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Yellowstone Closes Lamar River to Fishing Due to Warm Water Temperatures
Yellowstone National Park officials announced Friday that the Lamar River and several of its tributaries will be closed to fishing from 2 p.m. to sunrise daily, starting Monday, July 15, due to rising water temperatures and declining flows.
The closure affects the Lamar River from its joining with the Yellowstone River upstream to Lamar Canyon, along with Soda Butte Creek and Slough Creek. Water temperatures in these waterways have consistently measured above 68 degrees Fahrenheit over the past week, creating potentially lethal conditions for the area’s renowned cutthroat trout population.
Park officials said they are seeing concerning patterns across multiple river systems in the park. The combination of sustained heat and below-average precipitation has created stress conditions that require immediate protective action to protect native and wild trout fisheries.
The Lamar Valley fishery is particularly significant as it supports one of the park’s most robust wild cutthroat trout populations and serves as a critical spawning area for Yellowstone Lake cutthroat trout. The area attracts thousands of anglers annually who come to experience some of the finest wild trout fishing in the lower 48 states.
Lamar River flows through Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley, where fishing restrictions will take effect Monday to protect stressed trout populations
Park officials will continue monitoring water temperatures and flows daily. The closure mirrors similar restrictions already in place on the Madison, Firehole, and Gibbon Rivers, which were closed earlier this month under identical conditions. These closures represent the most widespread fishing restrictions implemented in Yellowstone in recent years.
The park said staff will monitor water temperatures and reopen rivers if they cool down. Forecasted cooler temperatures later this week may provide some relief, and restrictions will be lifted as soon as conditions improve.
The thermal stress on trout becomes critical when water temperatures exceed 68 degrees Fahrenheit. At these temperatures, fish struggle to extract sufficient oxygen from the water, and their metabolic processes become severely compromised. Combined with low water flows that concentrate fish in smaller areas, these conditions can be deadly to trout populations.
The Yellowstone River mainstem, along with other park lakes and unrestricted streams, remains open for fishing from sunrise to sunset. Yellowstone Lake continues to offer excellent fishing opportunities during this period.
The Lamar River system, popular for its excellent cutthroat trout fishing
The national park asks anglers fishing in open waters to fish during the coolest times of day, typically early morning hours before temperatures rise. Park officials also recommend landing fish quickly, advising them not to play hooked trout to exhaustion and gently handle fish in the water as much as possible, letting them recover before release.
Current weather forecasts indicate continued warm, dry conditions through the weekend with only isolated chances of afternoon thunderstorms, suggesting the closures may remain in effect for several more days. The National Weather Service reports that the region is experiencing temperatures above normal for this time of year.
Park visitors can check current fishing conditions and closures on the official Yellowstone National Park website for the most up-to-date information.
The post Yellowstone Closes Lamar River to Fishing Due to Warm Water Temperatures appeared first on OutdoorHub.
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Yellowstone Closes Lamar River to Fishing Due to Warm Water Temperatures
Yellowstone National Park officials announced Friday that the Lamar River and several of its tributaries will be closed to fishing from 2 p.m. to sunrise daily, starting Monday, July 15, due to rising water temperatures and declining flows.
The closure affects the Lamar River from its joining with the Yellowstone River upstream to Lamar Canyon, along with Soda Butte Creek and Slough Creek. Water temperatures in these waterways have consistently measured above 68 degrees Fahrenheit over the past week, creating potentially lethal conditions for the area’s renowned cutthroat trout population.
Park officials said they are seeing concerning patterns across multiple river systems in the park. The combination of sustained heat and below-average precipitation has created stress conditions that require immediate protective action to protect native and wild trout fisheries.
The Lamar Valley fishery is particularly significant as it supports one of the park’s most robust wild cutthroat trout populations and serves as a critical spawning area for Yellowstone Lake cutthroat trout. The area attracts thousands of anglers annually who come to experience some of the finest wild trout fishing in the lower 48 states.
Lamar River flows through Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley, where fishing restrictions will take effect Monday to protect stressed trout populations
Park officials will continue monitoring water temperatures and flows daily. The closure mirrors similar restrictions already in place on the Madison, Firehole, and Gibbon Rivers, which were closed earlier this month under identical conditions. These closures represent the most widespread fishing restrictions implemented in Yellowstone in recent years.
The park said staff will monitor water temperatures and reopen rivers if they cool down. Forecasted cooler temperatures later this week may provide some relief, and restrictions will be lifted as soon as conditions improve.
The thermal stress on trout becomes critical when water temperatures exceed 68 degrees Fahrenheit. At these temperatures, fish struggle to extract sufficient oxygen from the water, and their metabolic processes become severely compromised. Combined with low water flows that concentrate fish in smaller areas, these conditions can be deadly to trout populations.
The Yellowstone River mainstem, along with other park lakes and unrestricted streams, remains open for fishing from sunrise to sunset. Yellowstone Lake continues to offer excellent fishing opportunities during this period.
The Lamar River system, popular for its excellent cutthroat trout fishing
The national park asks anglers fishing in open waters to fish during the coolest times of day, typically early morning hours before temperatures rise. Park officials also recommend landing fish quickly, advising them not to play hooked trout to exhaustion and gently handle fish in the water as much as possible, letting them recover before release.
Current weather forecasts indicate continued warm, dry conditions through the weekend with only isolated chances of afternoon thunderstorms, suggesting the closures may remain in effect for several more days. The National Weather Service reports that the region is experiencing temperatures above normal for this time of year.
Park visitors can check current fishing conditions and closures on the official Yellowstone National Park website for the most up-to-date information.
The post Yellowstone Closes Lamar River to Fishing Due to Warm Water Temperatures appeared first on OutdoorHub.
Continue reading...