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Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park Fishing Regulations
Information provided by the NPS
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.


more detailed information on general fishing regulations

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