Yellowstone Extends Firehole, Gibbon and Madison River Fishing Season

Mike Cline

Mike Cline

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In a rather unheralded move, the NPS in Yellowstone lengthened the fishing season on the Firehole, sections of the Gibbon and Madison River in the park. For decades the opener occurred on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, basically the end of May. This year the rivers will open up for fishing on May 1st. From an angler perspective the earlier opening opens waters that may or may not fish well as there is limited to no experience on them in early May. Weather wise, I suspect conditions will be very much like mid-late Oct—cold, windy and a good chance of freezing temps and snowy days. River conditions will mimic winter conditions of low, cold water pre-runoff. The one positive on the Firehole and Madison will be the lack of prolific weed beds. Peak run-off usually occurs the last week of May to the first week of June and how the rivers behave before runoff is an unknown. The earlier opener should provide some interesting challenges. However, one of those challenges has been removed by the NPS. In prior years, the Firehole drainage was subject to a Bear Management Area closure up until opening day. It’s gone now. You couldn’t even scout the river prior to the Memorial Day opening weekend. Unfortunately for me, the Firehole in early June has been the only place in YNP where I’ve encountered a grizzly relatively up close while fishing and I’ve seen them and their sign along the upper Gibbon Meadows in June as well. Am looking forward to the challenges.

From the YNP website:

Expanded Fishing Access​

The following park waterways are open for fishing beyond the standard fishing season:

May 1-Oct. 31:

  • Firehole River downstream to the confluence with the Gibbon River at Madison Junction.
  • Gibbon River from the bridge on Grand Loop Road at the entrance to Norris Campground downstream to the confluence with the Firehole River at Madison Junction.
  • Madison River from the Montana-Wyoming state line upstream to the confluence with the Gibbon and Firehole rivers at Madison Junction.
Year-round:

  • Madison River from the Montana-Wyoming state line downstream to the park boundary near the West Entrance in West Yellowstone, Montana.
 
I wonder what was the impetus for this action. Increased demand for fishing under winter conditions? Kinda' joking. I suppose some hardy locals will take advantage of it.
 
Salmo_g said:
I wonder what was the impetus for this action. Increased demand for fishing under winter conditions? Kinda' joking. I suppose some hardy locals will take advantage of it.
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Although it’s pure speculation on my part, one motivation for extending the season, at least on the Gibbon section above the falls is an extended kill season for browns. Several years back the NPS implemented an unlimited take limit on non-natives in what is called: Native Trout Conservation Area. That area includes the Gibbon above the falls. It is predominantly a brown trout fishery in the reaches between the falls and Norris. And the regs allow unlimited take of non-natives in the NTCA. Even though Westslope Cutts are not indigenous to the Gibbon above the falls, the NPS in their unicorn wisdom began dumping WS brood stock in the Gibbon several years ago. They don’t last long with the monster browns in the various meadows of the Gibbon but I guess have been able to successfully spawn as small WS are occasionally caught in the canyon sections.

WS Cutt brood stock caught in Gibbon Meadows above the falls.
IMG_00003.jpeg
mcswny said:
Could you expand on what this means? Could you not even go look at it? I just don't understand how that's even enforceable?
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So in years past, the Firehole area that is open for fishing—Biscuit Basin to Nez Pierce creek was a designated Bear Management Area which remained in effect until the day the normal fishing season opened. Areas along the river adjacent to parking areas were placarded with Restricted Area-Bear Management Area signs which restricted access to sections of the river well off the highway—Biscuit Basin to Nez Pierce Creek. BTW, a lot of violations of park policy in YNP are essentially unenforceable, but that doesn’t excuse dangerous behavior entering designated bear management areas.

Bear Management Areas​

To protect public safety and bear habitat in backcountry areas, Yellowstone wildlife biologists establish “bear management areas” in locations where grizzly bears are known to seasonally concentrate and where there is a high density of elk and bison carcasses. In these areas, certain recreational activities are limited at specific times of year to reduce encounters between bears and humans. Restrictions may include: area closures, trail closures, a minimum group size recommendation, day-use only, or no off-trail travel.
 
Mike Cline said:
Although it’s pure speculation on my part, one motivation for extending the season, at least on the Gibbon section above the falls is an extended kill season for browns. Several years back the NPS implemented an unlimited take limit on non-natives in what is called: Native Trout Conservation Area. That area includes the Gibbon above the falls. It is predominantly a brown trout fishery in the reaches between the falls and Norris. And the regs allow unlimited take of non-natives in the NTCA. Even though Westslope Cutts are not indigenous to the Gibbon above the falls, the NPS in their unicorn wisdom began dumping WS brood stock in the Gibbon several years ago. They don’t last long with the monster browns in the various meadows of the Gibbon but I guess have been able to successfully spawn as small WS are occasionally caught in the canyon sections.

WS Cutt brood stock caught in Gibbon Meadows above the falls.
View attachment 178748

So in years past, the Firehole area that is open for fishing—Biscuit Basin to Nez Pierce creek was a designated Bear Management Area which remained in effect until the day the normal fishing season opened. Areas along the river adjacent to parking areas were placarded with Restricted Area-Bear Management Area signs which restricted access to sections of the river well off the highway—Biscuit Basin to Nez Pierce Creek. BTW, a lot of violations of park policy in YNP are essentially unenforceable, but that doesn’t excuse dangerous behavior entering designated bear management areas.

Bear Management Areas​

To protect public safety and bear habitat in backcountry areas, Yellowstone wildlife biologists establish “bear management areas” in locations where grizzly bears are known to seasonally concentrate and where there is a high density of elk and bison carcasses. In these areas, certain recreational activities are limited at specific times of year to reduce encounters between bears and humans. Restrictions may include: area closures, trail closures, a minimum group size recommendation, day-use only, or no off-trail travel.
Click to expand...

Ok so less "no scouting" and more "don't disturb the bears".
 
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