Major

Changes:

Now only 

2 regulation

areas 

&

Barbless hook

required

Know Your Fish

—If it has a red

slash, put it

back!

Clean Your Gear

—Do not bring

aquatic invasive

species into

Yellowstone!

If you have questions about information 

in this guide, please contact:

Visitor Services Office

P.O. Box 168

Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190

307-344-2107

To read the Yellowstone fisheries and

aquatic sciences annual reports, go to:

www.nps.gov/yell/publications/index.htm

Printed on recycled paper & vegetable ink/Revised February 2006

For More Information

Yellowstone 

National Park

Covers: Joe Tomelleri (fluvial Arctic grayling, Yellowstone cutthroat trout, Snake River finespotted

cutthroat trout, westslope cutthroat trout); page 3: Sandy Nykerk; page 4: Ron Hedrick, U.

California/Davis; Dan Gustafson; Fl. Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant

Industry (from USGS website); Ted Snider, Ill. Natural History Survey; Mark Anderson, Glen Canyon

NRA; David Riecks, U. Illinois/Urbana–Champaign (from SGNIS website); p. 5: State of Washington,

Depts. of Fish and Wildlife, and Ecology; p. 7: Todd Koel; p. 14: Jeff Hetrick; p. 16: Nathan Varley; p. 17:

NPS photo. All illustrations and photos listed here © by originator except NPS photo, which is public

domain.

Fishing Regulations 
Contents

New Regulations and Barbless Hook Requirement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Aquatic Invasive Species . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4–5

General Regulations—fishing & boating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6–7

Management Area Limits and Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8–10

Exceptions to General Regulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Fish Identification and Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11–13

Releasing Fish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Volunteer Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Angler Etiquette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Illegal Actions/Reporting Violations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Yellowstone’s Fishery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Frequently Asked Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

For More Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Back Cover

3

How to Use These Regulations

1. Familiarize yourself with the GENERAL REGULATIONS, listed on pages

6–7. They include permit requirements for fishing, boats, and float

tubes; tackle & bait restrictions; and size or possession limits.

2. See the map on pages 8–10 to determine WHICH OF THE TWO

MANAGEMENT AREAS WITHIN THE PARK—the Native Trout

Conservation Area or the Wild Trout Enhancement Area—you will be in. 

3. Read the POSSESSION LIMITS BY MANAGEMENT AREA on page 8 to

determine the allowed harvest. Catch-and-release is mandatory for

cutthroat trout and all other native species in both management areas.

4. Check if the stream or lake you will be fishing is listed on page 10 in

the EXCEPTIONS TO GENERAL REGULATIONS.

Help preserve Yellowstone for the future.

ATTENTION ANGLERS

New Regulations and 

Barbless Hook Requirement

To reduce competition, predation, and hybridization stress on native

fishes, Yellowstone has increased harvest limits of rainbow and

brown trout in waters where they co-exist with cutthroat trout. 

Two areas with differing regulations now exist: the Native Trout

Conservation Area and the Wild Trout Enhancement Area. A map of

these areas and list of the regulation changes are found on pages

8–10. In addition, Yellowstone has adopted a barbless hook rule, to

reduce handling time and injury, and improve the overall condition

and appearance of fish, especially in heavily fished waters.

graphic removed for faster loading
These invasive species are likely to arrive in Yellowstone:

Eurasian water-milfoil grows in lakes, ponds, shallow reservoirs,

and calm areas of rivers and streams. It is particularly troublesome in

water bodies that experience abundant motorboat use (such as Bridge

Bay). Milfoil colonizes new habitats just from stem fragments transported by boating equipment. 

Exotic plankton, such as spiny waterflea, displace native

zooplankton and are difficult for young fish to eat because of their

long spines. Plankton eggs can remain dormant for decades, even

surviving passage through fish guts to colonize new waters.

Zebra mussel adults are usually the size of your fingernail, but can

grow to two inches in length. The larvae (immature form) can be so

tiny that you cannot see them. However, exotic species larvae can live

in mud, dirt, sand, and on plant fragments.

