Fishes of Yellowstone National Park
Encyclopedia
Yellowstone National Park
is home to 13 native Fish species and six introduced or non-native species. Angling
for trout
has been a pastime in the park since its creation and trout species dominate the fish inhabiting the park. When the park was created in 1872, 40% of the park's waters were barren of fish, including most alpine lakes and rivers above major waterfalls. Only 17 of 150 lakes held fish.
In 1889 the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries began a 60 year program of stocking and hatchery operations that significantly altered the ranges of native and non-native species within the park. By 1955, all stocking and hatchery operations in the park had been stopped. Several introduced species never established viable populations and at least one introduced species was successfully eradicated from the park.
Arctic Grayling
The Arctic Grayling (Thymallus arcticus montanus) was originally distributed throughout the Madison River drainage below Firehole Falls and Gibbon Falls
and the Gallatin River
drainage. Introductions of Brown
and Rainbow trout
into the Madison River drainage caused the extirpation of the Grayling from these rivers.
Today, Arctic Grayling exist as introduced populations in Grebe Lake
, Wolf Lake in the Gibbon River
drainage and Cascade Lake in the Yellowstone River
drainage. They were introduced from Georgetown Lake near Anaconda, Montana
in 1921. Grayling are occasionally caught by anglers or fisheries biologists in the Gibbon River, but all evidence is that these are escapees from Grebe or Wolf lakes.
Longnose sucker
The Longnose sucker (Catostomus catostomus grieus) is native to the Yellowstone River
drainage below Yellowstone Falls
. It occurs in the Lamar River
, Slough Creek
and Gardner River
. It has been introduced into Yellowstone Lake and expanded its range into upper Yellowstone tributaries and lakes. The Longnose sucker is believed to be the longest lived fish in the park and that a 20 inches (50.8 cm), 3 lbs fish might be as old as 25 years.
Mountain sucker
The Mountain sucker (Catostomus platyrhynchus) is widely distributed in rivers and streams of Yellowstone's major drainages below the major waterfalls.
Utah sucker
The Utah sucker (Catostomus ardens) is native to Heart Lake
, the Heart River
drainage and probably the Snake River
drainage in the park.
Longnose dace
The Longnose dace (Rhinichthys cataractae) is widely distributed in all the major river systems in the park to include Yellowstone Lake
and its tributaries.
Speckled dace
The Speckled dace (Rhinichthys osculus) only occurs west of the Continental Divide
in the park restricting it to the Snake River
including Heart Lake
and Fall River
drainages.
Mountain whitefish
The Mountain Whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) is native to the park in the Madison River
drainage, the Gallatin River
drainage, the Yellowstone River
below Knowles Falls, the Middle Creek tributary of the Shoshone River
and the Snake River
drainage. Attempts to introduce Mountain Whitefish into the Yellowstone River below Yellowstone Lake were unsuccessful. Native Mountain Whitefish survive very well in the presence of introduced trout species.
Mottled sculpin
The Mottled sculpin (Cottus bairdi) is widely distributed in Yellowstone streams and rivers below the major falls. It occurs in the Fall River, Snake River, Shoshone River, Yellowstone River and Gallatin River drainages. With one exception, it occurs only below the major waterfall barriers on the Firehole (Firehole Falls), Yellowstone (Knowles Falls) and Fall river drainages. When the park waters were first surveyed in the 1880s-90s by biologists, they discovered a population of Mottled scuplin in the Gibbon River
above Gibbon Falls
, a water otherwise barren of fish. No scientific explanation for this has yet been developed.
drainage, most commonly in lakes and ponds. It may also be native to lakes in the Fall River drainage. In the 1950s it was introduced into Yellowstone Lake
and occurs today along the entire shoreline and in tributaries and lakes of the upper Yellowstone River
. It was also introduced into Lewis Lake
and now occurs in Shoshone Lake
as well. These introductions into non-native waters were not official and has been attributed to the release of shiners being used as bait by fishermen.
Snake River fine-spotted cutthroat trout
The Snake River fine-spotted cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki sp.) is one of three subspecies of Cutthroat Trout
found in Yellowstone. As its name suggests, this species is found in the Snake River
drainages of the park. Some fisheries scientists consider the Snake River subspecies the same as the Yellowstone subspecies.
Westslope cutthroat trout
The Westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki lewisi) was widely distributed in the Gallatin River
and Madison River
drainages when the park was created. Genetically pure populations of subspecies today are restricted to two drainages. Last Chance creek in the in the Gallatin River drainage contains an aboriginal population. The Oxbow/Geode stream complex creek in the Yellowstone River drainage contain a genetically pure, but not native population as a result of stocking done in 1922. The introduction of Brown, Rainbow and Brook trout into its original ranges essentially extirpated the subspecies from park waters. The National Park Service has an extensive program aimed at reestablishing this subspecies within suitable waters in the park.
Yellowstone cutthroat trout
The Yellowstone cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarik bouvieri) inhabits the Yellowstone River
drainage from the headwaters to Yellowstone Lake
north to the park boundary at Gardiner, MT to include the Lamar River
drainage. It has been widely stocked in park lakes previously barren of fish. Prior to the introduction of non-native trouts, the Yellowstone cutthroat was the primary quarry of anglers in the park. Fishing Bridge
across the Yellowstone River at the outlet of Yellowstone Lake was a favorite location for catching cutthroats or observing their spawning behavior. Lake trout introduction into Yellowstone Lake has caused serious decline in the Yellowstone cutthroat trout population.
