JACKSON — The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is calling on anglers to help protect Wyoming's trout populations by shifting their fishing to the early morning hours during the summer heat.
Continually warm temperatures and low water flows across the Jackson region are causing stream temperatures to regularly exceed 65 degrees in the afternoon and evening, posing a serious threat to caught-and-released trout. Of particular concern are the Snake River and Flat Creek, which have both had afternoon temperatures exceeding 70 degrees on multiple days during the past week. Due to hot and dry conditions projected to continue for multiple weeks, local biologists have decided to formally implement a voluntary closure for both waterways.
Quick Guide: How to Fish Responsibly This Summer
To protect trout while preserving angling opportunity, Game and Fish has instituted a voluntary warm-water catch-and-release closure from noon to sunrise on the following waters:
- The Snake River from the Yellowstone National Park boundary to Palisades Reservoir.
- Flat Creek.
The voluntary closure asks that anglers limit their catch-and-release angling to the morning hours when stream temperatures are lower and stop fishing by noon when stream temperatures begin to heat up. Game and Fish staff will continue to monitor water temperatures on the Snake River and Flat Creek to determine if further action is needed to protect local fisheries.
Signs detailing the voluntary afternoon closure will be posted at major public access points.
What Anglers Need to Know:
- Catch-and-Release Anglers — Rise and Reel: Focus your fishing between sunrise and noon. Water temperatures are coolest in the morning, giving released trout the best chance of survival. Please pause catch-and-release fishing after 12:00 PM.
- Harvest-Focused Anglers: Anglers looking to keep fish for harvest within standard daily limits may continue to fish, as this practice does not involve releasing stressed fish back into warm water.
Why Timing Matters
Warm water carries significantly less dissolved oxygen, making it difficult for trout to recover after a fight.
- At 65°F: Anglers are encouraged to harvest legal limits rather than practice catch-and-release.
- At 70°F+: Catch-and-release fishing should be stopped entirely for the day.
- Above 75°F: Water temperatures become hazardous, and brief exposure above 80°F is often fatal to trout.
"We know Wyoming anglers care deeply about the health of these rivers," said Fisheries Supervisor Darren Rhea. "By hitting the water early and wrapping up catch-and-release fishing by noon, anglers can enjoy great fishing while ensuring our trout populations remain resilient."
Tips for Protecting Trout in Warm Weather:
- Check the Temp: Carry a pocket stream thermometer and check water temps periodically.
- Land Them Fast: Minimize fight time to prevent fish exhaustion.
- Keep 'Em Wet: Keep fish submerged in the water while removing hooks, ideally using barbless hooks.
- Harvest When Appropriate: If a fish is exhausted or deeply hooked, and regulations allow, consider harvesting it rather than releasing it.
Due to elevated water temperatures in parts of the state, the department has issued voluntary closures on some waters, asking anglers to either stop catch-and-release fishing after noon or cease fishing altogether. Visit the Wyoming Game and Fish Fishing in the Heat webpage for a list of currently impacted waters. Game and Fish thanks the angling community for practicing proactive conservation this summer.
