YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK — Beginning today, Yellowstone National Park (YNP) is lifting the full fishing closures on the Firehole, Madison, and Gibbon rivers.

In a Thursday news release, the park stated that anglers will once again be able to fish from sunrise to 2 p.m. daily in the three rivers and all associated tributaries. YNP credits cooling weather and water temperatures, as well as precipitation in the forecast, as the reasons behind lifting the closure.

The full closure was put in place on July 15 due to low water flows and high river temperatures. Water that exceeds 68°F can be lethal to trout. River temps have cooled at night, YNP said, allowing for fishing during part of the day. Most other park rivers, streams and lakes are open to fishing from sunrise to sunset, as specified in the 2026 Fishing Regulations booklet.

“Staff will continue to monitor the water temperatures,” YNP said. “Temporary restrictions may be lifted, or additional closures may be put in place, depending on condition assessments.”

Anglers are still urged to fish during the coolest times of day, land fish quickly, and handle fish gently in the water as much as possible. Do not play hooked trout to exhaustion.

Monica is a Staff Reporter who studied journalism at Syracuse University and has been in the valley since 2015. She loves writing about the local food and bev scene, especially craft beer. When she’s not on the clock, you can find her paddle boarding, sewing, or whipping up a new recipe at home.