Utah chub
The Utah chub (Gila atraria) is native to the Snake River
drainage in Yellowstone, most specifically Heart Lake
. It was n introduced in the 1950s-60s, most probably by bait fisherman, into the Lewis Lake
and Shoshone Lake
system. It is the most abundant species of fish in Lewis Lake.
Brown trout
Brown trout (Salmo trutta) are not native to the United States. They were first introduced into the U.S. from Scotland
, the Loch Leven strain, and from Germany
, the Von Behr strain in 1882. Both strains were introduced into Yellowstone beginning in 1890. Shoshone
and Lewis Lake
s received plants in 1890. It was introduced into the Firehole River
above and below Firehole Falls, the Madison River
and the Gibbon River
below Gibbon Falls
in 1890. Brown trout also occur in the Yellowstone River
below Knowles Falls, the Gardner River
below Osprey Falls, in Middle Creek, a tributary of the Shoshone River
and the Gallatin River
. These populations resulted from upstream migrations by fish stocked in Wyoming and Montana. Brown Trout do not exist in the Bechler River
or Fall River
drainages in the southwest corner of the park.
The Brown trout is largely responsible for the extirpation of Cutthroat trout and Arctic Grayling from their original range in the Madison and Gallatin river drainages. Brown trout are the predominant species in the Madison River drainage and very popular with anglers. Spawning runs of large Brown trout into the Madison River in the Fall from Hebgen Lake
outside the park attract a large number of anglers.
Rainbow trout
Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), native to Pacific ocean tributaries in North American and Asia was first introduced into the Gibbon River
, above and below Gibbon Falls
in 1890. In 1923, Rainbow trout where introduced into the Firehole River
above Firehole Falls. Rainbow trout have also been introduced into a number of Yellowstone lakes. They exist in the Yellowstone River
below Yellowstone Falls
and in the upper Slough Creek
drainage.
Rainbow-Cutthroat hybrids
A Cutbow (Oncorhynchus clarki x mykiss) is a fertile hybrid between a rainbow trout
(Oncorhynchus mykiss) and a cutthroat trout
(O. clarki). While cutbow hybrids may occur naturally, most native populations of rainbows and cutthroats were separated by geography or habitat. With the introduction of non-native rainbow trout into Yellowstone cutthroat habitat, cutbow hybridization has become a serious threat for native cutthroat populations due to genetic pollution
. Cutbows occur in Yellowstone anywhere both species are present.
Brook trout
Eastern Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) were widely stocked in park waters beginning in 1890. Preferring cooler water, brook trout were easily displaced by introduced Brown and Rainbow trout in the lower reaches of the major river systems. Today Brook trout exist in the upper Firehole River
above Kepler Cascades
and in other Firehole tributaries like the Little Firehole River, Iron Spring and Sentinel Creeks. In the Gardner River
drainage they are common above Osprey Falls. They also occur in many lakes and ponds. Brook Trout are found in the Middle Creek drainage of the Shoshone River
and tributaries of Shoshone Lake
.
Lake trout
Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycush) were one of the first non-native species introduced into Yellowstone. They are also the largest fish species in the park growing to an average length of 20 inches (50.8 cm). In 1890 42,000 fingerlings were planted in Lewis Lake
and Shoshone Lake
at the time, barren of fish because of Lewis Falls
. Sometime thereafter, they were also introduced into Heart Lake
. Lake trout over 30 lbs have been caught in Lewis, Shoshone and Heart lakes. The park record is 42 lbs from Heart Lake in 1931.
In 1994, Lake trout were discovered in Yellowstone Lake
and were believed to have been either accidentally or intentionally introduced as early as 1989 with fish taken from Lewis Lake
. The introduction of Lake trout into Yellowstone Lake has caused a serious decline in the Cutthroat trout population and the National Park Service has an aggressive Lake trout eradication program on the lake.
Lake chub
The Lake chub (Couesius plumbeus), although native to the Missouri and Yellowstone river drainages in Montana and Wyoming, it is not native to Yellowstone. It was most likely introduced into Yellowstone Lake
and McBride Lake and Abundance Lake in the Slough Creek
drainage by bait fisherman. It is not common, but probably well established in the Slough Creek drainage.
Land-locked Atlantic salmon
In 1908 7000 Land-locked Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) were stocked in Yellowstone Lake
and 5000 in Duck Lake (West Thumb). Neither of these introductions succeeded.
Largemouth bass
In 1893, 250 bass fingerlings were introduced into the Gibbon River
(it is unknown as to whether these were large or smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu)) and in the early 1900s, 500 fingerling Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) were introduced into Goose Lake and Feather Lake in the Lower Geyser Basin. Neither introduction established a viable population.
Yellow perch
In the early 1900s, Yellow perch (Perca flavescens) appeared in Goose Lake and other small lakes in the Lower Geyser Basin. It is believed they were either illegally introduced or were hitchhikers in official bass stocking. In 1938, fisheries managers poisoned Goose Lake and other locations known to contain Yellow perch. They do not exist in the park today.
