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Fly - Fishing Yellowstone Waters There are over a hundred lakes and a thousand miles of streams in Yellowstone National Park; nowhere in the world are so many public rivers and streams found in such a condensed area. Seven varieties of gamefish live in Yellowstone: cutthroat, rainbow, brown, brook, and lake trout, along with grayling and mountain whitefish. Only cutthroats, grayling, and mountain whitefish are native to the Park. In the 1890s, any lake, stream, pond, river, or slough that held water was stocked with fish. Little was known then about fisheries management; many of these places could not support self-sustaining populations and returned to their former barren state. Those that could support fish retain wild populations to this day. The last fish were stocked in Yellowstone in the mid-1950s. The Park is divided into four sections by a network of roads called the Loop Roads.
There is no "best" time to fish Yellowstone Park. Each month of the short season offers its own style of best fishing. From the season opener in late May through the end of June, the best places to fish are the Firehole, Gibbon, Madison, and Lewis Rivers, and both Yellowstone and Trout Lakes, when they open on June 1st. In July, all waters become fishable in the Park, including the small streams. Insect hatches are at their peak in July, and this is a favorite time for dry-fly fishers. The Firehole and Madison Rivers are two exceptions, however, because a combination of thermal water and summer heat raises their water temperatures into the 80s. Fishing is slow on these two rivers until water temperatures drop in early September. July and August are our fair-weather months, with the most consistent hatches and favorable stream conditions. August is the best time for lake fishing in the Park. This is a great time to fish the backcountry lakes in Yellowstone, as the mosquitoes and biting flies thin. All rivers except the Firehole and Madison continue to fish well through the month. As the aquatic insect emergences wane, terrestrials play an increasingly important role in the trout diet. Imitations of grasshoppers, ants, crickets, and beetles are a mainstay in the angler's arsenal until the end of the season. During the late season, September and October, only a few hatches remain. The big Green Drakes appear on the Lamar River and Slough Creek, along with tiny Blue-Winged Olives and midges. The Firehole and Madison Rivers become fishable again and produce excellent hatches of BWOs and midges. October is the best month to come if you want to catch the large migrating fish in the Madison and Lewis Rivers. As spawning time approaches and the weather becomes more winterlike, these big trout become aggressive and territorial, attacking baitfish imitations and other large streamer flies. HATCHES___________________________________________________ Whenever possible we refer to insects by their common names. When no common name is available, we use an insect's scientific name. In the accompanying chart you'll find an overall emergence table that will give you an idea when to expect various insects throughout the Park. In the chapters to come, major lakes and rivers where hatches are important are also accompanied by specific emergence tables. Below is some broadly useful information about insect activity in the park.
BEAR COUNTRY____________________________________________ 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. From Fishing Regulations for Yellowstone National Park WHAT TO BRING____________________________________________
We recommend an 8 - 9-foot rod balanced for a 4- to 6-weight line. A floating weight-forward or double-taper line will handle most situations. Full-sinking lines are helpful on lakes, and sink-tip lines are often used when fishing streamers or big nymphs in the fall. Felt-soled, chest-high waders are the choice of most Yellowstone anglers. Lightweight waders made of Gore-Tex or microfibers are convenient for packing along on backcountry trips. Neoprene waders are required in colder weather, especially when tubing lakes or fishing in the fall. Never go fishing in Yellowstone without rain gear, sunscreen, sunglasses, bug dope, and a hat. Backcountry users may want to have a can of bear repellent (pepper spray) handy and hang bells on their packs. Although we single out bears, all animals in the Park are wild and should be given a wide berth and proper respect. We have seen more visitors put up trees by elk, bison, and moose than by all the bears combined. Yellowstone's lakes and ponds remain an untapped resource and largely unexplored, visited by only a handful of Yellowstone regulars. It's a mystery why so many anglers are reluctant to give lake fishing a try. Yellowstone's stillwaters offer solitude, a pleasant change of pace from the sometimes crowded rivers, and a chance to see the Park as few others do. The lakes feature fishing for all trout species, and they provide your best opportunity to land a trophy trout or one of the seldom-seen grayling. The lakes have periods of fine dry-fly fishing to emerging insects. When insects aren't hatching, there's great fishing with subsurface flies. Each season we seem to spend more and more time exploring the lakes of Yellowstone. Remember that if you're bringing in a boat or float tube, you'll need a permit for your watercraft as well as a fishing permit. Yellowstone National Park is managed as a natural area to protect plants, wildlife, geology, and scenery. 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:
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. Permits and FeesA permit is required to fish in Yellowstone. Anglers 16 years of age and older are required to purchase either a $10 ten-day or $20 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 Hamilton General Stores. No state fishing license is required in Yellowstone National Park. Non-toxic FishingYellowstone National Park has implemented a non-toxic fishing program. Nationwide, over three million waterfowl die 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 for fly fishing are prohibited. Only non-toxic alternatives to lead are allowed. General Fishing Regulations1. Fishing Permits and General Fishing Season
2. General Tackle and Bait Restrictions
3. General Size and Possession Limits
4. General Closures: No fishing from any road bridge or boat dock. 5. Boat and Float Tube Regulations: A Boat Permit is required of all types of vessels. (Float tubes are classified as vessels. They are not allowed on any river or stream in Yellowstone except the Lewis River between Lewis and Shoshone Lakes.) Boat Permits must be obtained in person at any of the following locations: South Entrance, Lewis Lake Campground, Grant Village Backcountry Office, Bridge Bay Marina and Lake Ranger Station. Non-motorized permits only may be obtained at Mammoth Backcountry Office, Canyon Backcountry Office, Northeast Entrance, and Bechler Ranger Station. Fees are charged for both motorized and non-motorized boat permits |
The
first river to clear from snowmelt is the Firehole; it's often the
only game in the Park on the opener, and each May a group of Firehole
River regulars eagerly awaits the Memorial Day weekend. The Firehole
usually offers great dry-fly fishing during afternoon mayfly hatches
and continues to do so until the end of June. By the second week of
June, the Gibbon and Madison Rivers drop and clear, the ice comes off
Yellowstone Lake, and the fishing season is under way for other waters.
One by one the Parks rivers run clear of snowmelt, and most become fishable
by July 4. Usually, the last rivers to clear are the Yellowstone and
Lamar in early July.
Each
gate community offers a selection of fly shops and guide services. Make
it a point to check with these local experts regarding current stream
conditions and hatches. First-time visitors should spend a day or two
with a knowledgeable guide; this can save you a lot of gas and boot
leather.