Yellowstone River

The Yellowstone River originates in the Rocky Mountains of Northern Wyoming and flows through Yellowstone National Park before entering Montana at Gardiner.  From the park boundary to Livingston, the river flows north through Paradise Valley, flanked by the Absarokee Mountains on the East and the Gallatin Range on the West.  It continues in a northeasterly direction from Livingston and eventually meets up with the Missouri River just across the North Dakota border.  At 692 miles, the "Stone" can officially lay claim to being the longest free-flowing river in the lower 48 states.  This lack of mainstem impoundments allows for spring peak flows and fall and winter low flows to influence a unique ecosystem and resource.  From the clear, coldwater Cutthroat Trout fishery in Yellowstone National Park to the warm water habitat throughout the lower section, this river supports a variety of aquatic environments that remain relatively undisturbed. 

The Yellowstone River is by far the most popular Catfishing destination in the Big Sky state.  Excellent Catfishing abounds from just east of Billings all the way to the North Dakota border.  Numerous man-made lowhead dams are present throughout this stretch, but none of them restrict upstream fish movement.  Hence the title "free-flowing" in the above paragraph.  The Glendive Intake Diversion Dam, commonly referred to as "Intake", is the largest structure on the entire Yellowstone River.  It was built in 1905 to divert water to the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project.  In April of 2022, a $44 million dollar fish bypass channel was completed in a joint effort by the US Army Corps of Engineers, US Fish Wildlife and Parks, and the US Bureau of Reclamation.  The completed bypass allows for passage at "Intake" Dam for ALL species of fish looking to migrate upstream. 
       
The vast section from Huntley to the North Dakota border receives the most pressure state-wide from the Catfish crowd.  Catfishing in this stretch is exceptional throughout the entire open-water season.  An average Cat tips the scale at over 5 lbs., but fish in the 10 to 15 lb. range may await you on any given bend in the river.  In an article written in July of 2014, the world-famous publication; In-Fisherman, ranked the lower Yellowstone River as its number one destination in an article dubbed "10 Best Channel Cat Locations in the U.S.".  It is also home to the previous state record Yellow Bullhead (0.72 lbs.), caught by Wade Fredenberg in 1987.   

This river plays host to both the Annual Yellowstone Challenge Catfish Tournament held on the 2nd Saturday in May out of Huntley and the Annual Monster Cat Roundup held the 3rd Saturday in July out of Sidney.  

Above Information from Montana Cats Staff.