Select rivers and streams in Yellowstone National Park will be closed for fishing daily from 2 p.m. until sunrise until further notice. The National Park Service (NPS) announced Thursday that high water and air temperatures have made conditions for fish increasingly deadly.
The following areas are affected:
- The Madison River and all associated tributaries
- The Firehole River and all associated tributaries
- The Gibbon River and all associated tributaries downstream of Norris Campground.
Water temperatures in these places have exceeded 68 degrees Fahrenheit, while surrounding air temperatures reached 90 degrees Fahrenheit over the weekend.
“These conditions are lethal to trout, and the closure will protect the park’s native and wild trout fisheries and will remain in effect until conditions improve,” the NPS said in a press release.
These types of closures are typical for this time of year. Yellowstone extended the fishing season for those three rivers earlier this year to make up for lost time due to closures. NPS said the May 1 opening date provided anglers with “more optimal angling and water conditions.”
About 50,000 visitors fish in the park each year. Fishing regulations protect native species such as the cutthroat trout. Possession of these native fish are illegal, and park officials advise anglers to follow fishing regulations when dealing with any fish in the park.
Officials recommend that from July to August, when water temperatures can be high, do most fishing in the early or late day.
“Do not play hooked trout to exhaustion,” the NPS said in the press release. “Gently handle fish in the water as much as possible and let them recover before release.”
For now, all other rivers and lakes will remain open until further notice. If temperatures continue to rise in the coming days, other bodies of water could see closures.
