Yellowstone National Park ’s 2,650 miles of streams and 150 lakes support a variety of fish species including the Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout, Westslope Cutthroat Trout, and Arctic Grayling.   Each of these native species are important components of the Yellowstone ecosystem, with Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout alone providing a key energy source for at least 42 species of mammals and birds within the Park.

Even though the aquatic habitat of Yellowstone National Park seems natural and undisturbed, threats to this unique and vital resource exit.   For instance, the Park’s waters have been invaded by the New Zealand mudsnail.   Although extremely small, mudsnails are prolific, out-competing and displacing native invertebrates such as mayflies and caddisflies.   Non-native lake trout are another serious threat because they prey on the Park’s native cutthroat trout.   In addition, Myxobolus cerebralis, the causative agent of salmonid whirling disease, is attacking young fish in the Firehole River and in the northern regions of Yellowstone Lake , resulting in fish with skeletal deformities and abnormal feeding behaviors that increase their vulnerability to predation.  

Yellowstone National Park is working hard to combat these threats and to ensure that Yellowstone ’s aquatic habitats and resources remain intact so that we can continue to use and enjoy them.   Management efforts in Yellowstone are currently focused on the preservation of native species, the primary mission being to preserve natural ecosystems and processes.   Throughout the Park, several data collection and monitoring projects are being conducted so that Park managers can keep abreast of fishery population abundance, genetic integrity, and overall fish health.   The Park is also actively removing lake trout from Yellowstone Lake , with 12,000 individuals removed from the lake in 2002.   In addition, Park managers are monitoring the quality of the Park’s surface waters and working to ensure the stability of Yellowstone ’s only remaining genetically pure population of Westslope Cutthroat Trout, which is found in the North Fork of Fan Creek.

The Yellowstone fisheries staff and the work they can do is limited by available funding.   Blue Ribbon Flies is working with the Yellowstone Park Foundation to remedy this situation by contributing at least one percent of catalogue sales to help fund fisheries projects in Yellowstone .   In addition to the projects previously mentioned, we are working with the Yellowstone Park Foundation to raise support for the fly fishing volunteer program.   This program, established in 2002, recruits fly-fishing anglers who use catch-and-release techniques to gather biological information on fish populations.   To date, fly-fishing volunteers have assisted in projects documenting the Pebble Creek fishery, determining the status and genetic uniqueness of brook trout in special regulation lakes, and documenting the status and movement patterns of Arctic Grayling originating in Grebe and Wolf Lakes of the Gibbon River system.   To-date, 81 volunteers including young people with the Student Conservation Association have dedicated a total of 6,382 hours to help Yellowstone ’s fishery programs.  

You can be a part of the important work that is being done to protect and preserve Yellowstone ’s fisheries.   If you would like to know more about the fly-fishing volunteer program, please contact Yellowstone National Park Fisheries, at yell_fish_volunteer@nsp.gov.   You can also help Yellowstone ’s fisheries by making a contribution to the Yellowstone Park Foundation , 222 East Main Street, Suite 301 , Bozeman , MT , 59715 .   Their telephone number is (406) 586-6303 and their web address is www.ypf.org .   By lending your support, financially or by volunteering you can help protect Yellowstone ’s fisheries today and for the future.