Fishing

Efforts to start to regulate the industry finally floated through the legislative process this year after sinking several times in the past decade, but the rules haven’t been set in stone yet.

While commercial fishing is largely unregulated in the state, the proposed bill would start to change that. But Senate lawmakers amended the bill to remove language that would have given preference to in-state guides.

The amount of money generated by Wyoming’s outdoor recreation economy grew by just over 6% in 2023 to $2.2 billion.

A bill to regulate commercial fishing guides is back in the Legislature after several failed attempts over the last few decades. HB 5 wants to give Wyoming Game and Fish, with guidance from an advisory committee, the authority to require registration for commercial fishing boats.

There’s been a seasonal fishing closure on a stretch of the Shoshone River near Yellowstone for the past 140 years. The proposed changes would allow anglers to fish the lower part of the North Fork for two weeks in early April.

Nationwide, the sector accounted for some 2.3% of GDP, or the value of final sales of goods and services. That figure is even higher for every Mountain West state, and about twice that in Montana and Wyoming.

The West, South and East entrances, and the majority of roads, typically close to vehicle traffic for the winter season on Nov. 1.

As of Monday, anglers can fish the Firehole River and its tributaries from sunrise to sunset. This summer some rivers and streams in the park were partially closed to fly fishing due to warm water temperatures and low flows.

Fishing is now permitted on the Madison and Gibbon rivers and their tributaries. The Firehole River and its associated tributaries will be closed to fishing daily from 2 p.m. to sunrise.

Anglers can now fish some creeks and river sections that were previously limited. Full closures continue on the Madison, Firehold and some sections of the Gibbon Rivers.