Fishing in Area Rivers
Two Anglers Fishing
© Vertical Media
Fishing Rivers & Streams in the Shoshone National Forest
Varying stream habitats found throughout the Shoshone National Forest due to different geologic, soil and vegetative types, elevation and climatic changes. The central two-thirds of the forest (from about the Clarks Fork River to the Wind River) are located in the Absaroka volcanics. Tributary streams typically have high gradients and steep slopes, large stream substrate with pocket pools providing the majority of the fish holding habitat. The main stem streams tend to be shallow and wide with low pool to riffle rations, in stream cover and stream bank vegetation. This results in lower biological productivity per linear distance of stream. Where suitable fish habitat does exist, fish densities are considered high.
The northern and southern parts of the forest are generally found in the Pre-cambrian granitics. They are much less erodible than the volcanics. As a result, these streams generally have more stable, well defined channels with wide riparian bottoms, low gradients, more pools, well established bank vegetation, and lower sediment loads than the volcanics. Additionally these streams are narrower and deeper with higher pool to riffle rations and have more favorable fish habitat.
Historic native trout stream species include Yellowstone cutthroat trout and mountain whitefish. Yellowstone cutthroat trout have been reduced to a very small fraction of their original range from introduction of exotic and non-native fish species, habitat modification/degradation and past over fishing. Introduced stream game fish species include Snake River cutthroat, rainbow, rainbow-cutthroat hybrids, brook, brown, lake trout and arctic grayling. Non-game species include longnose dace, white, longnose, common and mountain suckers.
- content from US Forest Service
Currently OutsideOther pages you might find helpful:
Snake River Fishing Outfitters
Jackson Hole fishing outfitters and Snake River guides.
