1. Fishing Permits and General Fishing
Season
a. Fishing Permits:
Anyone 12 years of age or older must have a valid Yellowstone National
Park fishing permit to fish in the park. A fishing permit is valid
only if signed by the permittee. A permit fee is charged for anyone 16
years of age or older. 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.
b. Park Rangers may check permits,
inspect tackle and fish, and inspect creels and/or other containers
where fish tackle may be stored.
c. General Fishing Season
in Yellowstone National Park is open each day from 5 am to 10 pm,
beginning on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend through and
including the first Sunday in November. There are several
area-specific
exceptions to the general opening dates.
2. General Tackle and Bait Restrictions
a. Each angler may use only
one rod or line, which must be held in hand.
b. Only artificial lures and
flies may be used. No natural or organic bait such as salmon
eggs, worms, insects, or foodstuffs is allowed. Scented attractants
are illegal.
c. Lures may have only one
hook. The hook may have a single, double or treble
configuration. No fish snagging is allowed.
d. Flies may have only one hook
with a single point. Up to two flies may be used on a single leader.
e. Leaded fishing tackle
such as leaded split-shot sinkers, weighted jigs (lead molded to a
hook), and soft lead-weighted ribbon for nymph fishing are not
allowed.
3. General Size and Possession Limits
a. Size and possession
limits vary by species and area. The maximum number of fish an angler
can keep is five per day (not counting lake trout from Yellowstone or
Heart Lakes, or brook trout from Pocket Lake) of which at least three
must be brook trout. An angler must cease fishing immediately
after filling his/her possession limit except on Yellowstone Lake
(See
area-specific regulation, 1.g.). Possession limits include all
fish, whether fresh, stored in freezer/ice chests or otherwise
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 that 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.
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. |