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 Jackson Hole  -> Yellowstone National Park > Fishing in Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park

Fishing in Yellowstone

Permits and Fees

A Yellowstone National Park Fishing Permit is required to fish in the park. Anglers 16 years of age and older are required to purchase either a $15 three-day permit, a $20 seven-day permit or $35 season permit. Anglers 12 to 15 years of age are required to obtain a non-fee permit. Children 11 years of age or younger may fish without a permit when supervised by an adult. The adult is responsible for the child's actions. Fishing permits are available at all ranger stations, visitor centers, and Yellowstone Park General Stores. No state fishing license is required in Yellowstone National Park.

See This Page For Current Regulations: http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/fishing.htm

Non-toxic Fishing

Yellowstone National Park has implemented a non-toxic fishing program using non-toxic tackle. Nationwide, more than three million waterfowl die each year from lead poisoning through ingestion. Because lead from fishing tackle concentrates in aquatic environments, tackle such as leaded split shot sinkers, weighted jigs, and soft weighted ribbon are prohibited. Only non-toxic alternatives to lead are allowed.

Yellowstone Moves to Protect Native Fish Species

As of the summer of 2001, all native sport fish species in Yellowstone National Park became subject to catch-and-release-only fishing rules. The native species affected by this change are the cutthroat trout and its several subspecies, Montana grayling, and mountain whitefish. Most of the park’s native fishes have been included under catch-and-release-only fishing rules since the early 1970’s. The changes effective in 2001 primarily affect populations in Yellowstone Lake, its tributaries, and the upper Lamar River.

Due to evidence that invasive introduced organisms such as lake trout, whirling disease, and New Zealand mud snails are having negative effects on Yellowstone’s native sport fish, the 2001 changes seem to be the next logical step to help repair the tremendous damage being done to the native species.

Yellowstone cutthroat trout have declined throughout the west and are currently designated as a "Species of Special Concern-Class A" by the American Fisheries Society. A formal petition to list this subspecies as "threatened" throughout its range was submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1998. Yellowstone National Park represents approximately 91% of the current range of Yellowstone cutthroat trout and contains 85% of the historical lake habitat for this subspecies, so the park is considered crucial to the survival of the species.

Yellowstone cutthroat trout generally declined in the second half of the 20^th century due to angler overharvest, competition with exotic fishes, and overzealous egg collection. Populations rebounded in the park after the advent of catch-and-release-only fishing rules in the 1970’s, but new and aggressive invaders are causing an increasing threat to these native fish and alarming park fisheries biologists. Nonnative lake trout, an effective fish predator, were discovered in Yellowstone Lake in 1994. Throughout the west cutthroat trout populations preyed upon by introduced lake trout have typically declined, exhibited lower growth, or have disappeared. Aggressive lake trout control efforts by the National Park Service and no harvest limits have resulted in removing thousands of lake trout from Yellowstone Lake since 1994, including more than 12,000 in 2000. Still, the number of Yellowstone cutthroat trout monitored during the annual fall count in Yellowstone Lake was lower in recent years than at any other time in the 25-year history of the monitoring effort. Whirling disease, which has been implicated in recent years in the decline of trout populations in many western states, was discovered in Yellowstone Lake in 1998. So far, it is unclear which of these two nonnative invaders has been the greater factor in the decline of Yellowstone cutthroat trout, but there is no question they are causing it.

Other native sport fish, including westslope cutthroat trout and Montana grayling, have been under catch-and-release-only fishing rules since 1973. This is the first time mountain whitefish have been placed under such rules in Yellowstone National Park. The new rule gives mountain whitefish equal status to the other native sport fish in the park.

In addition to the catch-and-release-only fishing rules, the opening date of the fishing season on Yellowstone Lake returned to its historical date of June 15 for the 2001 fishing season. From 1998 through 2000, Yellowstone Lake’s opening date was moved forward to June 1 in an attempt to give anglers a greater chance of catching nonnative lake trout, but monitoring showed that during the early June period, anglers caught several thousand cutthroat trout for every lake trout caught. Because of incidental hooking mortality of released fish, this negates the positive impact of the angler catch of lake trout.

Yellowstone National Park is managed to protect cultural and natural resources and outstanding scenery, and to provide for visitor use. Angling has been a major visitor activity for over a century. Present regulations reflect the park's primary purposes of resource protection and visitor use. The objectives of the fishing program are to:

1. Manage aquatic resources as an important part of the ecosystem.
2. Preserve and restore native fishes and their habitats.
3. Provide recreational fishing opportunites for the enjoyment of park visitors, consistent with the first two objectives.

In Yellowstone, bald eagles, ospreys, pelicans, otters, grizzly bears, and other wildlife take precedence over humans in utilizing fish as food. None of the fish in Yellowstone are stocked, and populations depend on sufficient number of spawning adults to maintian natural reproduction and genetic diversity. In Yellowstone National Park, we place less emphasis upon providing fishing for human consumption and put more emphasis upon the quality for recreational fishing. Anglers, in return, have the opportunity to fish for wild trout in a natural setting.

Because of the increasing number of anglers in the park, more restrictive regulations have been adopted in Yellowstone. These restrictions include: season opening/closing dates, restrictive use of bait, catch-and-release only areas, and number/size limits according to species. A few places are closed to the public to protect threatened and endangered species, sensitive nesting birds, and to provide scenic viewing areas for visitors seeking undisturbed wildlife.

