Major Rivers
| Image | Description |
|---|---|
| Gallatin River 44°51′29″N 110°53′01″W / 44.85806°N 110.88361°W / 44.85806; -110.88361 (Gallatin River) | |
| The Gallatin River is a headwater tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 120 mi (193 km long), in the U.S. states of Wyoming and Montana. It is one of three rivers, along with the Jefferson and Madison, that converge near Three Forks, Montana, to form the Missouri. It rises in the northwest corner of the park and flows 23 miles (37 km) north through the park into Montana. The Gallatin contains rainbow trout, brown trout and mountain whitefish.
Access to the lower 11 miles (18 km) of the Gallatin River in the park is excellent along Highway 191. The Gallatin in the park is small and twists and turns with numerous undercut banks and lots of runs, riffles and holes. The water is very clear and cold and midsummer after runoff is generally the best fishing. Fishing pressure on the Gallatin River is moderate. The Gallatin River in the valley section has excellent fly fishing for both rainbow and brown trout. Average rainbow size is 12 inches (300 mm). Brown trout average between 12–14 inches, although larger fish are often caught. Five brown and/or rainbow trout may be harvested daily. All whitefish and cutthroat trout caught must be released. |
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| Madison River 44°38′32″N 110°51′56″W / 44.64222°N 110.86556°W / 44.64222; -110.86556 (Madison River) | |
| The Madison River is a headwater tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 183 miles (295 km) long, in the U.S. states of Wyoming and Montana. Its confluence with the Jefferson and Gallatin rivers near Three Forks, Montana form the Missouri River. The Madison rises in Park County in northwestern Wyoming at the confluence of the Firehole and Gibbon rivers, a location known as Madison Junction in Yellowstone National Park. It flows west then north through the mountains of southwestern Montana to join the Jefferson and Gallatin rivers at Three Forks.
The 19 miles (31 km) of the Madison in the park, although easily accessible, is not suited for beginners and offers technical dry fly and nymph fishing for rainbow and brown trout averaging from ten to fourteen inches (356 mm), with an occasional 20-incher. Most of the river inside the park resembles a large spring creek and has been called the world's largest chalkstream. The Madison is an early summer and fall river and offers poor fishing in midsummer because of high temperatures contributed by the Firehole. Fishing in the fall is excellent when significant numbers of brown and rainbow trout enter the river from Hebgen Lake. These are usually taken with large streamer patterns. Many pools and runs on the Madison have angler-given names reminiscent of eastern trout stream and British salmon rivers—The Barns, Beaver Meadows, Grasshopper Bank, Cable Car Run and Baker's Hole. The Madison River is fly fishing only in Yellowstone National Park and all fishing is catch and release. |
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| Firehole River 44°20′37″N 110°52′43″W / 44.34361°N 110.87861°W / 44.34361; -110.87861 (Firehole River) | |
| The Firehole River is a famous and storied destination for serious fly fisherman and runs completely within the park boundary. It is the major tributary of the Madison river providing some 70% of the volume. When it was discovered in the 1830s by American explorers, the Firehole was barren of trout above what is now called Firehole Falls. Brook trout were first introduced to the upper Firehole in 1889, while brown trout, the river's most plentiful trout today, was first stocked in 1890. Rainbow trout were not introduced until 1923. Mountain whitefish are native to the Firehole below Firehole Falls. The Firehole is one of those rivers with angler-given names to various famous and productive sections such a Muleshoe Bend and the Broads.
The Firehole has been called the "strangest trout stream on Earth." This spring-fed river flows through the most active geyser basins in Yellowstone Park, so the angler is often fishing against a backdrop of steam rising from a gurgling hot spring. The Firehole provides excellent dry fly fishing from opening day until it warms too much from geysers by the end of June. For the most part the Firehole is an easily accessible, slow moving meadow stream that demands careful presentations and imitative flies for the prolific caddis and mayfly hatches. Fall fishing in September and October is again excellent as the river cools. The Firehole River is fly fishing only and rainbow and brown trout are catch and release only. Five brook trout may be harvested daily. |
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| Gibbon River 44°45′10″N 110°33′57″W / 44.75278°N 110.56583°W / 44.75278; -110.56583 (Gibbon River) | |
| The Gibbon River begins in the center of Yellowstone National Park, at Grebe Lake. It flows for a short distance into Wolf Lake. Below Wolf Lake, the Gibbon River twists and turns through beautiful and varied country before its confluence with the Firehole River to form the Madison River. The upper section of Gibbon River has very difficult access being choked with thick forests and lots of downed timber. The fish, consisting of brook trout, rainbow trout and grayling are all on the small side, rarely exceeding 10 inches (250 mm). Below Gibbon Falls access is excellent and the river has a healthly mix of rainbow and brown trout. The lower river receives a good run of spawning browns in the fall.
