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Fishing Yellowstone Lake: what the data says
83,729-acre lake near Yellowstone National Park. North America's largest high-elevation lake. Native Yellowstone cutthroat water (NP permit required; lake trout must be kept). The lake tops out around 394 ft. Depth here is modeled from the true shoreline and max depth rather than surveyed; use it to plan, not to navigate. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
Yellowstone Lake maps at 84,971 acres behind 145.9 miles of shoreline, broken up by 7 islands. A development index of 3.6 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. Roughly 17% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives.
Cutthroat Trout fishing at Yellowstone Lake
Spring puts cutthroat trout in skinny water — 3 to 15 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 35 ft, wintering in 10 to 40 ft. Spring cutthroat trout concentrate at Pelican Creek inflow, a prime-rated inflow / creek mouth around 8 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A trolled spoon (small) or a inline spinner covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Pelican Creek inflow (8 ft) | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (16 ft) | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (16 ft) | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | dawn | Shoreline point (16 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
Lake Trout fishing at Yellowstone Lake
Come spring, look for lake trout tight to the bank in 10 to 40 ft. They move out to 50 to 120 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 80 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Offshore hump: a offshore hump around 72 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning. A white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (16 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn | Offshore hump (72 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Offshore hump (39 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Offshore hump (72 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 335 ft
- Old creek channel: creek channel, around 197 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 177 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 99 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 99 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 83 ft
- Offshore hump: offshore hump, around 72 ft
- Offshore hump: offshore hump, around 52 ft
- Offshore hump: offshore hump, around 40 ft
- Offshore hump: offshore hump, around 39 ft
- Shoreline point: point, around 16 ft
- Feeding flat: feeding flat, around 14 ft
- Pelican Creek inflow: inflow / creek mouth, around 8 ft
- Clear Creek inflow: inflow / creek mouth, around 8 ft
Yellowstone Lake fishing regulations
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Wyoming waters are set by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department — and special regulations can apply to Yellowstone Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Wyoming fishing regulations →
Common questions
How deep is Yellowstone Lake?
Yellowstone Lake is about 394 ft (120 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
What fish are in Yellowstone Lake?
Anglers target lake trout, cutthroat trout on Yellowstone Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Yellowstone Lake?
Pelican Creek inflow is the top-rated area: a inflow / creek mouth in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for cutthroat trout in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
When is the best time to fish Yellowstone Lake?
For cutthroat trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
What are the fishing regulations for Yellowstone Lake?
Fishing on Yellowstone Lake is regulated by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Check the official Wyoming regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Nearby waters
Hidden Lake (Hell & Gone) 21 mi · Grassy Lake Reservoir 29 mi · Tillery Lake 30 mi · Enos Lake 31 mi · Fish Lake 34 mi · Two Ocean Lake 36 mi · Jackson Lake 37 mi · Crater Lake 39 mi · Elk Ranch Reservoir 43 mi · Mackinaw Lake 43 mi · Rainbow Lake 43 mi · Golden Lake 43 mi
See how Yellowstone Lake stacks up: best lake trout lakes in Wyoming · best cutthroat trout lakes in Wyoming
Browse all Wyoming fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.