Fishing on the Forest
Twenty-five species of fish, including 7 different species of trout (lake, golden, brook, rainbow, brown, cutthroat, and grayling), live in more streams, alpine lakes, rivers, and spring-fed creeks on the BTNF than any angler could fish in a lifetime. Armed with a rod, reel, creel, and a Wyoming state fishing license (required for both residents and non-residents 14 and older), the BTNF is an angler’s paradise.
Annually, the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission publishes Wyoming Fishing Regulations.
To be a responsible angler on the BTNF:
Make sure you don’t unknowingly introduce any aquatic invasive species (like zebra mussels) to our fisheries; these can cause irreparable harm to our wildlife and wildlands. Visitors planning to use personal gear while fishing on the BTNF—whether a net, drift boat, trailer, waders, boots, or clothing—should make sure to wash everything (high-pressure hot water is the best practice) and then let it dry for several days. Locals who have taken their gear outside of Jackson Hole should do the same. Wyoming Game & Fish is so serious about stopping aquatic invasive species that all boats and trailers that come into the state between March 1 and November 30 must undergo a mandatory inspection by an authorized inspector before launching into any Wyoming water.
In the areas of the BTNF in which angling is primarily catch and release, help ensure your catch will survive its release by landing it quickly and keeping your hands and the fish wet as you work to release it.
For anglers on the Snake River, our partners at Snake River Fund have created, with the help of the public, a real-time map of the conditions on the river. Also on the map are descriptions and locations of boat ramps. Sections of the Gros Ventre River are also included on the map.
