Low snowpack puts Yellowstone trout anglers on drought watch

This week's Montana fishery news is more about water than bites. With low snowpack and a hotter, drier-than-normal summer forecast, MT FWP Fishing News reports the agency is leaning on new tools to track drought stress on blue-ribbon trout water like the Yellowstone, including the TroutCast tool launched June 1 with USGS and Montana State University to forecast drought impacts on trout populations. FWP also held a virtual townhall this week walking through the tools it's using heading into peak summer heat. On the Missouri River system, MT FWP Fishing News and Walleyes Unlimited of Montana are encouraging anglers fishing Canyon Ferry Reservoir to keep more of the smaller walleye they catch, thinning out competition so bigger fish can grow. Bull trout remain a catch-and-release, handle-with-care proposition under both federal and state protections. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this update, so verify current flows and temps locally before you head out.

Synthesized from real-time NOAA buoy data, USGS stream gauges, and current reports across regional fishing blogs, captain updates, and angler forums. Check local regulations before keeping fish. Never trust a single source for a trip decision.