Exotic fish species, such as bighead carp, silver carp, and others

can irreversibly damage ecosystems through competition with native

fish. 

Aquatic Invasive Species

Three invasive species already exist in Yellowstone’s waters:

Whirling disease parasite causes deformities in young native

trout, which then cannot feed normally and are vulnerable to

predation. Whirling disease exists in Pelican Creek and its tributaries,

one of the largest aquatic systems draining into Yellowstone Lake. 

New Zealand mud snails occur in many park streams, where

they consume aquatic vegetation that immature trout and other native

species depend on. 

Lake trout, a non-native predatory species, were introduced to

Yellowstone and Heart lakes, which are native cutthroat waters. They

grow much larger than native cutthroat trout and consume the native

trout’s young and adults, and compete with the native trout for food. 

4

Already here

New Zealand mud snail

whirling disease parasite

Eurasian water-milfoil

spiny waterflea (plankton)

zebra mussel

bighead carp 

lake trout

On their way

5

Prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species

Before you enter Yellowstone National Park and any time you move to another body of water

within the park: 

CLEAN YOUR BOAT

CLEAN YOUR GEAR

1. Remove ALL visible mud, plants, fish, or other tiny animals from your boats, trailers, and

other equipment, including waders, boots, clothing, and nets.

2. DO NOT dump any water from other sources into Yellowstone waters. Drain your boat hull

and live well in a safe location (a flat, paved, dirt, or gravel area) away from all park surface

waters.

3. NEVER empty bait or release fish, other animals, or plants into a body of water unless they

came out of it. It is illegal to transport live fish within the park.

4. CLEAN AND DRY EVERYTHING that comes in contact with water before entering a new

body of water, following these directions:

◆ Dry everything in the sun for 5 days or

◆ Use high-pressure, hot (>104°F) water (available at car washes outside the park) to clean your

boat, trailer, waders, and equipment

◆ For equipment that cannot be exposed to hot water, dip into 100% vinegar for 20 minutes or

a 1% table salt solution for 24 hours, using the following ratios:

water (gallons) 5 10 25 50 100

salt (cups) 2

⁄3 1⁄4 3 61⁄4 122⁄3

Dispose of all bait before you enter Yellowstone National Park

No natural or organic bait such as minnows, salmon eggs, worms, insects, or foodstuffs—alive or

dead—are allowed in Yellowstone National Park. See General Regulation 4b on page 6 for details

and the one exception.
7

No fishing from any road bridge or boat dock.

a. Size and possession limits vary by species

and management area. The maximum

number of fish an angler can keep is five

fish per day. An angler must cease fishing

immediately after filling the possession limit.

Exceptions: all lake trout caught from

Yellowstone Lake must be killed; no limit

for lake trout caught from Heart Lake.

Possession limits include all fish—fresh,

stored, or preserved.

b.Fish that do not meet the specified size

restrictions must be returned carefully and

immediately to the waters from which they

were taken. Unintentionally killed fish

should also be returned to the water so they

can be consumed by wildlife. It is the

responsibility of the angler to be able to

measure fish lengths and to identify fish by

species.

If you keep any fish, you must leave the skin

attached to the fish so the fish species can be

visibly identified. In the Lewis River system

above the Lewis River Falls, including the

Lewis Channel and Shoshone Lake, you may

keep only one fish greater than 20 ̋ and it—

along with all other fish in your possession,

while in transit or in the field—must be whole

with head, skin, fins, and tail attached. Gills

and entrails may be removed from all fish in

possession but discarded only within the

waters where the fish were caught.

You must dispose of fish and fish entrails

within the waters where the fish was caught

and at least 100 feet from backcountry

campsites. For more instructions for fish and

entrail disposal, see page 13. 

