Fishing in Yellowstone National Park

America’s oldest national park offers better fishing than most states. That’s because fish harvest is tightly regulated, the park has plenty of water, and it contains arguably the best trout habitat in the lower 48 states.

Yellowstone Lake is the most famous and most fished water in the park. This 87,000-acre lake provides a world-renowned Yellowstone cutthroat trout fishery. It also contains lake trout, and park officials encourage harvesting of this introduced species to minimize predation on cutthroat. Fishing success usually drops off on Yellowstone Lake several days before and after a full moon.

The Yellowstone River flows south to north from its headwaters above Yellowstone Lake until it leaves the park near Gardiner, Montana. This is a big, fast-moving river, so weight is handy in trying to reach the fish. Action is hot for cutthroat trout, usually around mid-July.

The Firehole River flows southwest of Old Faithful geyser until it joins the Gibbon River to form the Madison River at Madison Junction. The Firehole is full of rainbow, brown, and brook trout. Despite this, fishing can be slow. The action is usually best early and late in the season, the best locations are near the mouths of its tributaries, where the water is cooler.

The Madison follows the highway from Madison Junction to the park’s boundary north of West Yellowstone, Montana. It’s loaded with big trout, but they can be tough to catch. Anglers who avoid midday and midsummer fishing usually have the best success.

Slough Creek is accessible east of Tower Junction. Anglers can find good fishing all along the foot trail. It’s easy to see and stalk Slough Creek’s big cutthroat trout.

The highway follows Gibbon River east of Norris Junction until it joins the Firehole at Madison Junction. Anglers experience steady fishing along Gibbon for small rainbow and brook trout. Angling for whitefish and brown trout is better near the Firehole confluence.

Lewis Lake is north of the park’s south entrance along the main highway. This fishery is good for lake and brown trout. Angling is best early and late in the season.

Gardiner River flows north to south through the park wilderness before joining Obsidian Creek south of Mammoth. The Gardiner is perhaps the park’s best brook trout fishery, and some nice browns are caught in its lower section.

The Lamar River flows northwesterly across the northeast corner of the park. It offers almost 50 miles of good fishing for cutthroat and rainbow trout. Much of the good fishing requires a walk-in.

Shoshone Lake is an 8,050-acre backcountry lake that produces big lake and brown trout, plus a few brookies. In July and August, anglers catch more and bigger fish by fishing deep. This can be done from shore by working dropoffs and the mouths of inlets.

Soda Butte Creek, in the northeast corner of the park, offers particularly fast fishing for cutthroat and rainbow trout. The Gallatin River, in the extreme northeast corner of the park, offers good to excellent fishing for rainbow, brown, and cutthroat trout, as well as whitefish. Fishing is best during July and August.