Yellowstone Lake is the great high-altitude lake at the heart of the Park, and it holds the largest population of native Yellowstone cutthroat left on earth — a fishery that nearly collapsed under illegally-introduced lake trout and is clawing back through a hard, ongoing suppression program. This is conservation water first and foremost. The cutthroat cruise the shorelines and shoals where you can sight-fish them from the bank or a tube. Park rules require you to kill any lake trout you catch and release every cutthroat unharmed — follow them to the letter; this lake's recovery depends on it.
A patient day, if you fancy it
Good wave on — drift country. Take your time — read the water before you cast.
39% confidence — limited data
Live now
Conditions on the water
Trends shown where the gauge supports them
Wind
SW 20 km/h
Gentle breeze
Wave
40 cm chop
Water temp
—
No reading
Air temp
16°C
Cloud
Broken
Pressure
1014 hPa
Rain · 24h
0.0 mm
No rain
Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.
How to fish · for cutthroat trout
The brief
When · where · method · kit
How to fish it · for cutthroat trout
When
Mid-summer after the late opener; sight-fish the warming shorelines
Where
Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point.
Today's tactical plan
The plan
Plan A · Plan B · what to watch · bank or boat
The plan
Plan A
Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point.
Plan B
If the main plan is not working, switch to a smaller, more imitative pattern fished slower and deeper. A change of drift angle can also make a difference.
Watch for
Evening tends to be the best period in summer — stay late if you can for a sedge or spinner fall.
Boat — drift
A gentle ripple is ideal for drifting — broadside drift covering the wind lanes should be productive.
Hatches & runs
What's on, when
Twelve months at a glance
Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
1
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
Murrough (Great Red Sedge)Hatch
1
2
1
Lake OliveHatch
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Today's fly · curated pack
Top pattern + the box
4 patterns from this venue's curated pack
Evidence
Why today scores what it does
The factors driving today's verdict
Why this score
- summer conditions with cloud skies and breezy wind.
About this water · Lough note · 4 min read
Yellowstone Lake · profile
Who this water suits
Strengths · watch-outs · best for
About this water
Yellowstone Lake, on the water
Field guide · contributor-editedYellowstone Lake · about
What this water is
Background · character · contributors
About this water
Yellowstone Lake is the great high-altitude lake at the heart of the Park, and it holds the largest population of native Yellowstone cutthroat left on earth — a fishery that nearly collapsed under illegally-introduced lake trout and is clawing back through a hard, ongoing suppression program. This is conservation water first and foremost. The cutthroat cruise the shorelines and shoals where you can sight-fish them from the bank or a tube. Park rules require you to kill any lake trout you catch and release every cutthroat unharmed — follow them to the letter; this lake's recovery depends on it.
- Lake
- Mixed
Yellowstone Lake · directions
How to get to the water
Directions
Yellowstone Lake · zones
Where the rules change
Seasons · zones · per-species rules
Seasons & zones
- Trout15 June → First Sunday in November
Yellowstone Lake · permits
Good to know
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
- Yellowstone NP licence
- Native cutthroat are catch-and-release ONLY; any lake trout caught must be killed under invasive-suppression rules
- Conservation-critical — follow NPS regulations exactly.
Yellowstone Lake
Google Places
Yellowstone Lake is the great high-altitude lake at the heart of the Park, and it holds the largest population of native Yellowstone cutthroat left on earth — a fishery that nearly collapsed under illegally-introduced lake trout and is clawing back through a hard, ongoing suppression program.
Species
A patient day, if you fancy it
Good wave on — drift country. Take your time — read the water before you cast.
39% confidence — limited data
Conditions
Wind
SW 20 km/h
Gentle breeze
Wave
40 cm chop
Water temp
—
No reading
Air temp
16°C
Cloud
Broken
Pressure
1014 hPa
Rain · 24h
0.0 mm
No rain
Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.
Condition match
65%
Cloud70%
Wind65%
Temp60%
A reasonable day here, though temperature isn't quite in the sweet spot.
How to fish it · for cutthroat trout
When
Mid-summer after the late opener; sight-fish the warming shorelines
Where
Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point.
The plan
Plan A
Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point.
Plan B
If the main plan is not working, switch to a smaller, more imitative pattern fished slower and deeper. A change of drift angle can also make a difference.
Watch for
Evening tends to be the best period in summer — stay late if you can for a sedge or spinner fall.
Boat — drift
A gentle ripple is ideal for drifting — broadside drift covering the wind lanes should be productive.
Why this score
- summer conditions with cloud skies and breezy wind.
Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
1
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
Murrough (Great Red Sedge)Hatch
1
2
1
Lake OliveHatch
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Gallery · 1
Terrain map
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
- Yellowstone NP licence
- Native cutthroat are catch-and-release ONLY; any lake trout caught must be killed under invasive-suppression rules
- Conservation-critical — follow NPS regulations exactly.
Directions
About this water
Yellowstone Lake is the great high-altitude lake at the heart of the Park, and it holds the largest population of native Yellowstone cutthroat left on earth — a fishery that nearly collapsed under illegally-introduced lake trout and is clawing back through a hard, ongoing suppression program. This is conservation water first and foremost. The cutthroat cruise the shorelines and shoals where you can sight-fish them from the bank or a tube. Park rules require you to kill any lake trout you catch and release every cutthroat unharmed — follow them to the letter; this lake's recovery depends on it.
- Lake
- Mixed
Seasons & zones
- Trout15 June → First Sunday in November
About this water · Lough note · 4 min read
Yellowstone Lake is the great high-altitude lake at the heart of the Park, and it holds the largest population of native Yellowstone cutthroat left on earth — a fishery that nearly collapsed under illegally-introduced lake trout and is clawing back through a hard, ongoing suppression program. This is conservation water first and foremost. The cutthroat cruise the shorelines and shoals where you can sight-fish them from the bank or a tube. Park rules require you to kill any lake trout you catch and release every cutthroat unharmed — follow them to the letter; this lake's recovery depends on it.
Other water nearby · 5