7 Evidence of Fish Species

5 Bridge & Boat Dock Restrictions

6 Size & Possession Limits

Where to Take 

Young Anglers

Families and young anglers can enjoy fishing

together in many locations throughout the

park. Park rangers’ kids recommend:

◆ Mammoth: Blacktail Deer Creek, Indian

Creek near campground, Gardner River at

the Montana/Wyoming state line, Joffe Lake

◆ Lake: Yellowstone Lake along Gull Point

Drive or at Sand Point

◆ Grant: Aster Creek near Lewis Falls, Lewis

Lake shoreline

◆ East Entrance: Middle Creek, Sylvan Lake

◆ Norris: Gibbon River at Virginia Meadows

or other meadow reaches, Solfatara Creek

near campground

◆ Madison: Gibbon River near Tuff Cliffs

◆ Old Faithful: Goose Lake, Firehole River at

picnic areas, Nez Perce Creek

◆ Northeast area: Pebble Creek near

campground, Trout Lake

8 Disposal of Fish & Entrails

6

The season begins the Saturday of Memorial

Day weekend (usually the last weekend in May)

and extends through the first Sunday in

November. Exceptions are listed on page 10.

Open daily from 5 AM to 10 PM. Fishing with an

artificial light is prohibited. Some areas are

closed to human entry, have trail or seasonal

closures, off-trail travel and daylight hour

limitations, or party size recommendations. See

the Bear Management Area restrictions in the

Yellowstone Backcountry Trip Planner for

specific rules and information.

Streams may be temporarily closed due to

low water levels and high water temperatures to protect fish populations.

a. When required, anglers must be in

possession of a valid Yellowstone National

Park fishing permit to fish in the park. A fee

permit is required for anglers 16 years of age

or older. Anglers 15 years of age or younger

have two options:

1. Children 15 or younger may fish

without a permit if they are fishing under

the direct supervision of an adult who

has a valid park fishing permit.

2. Children 15 or younger may obtain a

free permit that must be signed by a

responsible adult; with this permit, a child

can fish without direct adult supervision. 

With either option, the adult is responsible for

the child’s actions and must ensure the child

complies with all fishing regulations and 

provisions. 

b.Park rangers may check permits, inspect

tackle, fish, creels, and/or other containers

where fish or tackle may be stored.

All types of vessels—including float tubes—

require a boat permit. Fees are charged. Float

tubes are not allowed on certain lakes or on

any river or stream in Yellowstone except the

Lewis River between Lewis and Shoshone

lakes. Obtain permits in person at the South

Entrance, Lewis Lake Campground, Grant

Village Backcountry Office, and Bridge Bay

Ranger Station. Obtain non-motorized permits

(only) at Mammoth, Canyon, or Old Faithful

backcountry offices, Northeast Entrance, the

West Yellowstone Visitor Information Center,

and the Bechler Ranger Station. 

a. Each angler may use only one rod or line,

which must be attended at all times.

b.Only artificial lures and flies may be used. 

No natural or organic bait such as minnows,

salmon eggs, worms, insects, or foodstuffs

are allowed. Scented attractants are illegal.

(Exception: Gardner River drainage, where

children 11 years of age or younger may fish

with worms as bait. See next page.)

c. Hooks must be barbless, or barbs must be

pinched down by pliers.

d.Lures may have only one hook with a single,

double, or treble configuration. No fish

snagging is allowed.

e. Flies may have only one hook with a single

point. Up to two flies may be used on a

single leader.

f. Leaded fishing tackle such as leaded splitshot sinkers, weighted jigs (lead molded to a

hook), and soft lead-weighted ribbon for

nymph fishing are not allowed. Lead core

line and heavy (> 4 lb.) downrigger weights

used to fish for deep-dwelling lake trout are

permissible because they are too large to be

ingested by wildlife.

2 Fishing Permits

3 Boat & Float Tube Permits

4 Tackle & Bait Restrictions

1 Fishing Hours & Season Dates

General Regulations

graphic removed for

faster loading
Native Trout Conservation Area: 

5 fish any size in combination

Wild Trout Enhancement Area: 5 fish any size in combination

If you do not want to

keep lake trout, puncture

the air bladder and drop it

into water as deep as

possible. In the backcountry, dispose of fish

entrails and remains in

fast moving or deep water

after puncturing the air

bladder. When fishing

from shore, consider

wrapping entrails around

a rock and throwing into

deep water.

worm-like markings

red spots

light spots, dark background

dark & light edge on fins

Brook Trout—BK

deeply forked tail

1.Yellowstone Lake, its tributaries, and the

Yellowstone River: All lake trout caught must be killed. If you

do not want to keep the fish, puncture the air bladder and drop it

into water as deep as possible.