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park, established by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872, is a national park located primarily in the U.S. state of Wyoming, although it also extends into Montana and Idaho...
is home to 13 native Fish species and six introduced or non-native species. Angling
Angling
Angling is a method of fishing by means of an "angle" . The hook is usually attached to a fishing line and the line is often attached to a fishing rod. Fishing rods are usually fitted with a fishing reel that functions as a mechanism for storing, retrieving and paying out the line. The hook itself...
for trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
has been a pastime in the park since its creation and trout species dominate the fish inhabiting the park. When the park was created in 1872, 40% of the park's waters were barren of fish, including most alpine lakes and rivers above major waterfalls. Only 17 of 150 lakes held fish.
In 1889 the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries began a 60 year program of stocking and hatchery operations that significantly altered the ranges of native and non-native species within the park. By 1955, all stocking and hatchery operations in the park had been stopped. Several introduced species never established viable populations and at least one introduced species was successfully eradicated from the park.
Native species
The following fish are native to the park, although their original ranges may have been severely reduced since the park's establishment or they may have been introduced into waters outside their original range, especially into alpine lakes. Native species are completely protected in the park and may not be harvested by anglers. Arctic GraylingArctic graylingArctic grayling is a species of freshwater fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. It comprises five subspecies native to the Nearctic and Palearctic ecozones. T. a. arcticus is widespread throughout the Arctic and Pacific drainages in Canada, Alaska, and Siberia, as well as the upper...
The Arctic Grayling (Thymallus arcticus montanus) was originally distributed throughout the Madison River drainage below Firehole Falls and Gibbon FallsGibbon Falls
Gibbon Falls is a waterfall on the Gibbon River in southwestern Yellowstone National Park in the United States. Gibbon Falls has a drop of approximately...
and the Gallatin River
Gallatin River
The Gallatin River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 120 mi , in the U.S. states of Wyoming and Montana...
drainage. Introductions of Brown
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
and Rainbow trout
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
into the Madison River drainage caused the extirpation of the Grayling from these rivers.
Today, Arctic Grayling exist as introduced populations in Grebe Lake
Grebe Lake
Grebe Lake is a backcountry lake in Yellowstone National Park most noted for it population of Arctic Grayling. Grebe Lake comprises the headwaters of the Gibbon River. Grebe Lake is located approximately north of the Norris-Canyon section of the Grand Loop Road. The trail to the lake passes...
, Wolf Lake in the Gibbon River
Gibbon River
The Gibbon River is a river in Yellowstone National Park, in Wyoming, the United States. It rises in the center of the park at Grebe Lake. It flows for a short distance into Wolf Lake. Below Wolf Lake, the river flows through Virginia Cascades into the Norris valley. It flows near the Norris...
drainage and Cascade Lake in the Yellowstone River
Yellowstone River
The Yellowstone River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately long, in the western United States. Considered the principal tributary of the upper Missouri, the river and its tributaries drain a wide area stretching from the Rocky Mountains in the vicinity of the Yellowstone National...
drainage. They were introduced from Georgetown Lake near Anaconda, Montana
Anaconda, Montana
Anaconda, county seat of Anaconda City/Deer Lodge County, is located in mountainous southwestern Montana. The Continental Divide passes within 8 miles of the community with the local Pintler Mountain range reaching 10,379 feet...
in 1921. Grayling are occasionally caught by anglers or fisheries biologists in the Gibbon River, but all evidence is that these are escapees from Grebe or Wolf lakes.
Longnose suckerLongnose suckerThe longnose sucker, Catostomus catostomus, is a freshwater species of fish inhabiting cold, clear waters in North America from northern USA to the top of the continent. In addition, it is one of two species of sucker to inhabit Asia, specifically the rivers of eastern Siberia...
The Longnose sucker (Catostomus catostomus grieus) is native to the Yellowstone RiverYellowstone River
The Yellowstone River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately long, in the western United States. Considered the principal tributary of the upper Missouri, the river and its tributaries drain a wide area stretching from the Rocky Mountains in the vicinity of the Yellowstone National...
drainage below Yellowstone Falls
Yellowstone Falls
Yellowstone Falls consist of two major waterfalls on the Yellowstone River, within Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United States. As the Yellowstone river flows north from Yellowstone Lake, it leaves the Hayden Valley and plunges first over Upper Yellowstone Falls and then a quarter mile ...
. It occurs in the Lamar River
Lamar River
The Lamar River is a tributary of the Yellowstone River, approximately 40 miles long, in northwestern Wyoming in the United States. The river is located entirely within Yellowstone National Park.-History:...
, Slough Creek
Slough Creek (Wyoming)
Slough Creek is a tributary of the Lamar River, approximately 25 mi long, in Montana and Wyoming in the United States.-History:...
and Gardner River
Gardner River
The Gardner River is a tributary of the Yellowstone River, approximately long, in northwestern Wyoming and south central Montana in the United States. The entire river is located within Yellowstone National Park...
. It has been introduced into Yellowstone Lake and expanded its range into upper Yellowstone tributaries and lakes. The Longnose sucker is believed to be the longest lived fish in the park and that a 20 inches (50.8 cm), 3 lbs fish might be as old as 25 years.
Mountain suckerMountain suckerThe Mountain Sucker is a sucker found throughout western North America.This is a slender and streamlined sucker, generally olive green to brown above and on the sides, and white to yellowish underneath. There may be a pattern of darker blotches along the sides...
