Cooling waters lifts fishing restrictions for select rivers and streams at Yellowstone National Park
Effective immediately, rivers and streams that were previously closed for fishing due to warm water temperatures are now open at Yellowstone National Park with no restrictions.
Yellowstone National Park: Tourism rebounding after extreme weather events
Yellowstone National Park is a diverse land bordering three states. In the age of social media, getting a chance to see the park's famous bison, moose or bears is a highly desirable experience for the millions of tourists who travel there. But recent extreme weather events like flooding kept the tourists away, now the months ahead look bright as we look at the challenges the park has faced and what lies ahead. FOX Weather’s Robert Ray reports.
MAMMOTH SPRINGS, Wyo. – National Park visitors in Wyoming can rejoice at the opportunity to once again fish without restrictions in select rivers.
Effective immediately, rivers and streams that were previously closed for fishing due to warm water temperatures are now open at Yellowstone National Park with no restrictions.
The National Park Service (NPS) stated that the partial closure was necessary to protect the park’s native and wild trout when temperatures exceed 68 degrees.
Man and woman fly fishing in the Madison River near the west gate of Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. (Ron Buskirk/UCG/Universal Images Group / Getty Images)
As cold-blooded animals, fish are sensitive to the temperatures in their environments. Fish that are adapted to cold water, such as salmon and trout, are particularly vulnerable to these changes, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
"Coldwater fish can generally withstand warm temperatures for short durations of time, but if the warm temperatures persist, habitat becomes unsuitable and can cause mortality for fish that are unable to find refuge," read a statement from Idaho Fish and Game.
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WY - SEPTEMBER 18: A fly fisherman works the Firehole River in Yellowstone National Park's Biscuit Basin on September 18, 2022, in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Sitting atop an active volcanic caldera, Yellowstone, America's first National Park, is home to more geological hydrothermal features (geysers, mud pots, hot springs, fumaroles) than are found in the rest of the world combined. (George Rose / Getty Images)
Recently, park staff have been monitoring rivers and streams, recording dropping temperatures and consistent rainfall. These weather factors are projected to persist in the near future, offering sufficient promise for officials to lift restrictions for fishers.
The NPS advises people to fish during the coolest times of the day, land their catch quickly, and not wait till the animal is exhausted. Gently handle the fish in the water for as much as possible and let them recover before the release.
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YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WY - JULY 23: Yellowstone Wildland Fire Management team members briefed reporters on July 23, 2018 in Yellowstone National Park, WY on the state of Yellowstone 30 years after the 1988 fires. (William Campbell/Corbis / Getty Images)
The fishing season begins the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend and runs through Oct. 31.
Check out these rivers and streams now open without restriction:
- The Madison River and all associated tributaries.
- The Firehole River and all associated tributaries.
- The Gibbon River and all associated tributaries downstream of Norris Campground.