2. Heart Lake: No size or possession limit. Do not discard lake

trout carcasses along lake shore as they will attract bears.

3.Lewis Lake, Lewis Channel, and Shoshone Lake and

their tributaries: FIVE FISH in combination (only one fish of

any species over 20 ̋; all fish in possession must remain whole.

You are allowed to use special gear to fish for lake trout, such as leadcore line and heavy (> 4 lb.) downrigger weights to allow targeting

lake trout deep within the lake. If you accidentally hook a cutthroat

trout at great depths and bring it to the surface, handle it quickly

and release it carefully, so it won’t die.

air bladder

13

NON-NATIVES

Widely distributed due to historic stocking, however, brook trout do not exist in Yellowstone Lake,

Yellowstone River above the Upper Falls, or the Gallatin River.

Distributed in Heart, Lewis,

Shoshone, and Yellowstone

Lakes.

numerous spots on head

often white 

on edge of fins white spots, dark background

Lake Trout—LT

11 

Species Regulations and Descriptions

The map on the reverse side indicates known locations of fish species within the boundaries of

Yellowstone National Park, using the two-letter abbreviations below. This map is provided as

an aid to anglers fishing for particular species and does not imply a legal basis for species

distribution. 

It is your responsibility to distinguish one fish species from another.

NATIVES

Three subspecies:

Yellowstone, Westslope, Snake River finespotted

All fish with red slash are considered cutthroat.

If it has a red slash, put it back.

CATCH & RELEASE ONLY

Cutthroat Trout—CT

Fluvial Arctic Grayling—GY

CATCH & RELEASE ONLY

Mountain Whitefish—MW

CATCH & RELEASE ONLY

few spots on head

body almost round on cross-section

never white on

edge of fins

only species with red slash

dark spots, yellowish/brownish

background

large, sail-like dorsal fin

Distributed throughout Gibbon River, sometimes in Madison and Firehole rivers

Widely distributed in many drainages

large scales

small mouth, no teeth

large scales

dark spots on front 

half of body

Distributed throughout Snake and Lewis rivers, other areas as noted in map

NON-NATIVES

A Note about Hybridized (genetically impure) Cutthroat Trout

In cutthroat trout waters where rainbow trout have been introduced, either by intentional, historic

stocking or by invasion from a downstream source, the result has been a serious degradation of the

cutthroat trout population through interbreeding of the two species. Presently, hybridized cutthroat

trout exist throughout the Bechler, Falls, Gallatin, Gardner, and Lamar rivers, and the Yellowstone

River below the Upper Falls. 

Rainbow Trout—RT numerous spots on head

small scales

Brown Trout—BN

Native Trout Conservation Area: 

5 fish any size in combination

Wild Trout Enhancement Area: CATCH AND RELEASE

often white 

on edge of fins

pale haloes around black spots

Widely distributed due to historic stocking, however, rainbow trout do not exist in Yellowstone Lake,

Yellowstone River above the Upper Falls, or the Snake River.

Distributed in Gallatin,

Gibbon, Firehole, Madison,

Lewis, Snake, and Gardner

rivers, and the Yellowstone River below Knowles Falls. Brown trout do not exist in Yellowstone Lake, Bechler

or Falls rivers, and are not known to exist in the Yellowstone River system above Knowles Falls.