The Gibbon River is fly fishing only and catch and release below Gibbon Falls. Above the falls, any grayling or cutthroat trout caught must be released. Five brook, rainbow and/or brown trout may be harvested daily in the waters above the falls. |
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| Upper Yellowstone River 43°59′18″N 109°55′45″W / 43.98833°N 109.92917°W / 43.98833; -109.92917 (Upper Yellowstone River) | |
| The upper Yellowstone River rises in northwestern Wyoming near Younts Peak at the Continental Divide in southwestern Park County. It flows northward some 25 miles (40 km) through Yellowstone National Park and into draining Yellowstone Lake. The upper Yellowstone is a meandering, many-channeled stream with a clean gravel or sand-silt bottom. It lies in a broad valley, one to three miles (5 km) across, which is often marshy or boggy. This cutthroat fishery and area is as primitive and wild as it was 200 years ago and is one of the most difficult, time-consuming places in Yellowstone Park to get to and is considered one of the remotest places in the lower 48 states. Three days is about the minimum time required to visit and fish it. The fish are not much different is size and abundance than in the lower river. There is probably no trout stream anywhere in the forty-eight lower states that has been less affected by man than this one.
All cutthroat trout caught must be released. |
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| Lower Yellowstone River 44°37′21″N 110°25′36″W / 44.62250°N 110.42667°W / 44.62250; -110.42667 (Lower Yellowstone River) | |
| The lower Yellowstone river begins at the outlet of Yellowstone lake. After passing through Hayden meadows, it drops over the Upper and Lower Yellowstone Falls at the head of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone within the confines of the park. After passing through the Black Canyon of the Yellowstone downstream of the Grand Canyon, the river flows northward into Montana exiting the park at Gardiner.
Inside Yellowstone National Park is some of the most gorgeous flat water fishing for pure Yellowstone cutthroats you'll experience anywhere. A portion of this stretch (through Hayden Valley) is closed all year, but the rest is easily accessible and easily wadable. No floating is allowed. Wonderful hatches occur just after the opener, on July 15. Pale Morning Duns, Green Drakes, Gray Drakes, caddis and even salmonflies are found at that time. The river can be crowded at popular access points like Buffalo Ford, but if you hike a bit, there are many good spots where you can get away from the crowds. The canyon reaches inside Yellowstone National Park are accessible only by hiking or horseback. This is some terrific fishing at times, especially during the salmonfly hatch in early to mid-July. Good access points are at Canyon Village, Tower, and Gardiner with a couple of other trailhead access points in between. If you are in good shape and like to combine some hiking and fishing, this is great water to explore. The scenery is magnificent. The river here is usually quite swift, with sheer canyon walls in spots. Wading can be dangerous in these sections, so be careful. The payoff are big fat cutthroats and some very nice rainbows. Below Knowles Falls, about four miles (6 km) upstream from Gardiner, you'll find browns and whitefish in addition to the rainbows and cutthroat trout. All whitefish and cutthroat trout caught in the Yellowstone river must be released. Five rainbow and/or brown trout may be harvested from the lower Yellowstone river. |
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| Gardner River 44°57′15″N 110°52′03″W / 44.95417°N 110.86750°W / 44.95417; -110.86750 (Gardner River) | |
| The Gardner River is a tributary of the Yellowstone river and enters the Yellowstone at the park boundary in the town of Gardiner, Montana. The Gardner can be divided into three sections. The upper river consists of meadows reminiscent of Slough Creek or Soda Butte, but contains plentiful brook trout instead of cutthroats. The middle Gardner is fast canyon water with long runs of pocket water interspersed with pools and runs. The lower Gardiner from Bolling River to the confluence with the Yellowstone is similar but with easier access from the Mammoth–Gardiner road. The middle and lower sections contain good populations of rainbow, cutthroat and brown trout. In the late fall, the Gardner is known for its annual run of spawning browns which travel up the river from the Yellowstone.
