Yellowstone River & Yellowstone National Park Fishing Guide

In Paradise Valley the Yellowstone is a big freestone river with cutthroat, rainbow and brown trout, and runoff controls the season. Inside Yellowstone National Park the rules are built to protect native cutthroat: a park permit, lead-free barbless tackle, release of all native fish, and required kill of some nonnative fish. Below the Gardner River confluence at Gardiner only Montana rules and a Montana license apply.

📍 The Yellowstone River leaves Yellowstone National Park at Gardiner, Montana (North Entrance) and runs north through Paradise Valley to Livingston, then east across Montana. Inside the park it flows out of Yellowstone Lake past Fishing Bridge and through Hayden Valley to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

Map: spots, ramps and marinas

★ Fishing hot spot · ● Boat ramp · ● Marina · ▭ Protected area (solid red = no fishing, dashed = fishing with rules)

Open the full Rocky Mountain Trout Rivers map →

Quick facts

American Rivers calls the Yellowstone (about 692 miles) the longest free-flowing river in the lower 48 states.
Cutthroat trout are the only native trout in Yellowstone National Park, and all native fish (cutthroat, mountain whitefish, Arctic grayling) must be released there.
In the park only lead-free flies or lures with barbless (or pinched) hooks are allowed, and anglers 16 and older need a park fishing permit.
In the park, the Yellowstone River from Yellowstone Lake down to the Lower Falls opens July 1. Fishing Bridge, the LeHardys Rapids area and much of Hayden Valley are closed to fishing.
In Montana, the river from the park boundary to Pine Creek Bridge is catch-and-release for cutthroat. Any smallmouth bass caught above Springdale Bridge must be killed and reported.

What you can catch

Yellowstone cutthroat trout
Native; release in the park and from the park boundary to Pine Creek Bridge in Montana.
Rainbow trout
Common in Paradise Valley; in the park must be killed in the Yellowstone below Lower Falls and above Knowles Falls.
Brown trout
Found in the Yellowstone; the lower valley near Livingston is known for big browns.
Cutthroat x rainbow hybrids
Hybrids have white tips on the anal and pelvic fins; identifiable hybrids must be killed in the park's mandatory-kill areas.
Mountain whitefish
Native; release in the park.
Brook trout
Nonnative; must be killed in the park's Lamar and lower Yellowstone kill areas.
Lake trout
Yellowstone Lake only; all lake trout caught there must be killed.
Smallmouth bass
Invasive. Must be killed and reported in the park and in Montana above Springdale Bridge.

Month by month

January	Montana section open all year; midday is the best window. Most park waters closed (Gardner River below Osprey Falls stays open).
February	Midges on calm, sunny days.
March	Montana license year starts Mar 1. Midges; blue-winged olives begin late March; streamers before runoff.
April	Blue-winged olives and some March browns on overcast days. Mother's Day caddis can start late April; fish before flows rise.
May	Mother's Day caddis around Mother's Day. Runoff usually blows the river out by mid-May. Park general season opens Saturday of Memorial Day weekend.
June	High water into early June. Salmonflies in late June to early July once flows drop (usually below 10,000 cfs) and clear.
July	Golden stones to mid-July, yellow sallies, PMDs. Park's Yellowstone River (lake to Lower Falls) opens July 1. Hoppers start late July.
August	Hoppers, ants, beetles and tricos. Fish early and late; hoot-owl rules may apply in hot spells.
September	Fall blue-winged olives from mid-September; hoppers still work.
October	Blue-winged olives; October caddis peak late October. Most park waters close after Oct 31.
November	Montana section open; midges and nymphs, few anglers.
December	Midges and nymphs in low, clear water.

Tips

Below the Gardner River confluence at Gardiner you need only a Montana license; inside the park you need the park permit.
Buy the park permit on Recreation.gov and download or print it; cell service in the park is very limited.
Learn to tell a cutthroat (red or orange slash under the jaw) from rainbows and hybrids; you must release one and may have to kill the other.
In Montana, report a smallmouth bass caught above Springdale Bridge to FWP within 24 hours (406-577-7900) and bring the whole fish to FWP within 10 days. In the park, report to 307-344-2107.
Carry bear spray, fish in groups when you can, and stay 100 yards from bears and wolves.

Rules and license

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (Montana section); National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park (park waters) · Official rules page ↗

Montana: Conservation License + AIS Prevention Pass (16+) + Fishing License. Rivers in the Central District are open all year.
Montana: Yellowstone NP boundary to Pine Creek Bridge is catch-and-release for cutthroat; elsewhere the standard limit is 3 trout, only 1 over 18 inches, only 1 cutthroat.
Montana: all smallmouth bass caught from the park boundary to Springdale Bridge FAS must be killed, reported and turned in to FWP.
Montana: hoot-owl (2 p.m.-midnight) restrictions or closures may apply in drought; check fwp.mt.gov/news/current-closures-restrictions.
Park: anglers 16+ need a Yellowstone fishing permit (2026 permits valid through Dec 31, 2026); 15 and under fish free with a permitted adult or get a free youth permit.
Park: one rod; lead-free artificial flies or lures only; barbless hooks; no bait or scents; felt-soled boots banned. Park rules at nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/fishing.htm.
Park: release all native fish; kill all lake trout from Yellowstone Lake; kill rainbow, brook and identifiable hybrid trout in the Lamar drainage and the Yellowstone below Lower Falls and above Knowles Falls.
Park: most waters open Saturday of Memorial Day weekend to Oct 31; the Yellowstone below Yellowstone Lake to Lower Falls opens July 1. Closed: Fishing Bridge area, 100 yards around LeHardys Rapids, Hayden Valley (Alum Creek to Sulphur Cauldron), and the Grand Canyon reach.

Rules change. Always check the official page before you fish.

Boat ramps and marinas

The map above shows 8 boat ramps and 0 marinas from OpenStreetMap. Tap any dot for directions.

Carter's Bridge Fishing Access
Pine Creek

Sources

Checked October 2026. BigJoe does not invent facts: every number on this page comes from the sources listed above.