The Mountain sucker (Catostomus platyrhynchus) is widely distributed in rivers and streams of Yellowstone's major drainages below the major waterfalls. Utah suckerUtah suckerThe Utah Sucker, Catostomus ardens, is a sucker of the family Catostomidae found in the upper Snake River and the Lake Bonneville areas of western North America....
The Utah sucker (Catostomus ardens) is native to Heart LakeHeart Lake (Wyoming)
Heart Lake el. is a large backcountry lake, nestled at the base of Mount Sheridan in Yellowstone National Park. Heart Lake is in the Snake River drainage and is drained by the Heart River.-History:...
, the Heart River
Heart River (Wyoming)
The Heart River is a river in the U.S. state of Wyoming, tributary to the Snake River. Its entire course is contained inside Yellowstone National Park. The river rises on the Continental Divide, in the Rocky Mountains, a few miles southeast of Yellowstone Lake...
drainage and probably the Snake River
Snake River
The Snake is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest in the United States. At long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean...
drainage in the park.
Longnose daceLongnose daceThe longnose dace is found in muddy and warm, clear and cold, streams and lakes. The largest longnose dace are about 6 inches long. They are well-adapted for living on the bottom of fast-flowing streams among the stones. Longnose dace eat mostly immature aquatic insects. They are important...
The Longnose dace (Rhinichthys cataractae) is widely distributed in all the major river systems in the park to include Yellowstone LakeYellowstone Lake
Yellowstone Lake is the largest body of water in Yellowstone National Park, The lake is 7,732 feet above sea level and covers with 110 miles of shoreline. While the average depth of the lake is 139 feet its deepest spot is at least 390 feet...
and its tributaries.
Speckled daceSpeckled daceThe speckled dace , also known as the spotted dace and the carpita pinta, is a member of the carp family. It is found in temperate freshwater in North America, from Sonora to British Columbia....
The Speckled dace (Rhinichthys osculus) only occurs west of the Continental DivideContinental Divide
The Continental Divide of the Americas, or merely the Continental Gulf of Division or Great Divide, is the name given to the principal, and largely mountainous, hydrological divide of the Americas that separates the watersheds that drain into the Pacific Ocean from those river systems that drain...
in the park restricting it to the Snake River
Snake River
The Snake is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest in the United States. At long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean...
including Heart Lake
Heart Lake (Wyoming)
Heart Lake el. is a large backcountry lake, nestled at the base of Mount Sheridan in Yellowstone National Park. Heart Lake is in the Snake River drainage and is drained by the Heart River.-History:...
and Fall River
Fall River
-Cities and towns:In Canada:*Fall River, Nova ScotiaIn the United States:*Fall River, Kansas*Fall River, Massachusetts, the largest city with this name*Fall River, Tennessee*Fall River, Wisconsin*Fall River County, South Dakota-Rivers:In Canada:...
drainages.
Mountain whitefishMountain whitefishThe mountain whitefish is one of the most widely distributed salmonid fish of western North America. It is found from the Mackenzie River drainage in Northwest Territory, Canada south through western Canada and the northwestern USA in the Pacific, Hudson Bay and upper Missouri River basins to the...
The Mountain Whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) is native to the park in the Madison RiverMadison River
The Madison River is a headwater tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 183 miles long, in Wyoming and Montana. Its confluence with the Jefferson and Gallatin rivers near Three Forks, Montana form the Missouri River....
drainage, the Gallatin River
Gallatin River
The Gallatin River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 120 mi , in the U.S. states of Wyoming and Montana...
drainage, the Yellowstone River
Yellowstone River
The Yellowstone River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately long, in the western United States. Considered the principal tributary of the upper Missouri, the river and its tributaries drain a wide area stretching from the Rocky Mountains in the vicinity of the Yellowstone National...
below Knowles Falls, the Middle Creek tributary of the Shoshone River
Shoshone River
The Shoshone River is long river in northern Wyoming in the United States. Its headwaters are in the Absaroka Range in Shoshone National Forest. It ends when it runs into the Big Horn River near Lovell, Wyoming. Cities it runs near or through are Cody, Powell, Byron, and Lovell. Near Cody, it...
and the Snake River
Snake River
The Snake is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest in the United States. At long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean...
drainage. Attempts to introduce Mountain Whitefish into the Yellowstone River below Yellowstone Lake were unsuccessful. Native Mountain Whitefish survive very well in the presence of introduced trout species.
Mottled sculpinMottled sculpinThe mottled sculpin, Cottus bairdii, is a freshwater sculpin found widely although unevenly throughout North America.As the name suggests, its coloration is a combination of bars, spots, and speckles randomly distributed. The large pectoral fins are banded...
The Mottled sculpin (Cottus bairdi) is widely distributed in Yellowstone streams and rivers below the major falls. It occurs in the Fall River, Snake River, Shoshone River, Yellowstone River and Gallatin River drainages. With one exception, it occurs only below the major waterfall barriers on the Firehole (Firehole Falls), Yellowstone (Knowles Falls) and Fall river drainages. When the park waters were first surveyed in the 1880s-90s by biologists, they discovered a population of Mottled scuplin in the Gibbon RiverGibbon River
The Gibbon River is a river in Yellowstone National Park, in Wyoming, the United States. It rises in the center of the park at Grebe Lake. It flows for a short distance into Wolf Lake. Below Wolf Lake, the river flows through Virginia Cascades into the Norris valley. It flows near the Norris...
above Gibbon Falls
Gibbon Falls
Gibbon Falls is a waterfall on the Gibbon River in southwestern Yellowstone National Park in the United States. Gibbon Falls has a drop of approximately...
