YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK — Yellowstone National Park is restricting fishing on several rivers and streams starting today, closing select waterways every day from 2 p.m. until sunrise.
Water temperatures in the affected areas recently topped 68 degrees, and river flows are running low. Weather forecasters expect air temperatures to reach near 90 degrees in the coming days. These warm conditions can be deadly for trout.
The closures affect the Madison and Firehole rivers and their tributaries, as well as the Gibbon River and its tributaries downstream of Norris Campground.
Because water temperatures in these rivers cool overnight, anglers can still fish the affected areas in the morning.
Yellowstone Lake and other lakes remain open to fishing from sunrise to sunset. All other rivers and streams not listed in the closure also remain open.
The park opened the fishing season on these three rivers earlier than usual this year, giving anglers more time to fish during better water conditions.
Park officials are asking anglers to fish during the coolest times of the day, land fish quickly without exhausting them, handle fish gently in the water, and allow them to recover before releasing them.
Park staff will continue to monitor water temperatures and keep the closures in place until conditions improve. Restrictions may be lifted or expanded depending on what staff find.
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