Native Trout Conservation Area: 

5 fish any size in combination

Wild Trout Enhancement Area: CATCH AND RELEASE 

EXCEPT Lewis River System (Lewis Lake, Lewis Channel, and

Shoshone Lake and tributaries) TWO FISH (only one fish of any

species over 20 ̋; all fish in possession must remain whole)

Cutthroat/rainbow trout hybrids will have characteristics (coloration and spotting patterns) that

are consistent with the two species, making identification often difficult. In all cases, hybridized

cutthroat trout that have any indication of a red/orange jaw slash are fully protected by catchand-release regulation. “If it has a red slash, put it back.”
8

Madison & Gallatin River

Drainages 

(including Firehole and Gibbon

rivers and tributaries)

a. Closed to fishing: Firehole River from road bridge 

1⁄2 mile upstream of Old Faithful to road

bridge at Biscuit Basin; Firehole River 200 yards either side of Midway footbridge; Madison

River from Seven Mile Bridge upstream 250 yards.

b. Flyfishing only: Madison River, Firehole River, Gibbon River below Gibbon Falls (not including

their tributaries). Use only artificial flies regardless of the type of rod or line.

Snake River Drainage 

(Snake and Lewis rivers and 

tributaries)

a. Heart Lake opens to fishing July 1 due to bear activity. 

b. No size or possession limit on lake trout caught in Heart Lake.

c. Above Lewis River Falls, one fish > 20 ̋; all fish in possession must remain whole. See p. 6, Section 7.

Lower Yellowstone River

Drainage

(Yellowstone and Lamar

Rivers & tributaries between

North Park Boundary and

Chittenden Bridge near

Canyon)

a. Agate and Cottonwood creeks, and portions of the Yellowstone River within 100 yards of these

creeks, open to fishing July 15.

b. Gardner River, Obsidian, Indian, and Panther creeks, and Joffe Lake: Children 11 years of age or younger may fish with worms as bait.

c. Slough Creek upper meadows have been invaded by rainbow trout. If you are positive of your

fish identification, please harvest rainbow trout here to help conserve cutthroat trout.

d. Trout, Shrimp, and Buck lakes, and connecting waters, open to fishing June 15. The stream and

inlet area that drains into Trout Lake opens to fishing July 15.

e. Closed to fishing: Yellowstone River, from Chittenden Bridge downstream through the Grand

Canyon of the Yellowstone to a point directly below Silver Cord Cascade.

Middle Yellowstone

River Drainage 

(between Chittenden Bridge

near Canyon and Yellowstone

Lake)

a. Fishing season opens July 15. b. Permanently closed to fishing:

i. Fishing Bridge and an area one mile downstream (toward Canyon) and one-quarter mile

upstream (toward Yellowstone Lake) from the bridge.

ii. The Yellowstone River for 100 yards up- and downstream of LeHardys Rapids.

iii. The entire west channel of the Yellowstone River near the road at Nez Perce Ford.

iv. The Yellowstone River and its tributaries through Hayden Valley from the confluence of Alum

Creek upstream (toward Yellowstone Lake) to Sulphur Caldron. 

Yellowstone Lake and

Upper Yellowstone River

Drainage

(Lake & tributaries)

a. Fishing season on Yellowstone Lake opens June 15. b. Streams flowing into Yellowstone Lake (its tributaries) and areas within 100 yards of each stream’s outlet open July 15.

c. Clear and Cub creeks open August 11 due to bear activity.

d. Sylvan and Eleanor lakes open to fishing July 15. Boats and float tubes are prohibited.

e. Permanently closed to fishing:

i. Pelican Creek and its tributaries.

ii. The shoreline of Yellowstone Lake from West Thumb Geyser basin to Little Thumb Creek (to protect fragile thermal resources).

iii. Bridge Bay Marina/Harbor & Grant Village Marina/Harbor and their channels to the lake. 

f. All lake trout caught in Yellowstone Lake, its tributaries, and the Yellowstone

River must be killed. If you do not want to keep the fish, puncture the air bladder (see

drawing page 13) and drop it into water as deep as possible.

Exceptions to General Regulations

If a stream or lake is not listed by name or as a tributary, general regulations

apply. You must follow bear management and hydrothermal area restrictions

listed in the Yellowstone Backcountry Trip Planner, which is available in

backcountry offices or at www.ynp.gov/yell.