, a water otherwise barren of fish. No scientific explanation for this has yet been developed.
Redside shiner
The Redside shiner (Richardsonius balteatus hydrophlox) is native to Yellowstone in the Snake RiverSnake River
The Snake is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest in the United States. At long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean...
drainage, most commonly in lakes and ponds. It may also be native to lakes in the Fall River drainage. In the 1950s it was introduced into Yellowstone Lake
Yellowstone Lake
Yellowstone Lake is the largest body of water in Yellowstone National Park, The lake is 7,732 feet above sea level and covers with 110 miles of shoreline. While the average depth of the lake is 139 feet its deepest spot is at least 390 feet...
and occurs today along the entire shoreline and in tributaries and lakes of the upper Yellowstone River
Yellowstone River
The Yellowstone River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately long, in the western United States. Considered the principal tributary of the upper Missouri, the river and its tributaries drain a wide area stretching from the Rocky Mountains in the vicinity of the Yellowstone National...
. It was also introduced into Lewis Lake
Lewis Lake (Wyoming)
Lewis Lake is located in the U. S. state of Wyoming in the southern part of Yellowstone National Park, about southeast of Shoshone Lake, and approximately southwest of Yellowstone Lake. Lewis Lake and Shoshone Lake are both located a few miles northeast of the Pitchstone Plateau.The Lewis River...
and now occurs in Shoshone Lake
Shoshone Lake
Shoshone Lake is a backcountry lake with the area of elevated at in the southwest section of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, US. It lies at the headwaters of the Lewis River a tributary of the Snake River. The U.S...
as well. These introductions into non-native waters were not official and has been attributed to the release of shiners being used as bait by fishermen.
Snake River fine-spotted cutthroat troutSnake River fine-spotted cutthroat troutThe Snake River fine-spotted cutthroat trout is a form of the Yellowstone cutthroat trout subspecies. Sub-species designation has been proposed with a trinomial classification of Oncorhynchus clarki behnkei, but the sub-species is not formally recognized...
The Snake River fine-spotted cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki sp.) is one of three subspecies of Cutthroat TroutCutthroat trout
The cutthroat trout is a species of freshwater fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. It is one of the many fish species colloquially known as trout...
found in Yellowstone. As its name suggests, this species is found in the Snake River
Snake River
The Snake is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest in the United States. At long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean...
drainages of the park. Some fisheries scientists consider the Snake River subspecies the same as the Yellowstone subspecies.
Westslope cutthroat troutWestslope cutthroat troutThe westslope cutthroat trout , also known as the blackspotted cutthroat, is a subspecies of the cutthroat trout and is a freshwater fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. The cutthroat is the Montana state fish...
The Westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki lewisi) was widely distributed in the Gallatin RiverGallatin River
The Gallatin River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 120 mi , in the U.S. states of Wyoming and Montana...
and Madison River
Madison River
The Madison River is a headwater tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 183 miles long, in Wyoming and Montana. Its confluence with the Jefferson and Gallatin rivers near Three Forks, Montana form the Missouri River....
drainages when the park was created. Genetically pure populations of subspecies today are restricted to two drainages. Last Chance creek in the in the Gallatin River drainage contains an aboriginal population. The Oxbow/Geode stream complex creek in the Yellowstone River drainage contain a genetically pure, but not native population as a result of stocking done in 1922. The introduction of Brown, Rainbow and Brook trout into its original ranges essentially extirpated the subspecies from park waters. The National Park Service has an extensive program aimed at reestablishing this subspecies within suitable waters in the park.
Yellowstone cutthroat troutYellowstone cutthroat troutThe Yellowstone cutthroat trout is a subspecies of the cutthroat trout and is a freshwater fish in the salmon family of the order Salmoniformes. Native only to a few U.S...
The Yellowstone cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarik bouvieri) inhabits the Yellowstone RiverYellowstone River
The Yellowstone River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately long, in the western United States. Considered the principal tributary of the upper Missouri, the river and its tributaries drain a wide area stretching from the Rocky Mountains in the vicinity of the Yellowstone National...
drainage from the headwaters to Yellowstone Lake
Yellowstone Lake
Yellowstone Lake is the largest body of water in Yellowstone National Park, The lake is 7,732 feet above sea level and covers with 110 miles of shoreline. While the average depth of the lake is 139 feet its deepest spot is at least 390 feet...
north to the park boundary at Gardiner, MT to include the Lamar River
Lamar River
The Lamar River is a tributary of the Yellowstone River, approximately 40 miles long, in northwestern Wyoming in the United States. The river is located entirely within Yellowstone National Park.-History:...
drainage. It has been widely stocked in park lakes previously barren of fish. Prior to the introduction of non-native trouts, the Yellowstone cutthroat was the primary quarry of anglers in the park. Fishing Bridge
Fishing Bridge Museum
The Fishing Bridge Museum is one of a series of "trailside museums" in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA, designed by architect Herbert Maier in a style that has become known as National Park Service Rustic. It is one of three parts of a 1987-declared National Historic Landmark, the Norris,...
across the Yellowstone River at the outlet of Yellowstone Lake was a favorite location for catching cutthroats or observing their spawning behavior. Lake trout introduction into Yellowstone Lake has caused serious decline in the Yellowstone cutthroat trout population.
