or half-day guided walk-wade trip to experience Yellowstone’s most iconic and plentiful rivers.
Rivers We Fish in Yellowstone National Park
Book a full-day or half-day walk-wade trip to fish any river below.
We also offer drift boat trips on the Madison River and Yellowstone River inside the park.
Lamar River
This Yellowstone River tributary is nestled in Lamar Valley, the premiere wildlife valley of Yellowstone National Park. It’s home to thousands of bison, plus elk, moose, coyote, wolves, bears, and more.
The Lamar River begins in the Absaroka Mountains and flows about 40 miles through the northeast part of Yellowstone.
Host to a healthy cutthroat population, fly fishing the Lamar River is one of our favorite ways to experience the park.
Best season to fish: July-October
Species of fish: Cutthroat trout
Firehole River
Fishing the Firehole is a one-of-a-kind Yellowstone experience: Anglers are surrounded by geysers, hot springs, and wildlife.
The Firehole starts in the backcountry of Yellowstone and flows through the park and meets with the Gibbon River to form the Madison River, near Madison Junction.
Prolific hatches and warmer water temperatures make the Firehole River a great early season option while fishing in the park.
Best season to fish: May-June, September-October
Species of fish: Brown trout, rainbow trout, brook trout
Gardner River
The Gardner is a tributary of the Yellowstone River. It begins in the Gallatin Range in the backcountry of Yellowstone, flows through the park and enters the Yellowstone River in Gardiner, Montana, the north entrance to Yellowstone National Park.
The upper Gardner River above Osprey Falls is a great small brook trout fishery while the lower Gardner is home to brown, rainbow and cutthroat trout.
Best season to fish: July-September
Species of fish: Brown trout, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, brook trout
Gibbon River
The Gibbon River flows from of Grebe Lake through the park about 25 miles to meet with the Firehole to form the Madison River.
On the upper Gibbon, anglers can catch cutthroat trout and Arctic grayling.
Further downstream, the Gibbon holds a healthy population of brown and rainbow trout.
Best season to fish: Late May-early July
Species of fish: Brown trout, rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, Arctic grayling