Native Trout Conservation Area

This area conserves native trout in their

remaining drainages, including: ◆ Gallatin, Yellowstone, Shoshone, Snake,

and Falls rivers, tributaries, and

associated lakes

◆ Hebgen Lake tributaries and associated

lakes, including Cougar Creek, Duck

Creek, and Grayling Creek systems 

This area does not include the Lewis River

system above Lewis River Falls (Lewis and

Shoshone lakes and tributaries).

Possession and length limits: ◆ Catch and release all native species. ◆ Possession limit: 5 combined non-native

fish any size per day.

◆ All lake trout from Yellowstone Lake

must be killed. 

◆ No possession limit on lake trout in

Heart Lake.

10

Wild Trout Enhancement Area

This area conserves native trout and some

non-native trout. It includes: ◆ Madison River, its tributaries and

associated lakes (but not including

streams and associated lakes tributary to

Hebgen Lake)

◆ Lewis River system above the Lewis River

Falls, including Lewis and Shoshone

Lakes and their tributaries

Possession and length limits: ◆ Catch and release all native species. ◆ Catch and release all rainbow trout and

brown trout.

◆Possession limit: 5 combined brook trout

or lake trout. Exception: In the Lewis

River system above the Lewis River Falls,

this combination may include two brown

trout.

◆ Above Lewis River Falls, one fish >20 ̋; 

all fish in possession must remain whole.

North Entrance

Northeast 

Entrance

est Entrance

East Entrance

South Entrance

Seasonal Bear Closure Area

North Entrance

Northeast 

Entrance

est Entrance

East Entrance

South Entrance

Seasonal Bear Closure Area

Blacktail

Ponds

ower Fall uck Lake

McBride 

ake

Gibbon Falls

Riddle 

Lake

urbid Lake

LEWIS

LAKE

LeHardys Rapids

ellowstone 

Lake M d

Sedge

rout Lake

hrimp Lake

Knowles Falls

Sylvan

Lake

HEAR T LAKE

SHOSHONE LAKE

fee Lake

Silver Cord

Cascade

Eleanor

Lake

ammoth Hot Springs 

Canyon 

Old Faithful 

Lake 

Bridge Ba Fishing 

Bridge 

Grant 

Madison 

Norris 

ower 

Junction West Thumb 

Sulphur Caldron 

Mud 

olcano 

Chittenden Bridge 

Biscuit Basin 

Midway 

CT 

T, MW, RT, BK, BN 

CT 

C T

M W

RT

CT 

CT 

CT 

CT 

CT 

CT 

C T

CT 

C T

B N

B K

RT

CT 

CT 

MW 

CT 

C T CT 

MW 

CT 

T, RT 

CT 

CT 

CT 

CT 

T, MW 

T, BN CT 

MW 

BN 

BK 

BN 

BK 

BN 

BK 

BN 

B N GY 

MW 

BK 

BN 

BK 

GY GY 

CT 

BK 

BK 

BK 

BK 

BK 

BK 

C T

RT

CT CT 

CT 

BK 

BK 

BK 

BN 

BK 

BN 

BK 

BK 

BN 

BN 

BK 

T, LT 

RT

G Y

M W

B N

Closed to fishing

Area within

closed to fishing

Road

Possession & Length Limits By Management Area
15

Volunteer Anglers Angler Etiquette

◆ Use established trails and avoid sensitive

wetland vegetation such as bogs and seeps.

Heavy trail use in these areas causes erosion

and loss of habitat essential to many of

Yellowstone’s wildlife. 

◆ Anglers must stay on trails in thermal areas

and must not cross these areas or approach

thermal features.

◆ Avoid using the streambed as a pathway.

Your footsteps can damage aquatic habitats

and kill eggs and/or fry in the gravel.

◆ Do not overfish a good fishing area. Fish for

a while, and then move on. 

◆ Do not encroach on another angler’s space

and keep out of sight of other anglers, if

possible.

◆ During late July and August, when water

temperatures can be high, do most of your

fishing early and late in the day. Allow fish

to rest during the heat of the day.