Utah chubUtah chubThe Utah chub is a cyprinid fish native to western North America, where it is abundant in the upper Snake River and throughout the Lake Bonneville basin....
The Utah chub (Gila atraria) is native to the Snake RiverSnake River
The Snake is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest in the United States. At long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean...
drainage in Yellowstone, most specifically Heart Lake
Heart Lake (Wyoming)
Heart Lake el. is a large backcountry lake, nestled at the base of Mount Sheridan in Yellowstone National Park. Heart Lake is in the Snake River drainage and is drained by the Heart River.-History:...
. It was n introduced in the 1950s-60s, most probably by bait fisherman, into the Lewis Lake
Lewis Lake (Wyoming)
Lewis Lake is located in the U. S. state of Wyoming in the southern part of Yellowstone National Park, about southeast of Shoshone Lake, and approximately southwest of Yellowstone Lake. Lewis Lake and Shoshone Lake are both located a few miles northeast of the Pitchstone Plateau.The Lewis River...
and Shoshone Lake
Shoshone Lake
Shoshone Lake is a backcountry lake with the area of elevated at in the southwest section of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, US. It lies at the headwaters of the Lewis River a tributary of the Snake River. The U.S...
system. It is the most abundant species of fish in Lewis Lake.
Non-native species
The following non-native species have been introduced into park waters, many of which were barren of fish. In many cases, these non-native species, when introduced into waters with native species have severely impacted the original range of native species. Brown troutBrown troutThe brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
Brown trout (Salmo trutta) are not native to the United States. They were first introduced into the U.S. from ScotlandScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, the Loch Leven strain, and from Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, the Von Behr strain in 1882. Both strains were introduced into Yellowstone beginning in 1890. Shoshone
Shoshone Lake
Shoshone Lake is a backcountry lake with the area of elevated at in the southwest section of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, US. It lies at the headwaters of the Lewis River a tributary of the Snake River. The U.S...
and Lewis Lake
Lewis Lake (Wyoming)
Lewis Lake is located in the U. S. state of Wyoming in the southern part of Yellowstone National Park, about southeast of Shoshone Lake, and approximately southwest of Yellowstone Lake. Lewis Lake and Shoshone Lake are both located a few miles northeast of the Pitchstone Plateau.The Lewis River...
s received plants in 1890. It was introduced into the Firehole River
Firehole River
The Firehole River is one of two major tributaries of the Madison River. It flows north approximately from its source in Madison Lake on the Continental Divide to join the Gibbon River at Madison Junction in Yellowstone National Park...
above and below Firehole Falls, the Madison River
Madison River
The Madison River is a headwater tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 183 miles long, in Wyoming and Montana. Its confluence with the Jefferson and Gallatin rivers near Three Forks, Montana form the Missouri River....
and the Gibbon River
Gibbon River
The Gibbon River is a river in Yellowstone National Park, in Wyoming, the United States. It rises in the center of the park at Grebe Lake. It flows for a short distance into Wolf Lake. Below Wolf Lake, the river flows through Virginia Cascades into the Norris valley. It flows near the Norris...
below Gibbon Falls
Gibbon Falls
Gibbon Falls is a waterfall on the Gibbon River in southwestern Yellowstone National Park in the United States. Gibbon Falls has a drop of approximately...
in 1890. Brown trout also occur in the Yellowstone River
Yellowstone River
The Yellowstone River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately long, in the western United States. Considered the principal tributary of the upper Missouri, the river and its tributaries drain a wide area stretching from the Rocky Mountains in the vicinity of the Yellowstone National...
below Knowles Falls, the Gardner River
Gardner River
The Gardner River is a tributary of the Yellowstone River, approximately long, in northwestern Wyoming and south central Montana in the United States. The entire river is located within Yellowstone National Park...
below Osprey Falls, in Middle Creek, a tributary of the Shoshone River
Shoshone River
The Shoshone River is long river in northern Wyoming in the United States. Its headwaters are in the Absaroka Range in Shoshone National Forest. It ends when it runs into the Big Horn River near Lovell, Wyoming. Cities it runs near or through are Cody, Powell, Byron, and Lovell. Near Cody, it...
and the Gallatin River
Gallatin River
The Gallatin River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 120 mi , in the U.S. states of Wyoming and Montana...
. These populations resulted from upstream migrations by fish stocked in Wyoming and Montana. Brown Trout do not exist in the Bechler River
Bechler River
The Bechler River is a remote major river flowing southwest entirely within the confines of Yellowstone National Park to it confluence with the Fall River in the southwest section of the park. The river was named by Frank Bradley, a member of the 1872 Hayden Geological Survey for Gustavus R....
or Fall River
Fall River
-Cities and towns:In Canada:*Fall River, Nova ScotiaIn the United States:*Fall River, Kansas*Fall River, Massachusetts, the largest city with this name*Fall River, Tennessee*Fall River, Wisconsin*Fall River County, South Dakota-Rivers:In Canada:...
drainages in the southwest corner of the park.
