Yellowstone cutthroat trout

2021 Yellowstone fishing restrictions now in place

The National Park Service has imposed 2021 Yellowstone fishing restrictions in this hot, dry summer, due to high-water temperatures and unprecedented low stream flows.

This closure is designed to protect the park’s native and wild trout fisheries. The 2021 Yellowstone fishing restrictions fall in two general areas:

  • Fishing on rivers and streams will be prohibited from 2 p.m. to sunrise the following day. Anglers can fish from sunrise to 2 p.m.
  • Yellowstone Lake and other lakes will remain open to fishing from sunrise to sunset.

In addition, the NPS is requesting that anglers head out during the coolest times of day and land fish quickly, not playing hooked trout to exhaustion. Gently handle fish in the water as much as possible and let them recover before release.

According to an NPS press release, water temperatures have exceeded 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius) in recent days, and flows on many rivers are approaching historic lows. These conditions are extremely stressful and can be fatal to fish. The extended forecast calls for continued hot and dry conditions with a slight chance of isolated afternoon thunderstorms, which contribute to continued low stream flows and high-water temperatures.

If things worsen, the next step will be to prohibit fishing completely.

Photo courtesy National Park Service.

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