The Gardner river's pocket water, bouldered pools and runs offer good dry fly and nymph fishing, especially in the late summer and fall. Although high runoff can impair early summer fishing, the Gardner does get a reliable hatch of large stoneflies in June and July. All whitefish and cutthroat trout caught in the Gardner river must be released. Five brook, brown and/or rainbow trout may be harvested daily. |
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| Lamar River 44°42′19″N 109°49′33″W / 44.70528°N 109.82583°W / 44.70528; -109.82583 (Lamar River) | |
| The Lamar River is a tributary of the Yellowstone River, approximately 40 miles (48 km) long, in northwestern Wyoming in the United States. The river is located entirely within the park. It rises in the Absaroka Range, on the eastern edge of the park, and flows northwest through the northeast corner of the park. It is joined by many tributary streams, including Soda Butte Creek and Slough Creek and joins the Yellowstone near Tower Junction, just below the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. The river is very accessible and meanders through grassy meadows, with riffles, boulders, and undercut banks providing cover for mostly cutthroat trout. More rainbows are found as the river pours through a rocky canyon just before it joins the Yellowstone. The Lamar offers good dry fly fishing with heavy hatches of caddis, pale morning duns, and large Green Drake in July. Terrestrials are prominent in late summer.
All cutthroat trout caught in the Lamar river must be released. Five rainbow trout may be harvested daily. |
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| Slough Creek 45°12′30″N 110°07′18″W / 45.20833°N 110.12167°W / 45.20833; -110.12167 (Slough Creek) | |
| Slough Creek is a tributary of the Lamar River, approximately 25 mi (40 km) long, in Montana and Wyoming in the United States. It rises in southern Montana, in the Absaroka–Beartooth Wilderness in the Beartooth Mountains, and flows southwest, into the park and into Wyoming, then into the Lamar River.
Slough Creek is one of the most popular fishing areas in Yellowstone Park. The access is relatively easy and the cutthroat fishing is some of the best in the world. The lower meadows of Slough Creek, below the campground, are easily accessible from parking areas between the campground and the Cooke City road. There are rainbows in this lower water as well as cutthroats. The upper meadows of Slough are accessed from a trailhead near the campground. The first meadow is a 45 minute walk from the trailhead. The first meadow is the most popular since it's close and the fishing is excellent. Slough Creek's second meadow is about a 2 hour hike. Cutthroat trout in Slough offer good dry fly fishing with heavy hatches of caddis, pale morning duns, and large Green Drake in July. Terrestrials are prominent in late summer. All cutthroat trout caught in Slough creek must be released. Five rainbow trout may be harvested daily. |
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| Soda Butte Creek 45°01′20″N 109°55′03″W / 45.02222°N 109.91750°W / 45.02222; -109.91750 (Soda Butte Creek) | |
| Soda Butte Creek is a major tributary of the Lamar River. Access is quite easy—the highway between Tower and the Northeast Entrance closely follows the river for almost the entire length.
The fly fishing in Soda Butte Creek is excellent. Similar to the Lamar River, Soda Butte Creek can run high and muddy during spring run-off, an event that can last through late-July in some years. However, once Soda Butte Creek begins to clear, excellent fly fishing for rainbow and cutthroat trout can be found on the lower section of the river, generally defined as downstream from the Pebble Creek campground area. Average rainbow trout size runs around 12 inches (300 mm), with fish exceeding 16 inches (410 mm) not uncommon,. All cutthroat trout caught in Soda Butte Creek must be released. Five rainbow trout may be harvested daily. |
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| Lewis River 44°21′19″N 110°39′54″W / 44.35528°N 110.66500°W / 44.35528; -110.66500 (Lewis River) | |
| The Lewis River begins at the southern end of Shoshone Lake and flows southerly approximately 4.5 miles (7.2 km) to Lewis Lake. This short stretch of the river known as the Lewis River Channel is the only portion of the river where boating is permitted. The river reemerges at the southern end of Lewis Lake and flows in a general southerly direction through a steep canyon roughly paralleling the south entrance road toward the south entrance of the park
The Lewis River Channel is noted for its outstanding Fall fishing for large spawning Brown and Lake trout migrating out of Shoshone and Lewis lakes. The lower gradient sections below Lewis lake and as the river enters the Snake river provide good fishing for brown and brook trout. The steep canyon section is difficult to access and is typically not very productive fishing. All Cutthroat and Rainbow trout caught must be released. Brown and brook trout caught above Lewis Falls may be harvested within limits. |
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| Bechler River | |
| Bechler River | |
| Snake River 44°07′49″N 110°13′10″W / 44.13028°N 110.21944°W / 44.13028; -110.21944 (Snake River) | |
| The Snake River is formed by the confluence of three tiny headstreams on the southwest flank of Two Oceans Plateau in western Wyoming and Yellowstone National Park and flows west and south into Jackson Lake in Grand Teton National Park. The entire course of the Snake in the park lies within Yellowstone backcountry except where it exits the park at the South Entrance station. The South Boundary trail which connects with the Snake River trail provides good access for anglers. The Snake fishes well for 12-14" Snake River fine-spotted cutthroat trout and Whitefish. Spawning Brown trout from Jackson Lake migrate into the river in the fall. | |
Read more about this topic: Angling In Yellowstone National Park
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