The Brown trout is largely responsible for the extirpation of Cutthroat trout and Arctic Grayling from their original range in the Madison and Gallatin river drainages. Brown trout are the predominant species in the Madison River drainage and very popular with anglers. Spawning runs of large Brown trout into the Madison River in the Fall from Hebgen Lake
Hebgen Lake
Hebgen Lake is a lake located in Southwest Montana and is created by Hebgen Dam. It is well known for a magnitude 7.5 earthquake which occurred nearby on August 17, 1959, forming Quake Lake which is located immediately downstream.-Recreation:...
outside the park attract a large number of anglers.
Rainbow troutRainbow troutThe rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), native to Pacific ocean tributaries in North American and Asia was first introduced into the Gibbon RiverGibbon River
The Gibbon River is a river in Yellowstone National Park, in Wyoming, the United States. It rises in the center of the park at Grebe Lake. It flows for a short distance into Wolf Lake. Below Wolf Lake, the river flows through Virginia Cascades into the Norris valley. It flows near the Norris...
, above and below Gibbon Falls
Gibbon Falls
Gibbon Falls is a waterfall on the Gibbon River in southwestern Yellowstone National Park in the United States. Gibbon Falls has a drop of approximately...
in 1890. In 1923, Rainbow trout where introduced into the Firehole River
Firehole River
The Firehole River is one of two major tributaries of the Madison River. It flows north approximately from its source in Madison Lake on the Continental Divide to join the Gibbon River at Madison Junction in Yellowstone National Park...
above Firehole Falls. Rainbow trout have also been introduced into a number of Yellowstone lakes. They exist in the Yellowstone River
Yellowstone River
The Yellowstone River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately long, in the western United States. Considered the principal tributary of the upper Missouri, the river and its tributaries drain a wide area stretching from the Rocky Mountains in the vicinity of the Yellowstone National...
below Yellowstone Falls
Yellowstone Falls
Yellowstone Falls consist of two major waterfalls on the Yellowstone River, within Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United States. As the Yellowstone river flows north from Yellowstone Lake, it leaves the Hayden Valley and plunges first over Upper Yellowstone Falls and then a quarter mile ...
and in the upper Slough Creek
Slough Creek (Wyoming)
Slough Creek is a tributary of the Lamar River, approximately 25 mi long, in Montana and Wyoming in the United States.-History:...
drainage.
Rainbow-Cutthroat hybridsCutbowA Cutbow is a fertile hybrid between a rainbow trout and a cutthroat trout . While cutbow hybrids may occur naturally, most native populations of rainbows and cutthroats were separated by geography or habitat...
A Cutbow (Oncorhynchus clarki x mykiss) is a fertile hybrid between a rainbow troutRainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
(Oncorhynchus mykiss) and a cutthroat trout
Cutthroat trout
The cutthroat trout is a species of freshwater fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. It is one of the many fish species colloquially known as trout...
(O. clarki). While cutbow hybrids may occur naturally, most native populations of rainbows and cutthroats were separated by geography or habitat. With the introduction of non-native rainbow trout into Yellowstone cutthroat habitat, cutbow hybridization has become a serious threat for native cutthroat populations due to genetic pollution
Genetic pollution
Genetic pollution is a controversial term for uncontrolled gene flow into wild populations. This gene flow is undesirable according to some environmentalists and conservationists, including groups such as Greenpeace, TRAFFIC, and GeneWatch UK.-Usage:...
. Cutbows occur in Yellowstone anywhere both species are present.
Brook troutBrook troutThe brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, is a species of fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. In many parts of its range, it is known as the speckled trout or squaretail. A potamodromous population in Lake Superior are known as coaster trout or, simply, as coasters...
Eastern Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) were widely stocked in park waters beginning in 1890. Preferring cooler water, brook trout were easily displaced by introduced Brown and Rainbow trout in the lower reaches of the major river systems. Today Brook trout exist in the upper Firehole RiverFirehole River
The Firehole River is one of two major tributaries of the Madison River. It flows north approximately from its source in Madison Lake on the Continental Divide to join the Gibbon River at Madison Junction in Yellowstone National Park...
above Kepler Cascades
Kepler Cascades
Kepler Cascades is a waterfall on the Firehole River in southwestern Yellowstone National Park in the United States. The cascades are located approximately 2.5 miles south of Old Faithful. The cascades drop approximately 150 feet over multiple drops. The longest drop is 50 feet...
and in other Firehole tributaries like the Little Firehole River, Iron Spring and Sentinel Creeks. In the Gardner River
Gardner River
The Gardner River is a tributary of the Yellowstone River, approximately long, in northwestern Wyoming and south central Montana in the United States. The entire river is located within Yellowstone National Park...
drainage they are common above Osprey Falls. They also occur in many lakes and ponds. Brook Trout are found in the Middle Creek drainage of the Shoshone River
Shoshone River
The Shoshone River is long river in northern Wyoming in the United States. Its headwaters are in the Absaroka Range in Shoshone National Forest. It ends when it runs into the Big Horn River near Lovell, Wyoming. Cities it runs near or through are Cody, Powell, Byron, and Lovell. Near Cody, it...
and tributaries of Shoshone Lake
Shoshone Lake
Shoshone Lake is a backcountry lake with the area of elevated at in the southwest section of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, US. It lies at the headwaters of the Lewis River a tributary of the Snake River. The U.S...
