Fishing
Fishing is regulated in keeping with the park’s overall management objective of maintaining natural systems and scenic values. Most park waters are open in season, subject to Wyoming laws and National Park Service regulations. These regulations are intended to maintain quality waters, protect natural fish populations, and protect the food sources of bald eagles, ospreys, otters, great blue herons, and other native fish-eating wildlife. A Wyoming fishing license is required and may be purchased in the park at the Colter Bay or Moose Tackle Shops, at Signal Mountain, and at Leek’s Marina. Information on fishing laws and on special regulations, including bait restrictions, closed waters, artificial fly fishing waters, and creel limits is available at the visitor centers. You must check on this information before you fish. Fishing guides are available at the lodges.
Popular artificial fly patterns here are: 1 Silver Spruce Matuka, 2 Muddler Minnow, 3 Matts Fur Nymph, 4 Jay-Davis Hopper, 5 Royal Wulff, and 6 Yellow Humpy.
The park’s waters support one of the last wild inland populations of cutthroat trout. The Snake River cutthroat, a unique race of the cutthroat species, is the only trout native to the park. (See pages [56]-57.) The National Park Service encourages you to release small cutthroat carefully so that the opportunity to catch this unusual fish is perpetuated. Other gamefish include rainbow, lake (Mackinaw), brown, and brook trout and the Rocky Mountain whitefish.
The use or possession of fish eggs—real or artificial—or fish as bait in any park waters are prohibited. (Some dead non-game fish are permitted on the shores of Jackson Lake only.) Get specifics at a visitor center or write the chief ranger at the park address for fishing regulations and information.