Advice to Anglers

Releasing Fish

The following suggestions will insure that a released fish has the best chance for survival:

1. Bring the fish in as quickly as possible; do not play the fish to total exhaustion.
2. Unhook the fish in quiet water such as an eddy or slow spot. Do not drag the fish across land. Keep fish in water as much as possible when handling and removing hook.
3. If you must handle the fish, always make sure your hands are wet. Fish have a protective mucous film sensitive to dry human hands.
4. The best way to hold a fish (with wet hands) is with one hand around the tail section and the other beneath the belly just behind the pectoral fins. Never grab or hold a fish through the gills unless it is already dead.
5. If you want a photo of the fish, make sure the photographer is ready before you handle the fish. Make it quick.
6. Release fish in quiet water, close to area where it was hooked.
7. Remove hook gently - do not squeeze fish or put fingers in gills. Hooks and lures typically have barbs. With small pliers you can pinch down the barbs. Without barbs more skill is required in landing and bringing in fish but hook removal is easier and less traumatic to the fish and perhaps yourself. The use of barbless hooks is encouraged to make release easier.
8. Spinning lures typically have three hooks called treble hooks. With wire cutters you can snip off one of the hooks or snap one off with some pliers. Two hooks are still very effective and once again easier to remove and less traumatic.
9. If deeply hooked - cut line - do not pull hook out. Most fish survive with hooks left in them.
10. Never just throw a fish back into the water. If a fish becomes passive, it is probably close to exhaustion. Gently remove the hook within calm water, then lightly cradle the fish with your hands to see what it does. If it struggles to keep itself upright, release the fish only after its equilibrium is maintained. Gently hold the fish upright around its tail and beneath its belly while pointing it against the current (facing upstream). Move the fish very gently back and forth toward and away from the current. You should notice the gills opening and closing due to the rush of water. This is like giving a fish mouth to mouth resusitation. When the fish has recovered it should swim away on its own.
11. When filling out the Volunteer Angler Report, you can use your rod to quickly estimate the length of your fish. Just measure and mark (with tape or nail polish) various lengths on your rod. Remember, the less time the fish is handled out of the water the better chance it has of recovering.

Bears, Backcountry, and Anglers

Yellowstone is bear country, and there is no guarantee of your safety. Bears often utilize trails, streams, and lakeshores. Entry into some areas may be restricted; check with a ranger for specific bear management information. Traveling alone in bear country is not recommended. Make enough noise to make your presence known to bears. If you should encounter a bear, give it plenty of room, detour if possible, or wait for the bear to move on. If a bear should charge or attack and the situation allows, climb a tree. If you are caught by a bear, try playing dead. Do not run; this may excite the bear. Carefully read all bear country guidelines and regulations and be prepared for any situation.

Bear Encounters

Yellowstone is home to both grizzly and black bears. Although the risk of an encounter with a bear is low, there are no guarantees of your safety. Minimize your risks by following the guidelines below:

Make bears aware of your presence on trails by making loud noises such as shouting or singing. This lessens the chance of sudden encounters, which are the cause of most bear-caused human injuries in the park. Hike in groups and use caution where vision is obstructed.

Do not hike after dark.

Avoid carcasses; bears often defend this source of food.

If you encounter a bear, do not run. Bears can run over 30 miles per hour, or 44 feet per second, faster than Olympic sprinters. Running may elicit an attack from otherwise non-aggressive bears. If the bear is unaware of you, detour away from the bear. If the bear is aware of you and nearby, but has not acted aggressively, slowly back away.

Tree climbing to avoid bears is popular advice but not very practical in many circumstances. All black bears, all grizzly cubs, and some adult grizzlies can climb trees. Running to a tree may provoke an otherwise uncertain bear to chase you.

Some bears will bluff their way out of a threatening situation by charging, then veering off or stopping abruptly at the last second. Bear experts generally recommend standing still until the bear stops and then slowly backing away. If a bear makes physical contact, drop to the ground, lie face down, and clasp your hands behind your neck. It may take all the courage you have, but lie still and remain silent. Resistance will only provoke the bear. Before moving, listen and look around carefully to make sure the bear is no longer nearby.

Garbage Disposal and Fish Cleaning

Please pick up all trash, including items such as monofilament fishing line and six pack holders, which may cause injury to wildlife, and properly dispose in trash receptacles.

When fish cleaning and disposal areas are not provided, dispose of fish entrails by puncturing the air bladder and dropping into deep water. Do not clean fish in backcountry campsites.

Invasive Threats to Yellowstone Fisheries

You can help! Read our Stop Aquatic Invasive Species brochure.

Yellowstone fisheries are threatened by three potentially damaging exotic organisms. Whirling Disease has been implicated in the decline of wild trout in the Madison River outside of the park. 

The New Zealand Mud Snail, which occurs in the Firehole and the Madison Rivers, may harm aquatic insect communities. Please help prevent further spread of these invaders by thoroughly cleaning mud, plants, and debris from your fishing equipment, and inspecting footwear before leaving your angling site. Drain livewells and only clean fish in the same body of water in which they were caught. Report sightings of the tiny (less than 1/4 inch) black snails to a park ranger.

The Yellowstone Lake fishery is threatened with destruction by illegally introduced lake trout, which were discovered in 1994. The online publication The Yellowstone Lake Crisis: Confronting a Lake Trout Invasion provides additional information.

Official Yellowstone Website For Details

Notice: You must kill all lake trout that you catch in Yellowstone Lake, its tributaries, and the Yellowstone River.