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.
There are eight regional Wyoming Game & Fish Department offices across the state. You can get additional information about fishing and buy fishing licenses at these. Two offices are near the BTNF:
Wyoming Game & Fish Department Jackson Region
Open 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Friday
420 N. Cache St., Jackson
307-733-2321
Wyoming Game & Fish Department Pinedale Region
Open 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Friday
432 Mill St., Pinedale
307-367-4353
Buy an annual Wyoming fishing license online here.
Find businesses across the state that sell fishing licenses here.