The Volunteer Angler Report—

Your Chance to Contribute

Since 1973, anglers have been providing

valuable fishery information to Yellowstone

National Park managers by filling out the

Volunteer Angler Report (VAR) card, which is

issued with each fishing permit. Managers use

this information to estimate angling pressure,

landing and creel rates, sizes of fish landed, and

angler satisfaction. For many park waters, these

reports are the only data available. Help us

manage your park’s fisheries by completing and

returning your VAR card, whether or not you

actually fished or caught fish. To obtain a

summary of the data, indicate so in the

comment section and include your email or

postal address.

Yellowstone Volunteer 

Flyfishing Program

Since 2002, anglers have been directly assisting

Yellowstone’s fisheries staff. Using catch-andrelease angling to capture fish, they gather

biological information on fish populations

located throughout the park. Their projects

have included:

◆ determining the range of hybridized

Yellowstone cutthroat trout in the Lamar

River and its major tributaries

◆ documenting the Pebble Creek and Beula

Lake fisheries

◆ documenting the status and movement

patterns of grayling originating in Grebe and

Wolf lakes of the Gibbon River system

◆ documenting the status and genetic

uniqueness of westslope cutthroat trout in

Grayling Creek

Through this program, volunteer anglers

experience many fisheries issues first hand, and

their biological data increases understanding of

the park’s fisheries.

◆ To possess a native cutthroat trout, or any

other native fish. 

◆ To bring into the park any live or dead bait

(minnows, leeches, salamanders, etc), with

one exception. (See page 6, section 4b.)

◆ To transport live fish within the park. 

◆ To move water, sediment, fish, fish eggs,

aquatic invertebrates, or plants from one

water body to another.

◆ To use parts of trout or any other fish for

bait.

◆ To put any substance in the water for the

purpose of attracting fish (chumming).

◆ To leave a fishing line unattended.

If you witness a violation, please

report it immediately to a law enforcement

ranger, or call 307-344-7381 and press “zero”

to immediately reach park dispatch. 

Illegal Actions

Releasing Fish

To briefly hold a fish

before releasing it,

follow this angler’s

example—hold the

fish carefully with

wet hands.

14

◆ For all native fish and any non-native fish

you are intending to release, bring the fish

in as quickly as possible. Do not play the

fish to exhaustion.

◆ Unhook the fish in quiet water such as an

eddy or slow spot. Do not drag the fish

across land. Use a forceps or small needlenosed pliers to quickly remove the hook.

◆ If you must handle the fish, always make

sure your hands are wet. (Fish have a

protective mucous film sensitive to dry

human hands.)

◆ The best way to hold a fish (with wet hands)

is 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.

◆ If you want a photo of the fish, make sure

the photographer is ready before you

handle the fish. Make it quick.

◆ 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, hold the

fish around its tail and beneath its belly with

its head facing upstream into the current.

Move the fish 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 resuscitation. When the

fish has recovered it should swim away on

its own.

◆ Hooks and lures typically have barbs when

purchased. With small pliers you must

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.

◆ 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 pliers; you also must pinch down

all the barbs. Two hooks are still effective

and easier to remove and less traumatic. 

◆ If the fish is deeply hooked, cut the line—

do not pull out the hook. Most fish survive

with hooks left in them.

◆ When filling out the Volunteer Angler

Report (see at right), 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.
Frequently Asked Questions

How many

anglers come to

Yellowstone

each year?

About 50,000 of the

park’s three million

visitors fish while

they are in

Yellowstone.

Why can’t we

fish from 

Fishing Bridge?

Fishing Bridge,

situated over a

cutthroat trout

spawning area, was

once a popular place

to fish (photo).

Declining numbers

of cutthroat trout

caused park officials to close the bridge to

fishing to protect the spawning fish. Now the

bridge is a popular place to observe and

photograph fish.

Why are barbless hooks required?

Many fish have been injured or deformed by

barbed hooks, especially in the park’s popular

streams, such as the Yellowstone River and

Soda Butte Creek. Barbless hooks reduce hook

injuries and the time you need to handle the

fish, and improve the overall condition of

trout in heavily-fished waters of the park.

