Yellowstone National Park’s fly fishing season has, for years, opened on the Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend. That opening date will be moved back to May 1, 2026, for three rivers inside the park. The Firehole, the Madison, and the Gibbon will all open at the first of the month to extend these rivers’ fishing seasons.
“The earlier opening date of May 1 will align fishing access with more optimal angling and water conditions,” Yellowstone officials said in a press release. “No adverse impacts to the fisheries are anticipated with this extension.”
The Firehole will be open for its entire length above Old Faithful, and down to its confluence with the Gibbon. The Gibbon River will be open from its confluence with the Firehole, up to Norris Junction, at the bridge on Grand Loop Road. The Madison will be open for its entire length within the park, upstream from the Wyoming – Montana state line.
This opening will allow anglers to take advantage of these historic fisheries earlier in the season, before warming summer temperatures often impose closures on most, if not all, sections of these rivers within the park. Taking this winter’s warmth and lack of snowfall into consideration as well, the seasons for these rivers inside Yellowstone would likely have been incredibly short, if they were only opened at their usual date.
Most of the other storied fishing areas within Yellowstone will open at their normal time, the Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend. The season is still scheduled to be closed on Oct. 31.
You can read up on other Yellowstone regulations here.