.
Lake troutLake troutLake trout is a freshwater char living mainly in lakes in northern North America. Other names for it include mackinaw, lake char , touladi, togue, and grey trout. In Lake Superior, they can also be variously known as siscowet, paperbellies and leans...
Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycush) were one of the first non-native species introduced into Yellowstone. They are also the largest fish species in the park growing to an average length of 20 inches (50.8 cm). In 1890 42,000 fingerlings were planted in Lewis LakeLewis Lake (Wyoming)
Lewis Lake is located in the U. S. state of Wyoming in the southern part of Yellowstone National Park, about southeast of Shoshone Lake, and approximately southwest of Yellowstone Lake. Lewis Lake and Shoshone Lake are both located a few miles northeast of the Pitchstone Plateau.The Lewis River...
and Shoshone Lake
Shoshone Lake
Shoshone Lake is a backcountry lake with the area of elevated at in the southwest section of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, US. It lies at the headwaters of the Lewis River a tributary of the Snake River. The U.S...
at the time, barren of fish because of Lewis Falls
Lewis Falls
The Lewis Falls are located on the Lewis River in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United States. The falls drop approximately and are easily seen from the road, approximately halfway between the south entrance to the park and Grant Village....
. Sometime thereafter, they were also introduced into Heart Lake
Heart Lake (Wyoming)
Heart Lake el. is a large backcountry lake, nestled at the base of Mount Sheridan in Yellowstone National Park. Heart Lake is in the Snake River drainage and is drained by the Heart River.-History:...
. Lake trout over 30 lbs have been caught in Lewis, Shoshone and Heart lakes. The park record is 42 lbs from Heart Lake in 1931.
In 1994, Lake trout were discovered in Yellowstone Lake
Yellowstone Lake
Yellowstone Lake is the largest body of water in Yellowstone National Park, The lake is 7,732 feet above sea level and covers with 110 miles of shoreline. While the average depth of the lake is 139 feet its deepest spot is at least 390 feet...
and were believed to have been either accidentally or intentionally introduced as early as 1989 with fish taken from Lewis Lake
Lewis Lake (Wyoming)
Lewis Lake is located in the U. S. state of Wyoming in the southern part of Yellowstone National Park, about southeast of Shoshone Lake, and approximately southwest of Yellowstone Lake. Lewis Lake and Shoshone Lake are both located a few miles northeast of the Pitchstone Plateau.The Lewis River...
. The introduction of Lake trout into Yellowstone Lake has caused a serious decline in the Cutthroat trout population and the National Park Service has an aggressive Lake trout eradication program on the lake.
Lake chubLake chubThe Lake Chub, Couesius plumbeus, is a freshwater cyprinid fish found in Canada and in parts of the United States. Of all North American minnows, it is the one with the northernmost distribution. Its genus, Couesius The Lake Chub, Couesius plumbeus, is a freshwater cyprinid fish found in Canada and...
The Lake chub (Couesius plumbeus), although native to the Missouri and Yellowstone river drainages in Montana and Wyoming, it is not native to Yellowstone. It was most likely introduced into Yellowstone LakeYellowstone Lake
Yellowstone Lake is the largest body of water in Yellowstone National Park, The lake is 7,732 feet above sea level and covers with 110 miles of shoreline. While the average depth of the lake is 139 feet its deepest spot is at least 390 feet...
and McBride Lake and Abundance Lake in the Slough Creek
Slough Creek (Wyoming)
Slough Creek is a tributary of the Lamar River, approximately 25 mi long, in Montana and Wyoming in the United States.-History:...
drainage by bait fisherman. It is not common, but probably well established in the Slough Creek drainage.
Non-native species no longer in the park
The following species were introduced into park waters but did not establish viable populations (with the exception of the Yellow Perch). All these species no longer exist in Yellowstone. Land-locked Atlantic salmonAtlantic salmonThe Atlantic salmon is a species of fish in the family Salmonidae, which is found in the northern Atlantic Ocean and in rivers that flow into the north Atlantic and the north Pacific....
In 1908 7000 Land-locked Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) were stocked in Yellowstone LakeYellowstone Lake
Yellowstone Lake is the largest body of water in Yellowstone National Park, The lake is 7,732 feet above sea level and covers with 110 miles of shoreline. While the average depth of the lake is 139 feet its deepest spot is at least 390 feet...
and 5000 in Duck Lake (West Thumb). Neither of these introductions succeeded.
Largemouth bassLargemouth bassThe largemouth bass is a species of black bass in the sunfish family native to North America . It is also known as widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, green trout, linesides, Oswego bass, southern largemouth...
- Smallmouth bassSmallmouth bassThe smallmouth bass is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of the order Perciformes. It is the type species of its genus...
In 1893, 250 bass fingerlings were introduced into the Gibbon RiverGibbon River
The Gibbon River is a river in Yellowstone National Park, in Wyoming, the United States. It rises in the center of the park at Grebe Lake. It flows for a short distance into Wolf Lake. Below Wolf Lake, the river flows through Virginia Cascades into the Norris valley. It flows near the Norris...
(it is unknown as to whether these were large or smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu)) and in the early 1900s, 500 fingerling Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) were introduced into Goose Lake and Feather Lake in the Lower Geyser Basin. Neither introduction established a viable population.