Why is fishing lead-free in

Yellowstone?

Lead is a severe environmental contaminant

and a toxic substance that has no known

beneficial biological function. Wildlife, such as

loons, waterfowl, cranes, and shorebirds, are

vulnerable to lead poisoning. Of particular

concern in Yellowstone are the alarmingly low

populations of trumpeter swans and loons. To

minimize the effects of lead on these species,

Yellowstone National Park bans most lead

tackle. (Lead core line and heavy [> 4 lb.]

downrigger weights used to fish for deepdwelling lake trout are permissible because

they are too large to be ingested by wildlife.)

How do anglers help Yellowstone?

Fly fishing is a major industry in the Greater

Yellowstone Ecosystem, and park anglers

spend millions here annually. Angler groups

have supported management actions, such as

catch-and-release of native species and closing

the Fishing Bridge to fishing, and have helped

fund research on aquatic systems. In addition,

anglers help by:

◆ correctly identifying fish and selectively

removing non-native trout in waters where

they are causing harm (such as the upper

meadows of Slough Creek)

◆ removing lake trout, a non-native fish that

preys on an important population of

Yellowstone cutthroat trout in Yellowstone

Lake 

◆ taking actions to prevent the spread of

aquatic invasive species (see pages 4–5)

◆ filling out and returning the Volunteer

Angler Report card (see page 15)

17

When Yellowstone became a national park,

more than 40 percent of its waters were barren

of fish—including Shoshone Lake, Lewis Lake,

and the Firehole River above Firehole Falls.

Early park managers transplanted fish into

new locations, produced more fish in hatcheries, and introduced non-native species. By

the mid-20th century, more than 310 million

fish had been stocked in the park. Stocking no

longer occurs. About 40 lakes have fish; the

remainder were either not stocked or have

reverted to their original fishless condition.

The ranges and densities of the park’s native

fish species have been substantially altered

during the past century due to exploitation,

introduction of exotic species, and natural

factors. Large-scale habitat degradation—such

as water diversions or water pollution—has

not occurred in the park.

Non-native trout are important to the angler

experience in Yellowstone, but they contribute

to the decline in the park’s native cutthroat

trout and fluvial Arctic grayling by competing

for food and habitat, preying on native fish,

and degrading the genetic integrity of native

fish by mating with them and creating hybrids. 

Non-native rainbow trout also interbreed with

native cutthroat trout, producing hybrids.

Once this happens, a cutthroat population can

be restored to genetic purity only if all fish are

removed from a stream and genetically pure

cutthroat are reintroduced. To reduce

hybridization in the park’s cutthroat trout

waters, anglers are encouraged to harvest

rainbow trout.

In Yellowstone, bald eagles, ospreys, pelicans,

otters, grizzly bears, and other wildlife take

precedence over humans in utilizing fish as

food. Fish management and regulations

reflect this priority. For example, some waters

are closed to fishing to protect threatened

and endangered species, and sensitive nesting

birds. Regulations ban

lead tackle because the

lead concentrates in

aquatic environments,

posing a risk of lead

poisoning to waterfowl

that might ingest it.

Only non-toxic alternatives to lead are allowed.

(See page 6 for one

exception.)

Native Fish

History of Fisheries Management

The Impact of Non-Native Trout

Maintaining Native Fish Genetics

Maintaining the Park’s

Ecological Integrity

Yellowstone’s Fishery

◆ 11 native species including 3 sport fish:

cutthroat trout (3 subspecies), fluvial Arctic

grayling, and mountain whitefish.

◆ 5 non-native species: brook trout, brown

trout, lake trout, rainbow trout, lake chub.

◆ More than 220 lakes comprise approximately 107,000 surface acres in Yellowstone;

94 percent can be attributed to Yellowstone,

Shoshone, Lewis, and Heart lakes.

◆ 1,000 streams make up more than 2,650

miles of running water.

◆ Cutthroat trout are a primary food for bald

eagles, ospreys, pelicans, otters, and grizzly

bears.

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