Freestone · Mixed · Wyoming/Montana

Slough Creek

Slough Creek venue image
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Slough Creek is a Yellowstone meadow stream of step-pools and beaver flats, and the native Yellowstone cutthroat in it come up for a dry like they've been waiting all morning for it.

Species

A proper day on the water

Low and clear — careful approach country. Stay small, stay accurate.

75% confidence in this read
Water temperature for cutthroat trout
Ideal
10°C est.ideal 9–15°C
0°14°28°
Why this score · for cutthroat trout
  • Temperature10028% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity8518% weight
  • Feeding Time5013% weight
  • Pressure757% weight
  • Insect activity5712% weight
Conditions
Level
Dry recently
No gauge reading
Water temp
9.8°C
Estimated
Clarity
Clear
Air temp
19°C
Wind
W 17 km/h
Gentle breeze
Pressure
1012 hPa
Rain · 48h
0.0 mm
No meaningful rain
Rain · ahead
0.1 mm
No meaningful rain · next 48h

Live readings — water temperature is an estimate where the gauge does not record it.

How to fish it · for cutthroat trout
When
Nymphing can work through most of the day.
Where
Cover mixed depths.
Method
Start with tight-line nymphs and adjust if fish rise or drift higher.
Kit
9 ft #4 rod, floating line, 12 ft tapered leader to 4–5 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Good — water temperature is right today, though time of day could be better.
Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
GrannomHatch
2
2
Evening SedgeHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Western Green DrakeHatch
2
2
Flav (Small Western Green Drake)Hatch
2
3
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Gallery · 1
  1. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Yellowstone NP licence and native-cutthroat rules (barbless catch-and-release) — check current NPS regulations.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
About this water

Slough Creek is a Yellowstone meadow stream of step-pools and beaver flats, and the native Yellowstone cutthroat in it come up for a dry like they've been waiting all morning for it. The upper meadows are a hike-in deal — you earn them with your legs — and the sight-fishing there is about as good as cutthroat fishing gets anywhere. Storms color it up, the fish are spooky in flat water, and that's part of the bargain. Barbless catch-and-release under Park rules; handle them like they matter, because they do.

  • Mixed
Seasons & zones
  • TroutSaturday of Memorial Day weekend → First Sunday in November
Other water nearby · 5