Natural lake

Yellowstone Lake

Teton County, Wyoming

A large, cold, high-elevation lake at 7,733 feet in Yellowstone National Park. It holds the largest wild population of native cutthroat trout in North America, plus invasive lake trout that anglers are required to kill.

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Surface area84,480 acres

Max depth390 ft

Shoreline141 mi

Boat motorsCheck local rules (5 mph and non-motorized zones)

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Lake Trout●●●●○

Invasive and must be killed. Troll or jig deep water from a boat; lead core line and heavy downrigger weights are allowed for them.

Cutthroat Trout●●●○○

Native Yellowstone cutthroat, catch and release only. Cast lead-free spoons, spinners or flies from shore or boat in summer.

When they bite

Month-by-month activity for each target species.

	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Lake Trout
Cutthroat Trout

SlowFairGoodHot

Boat launches

2 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.

Bridge Bay MarinaMarina
Boat ramp, rentals and guided trips (Yellowstone National Park Lodges). NPS boat permit and AIS inspection requiredDirections ↗
Grant Village boat launchPublic
NPS launch with accessible fishing area. Boat permit and AIS inspection requiredDirections ↗

Size & creel limits

Special rules for this lake, confirmed from official state regulations. Minimum size and daily limit.

Species	Min size	Daily limit
Cutthroat Trout All native fish must be released unharmed	Catch & release	0
Lake Trout All lake trout must be killed; illegal to release alive	See Wyoming rules book ↗	No limit
Inlet streams Streams into the lake and within 100 yards of their mouths open July 15	See Wyoming rules book ↗	See rules

Other species in this lake: look up the limits at Wyoming Game and Fish Department (2026 regulations on eRegulations) ↗

Verified October 2026. Rules change, so confirm current limits with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (2026 regulations on eRegulations) before you fish.

Bait & tackle nearby

No shops listed yet for this lake. Use the search link below.

Search more bait shops near Yellowstone Lake ↗

Local tips

Water stays in the 40s to 60s F and sudden wind can raise 3-5 ft waves. Avoid open-water crossings in small boats.
No fishing in the Bridge Bay or Grant Village marinas and channels, or along the West Thumb Geyser Basin shoreline.
Only lead-free lures and flies are allowed; bait is not. A Yellowstone park fishing permit is required for anglers 16 and older.

Angler reports

Water temp, what's biting, and anything else other anglers should know about Yellowstone Lake.

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