Wyoming Trout Species Info

In order to fully enjoy your fishing vacation, and not break any laws, it’s vital to know the trout species you catch so you know what rules and regulations apply.

Distinguishing Trout and Other Species

Distinguishing which fish species you’ve caught when fishing in Wyoming is an important aspect to being able to take the most uninhibited pleasure in your fishing adventure. Different rules and regulations apply to the different species, so when you are familiar with the type of fish you’ve just hooked, you can abide by the law.

For example, there are specific creel limits telling how many of each type of fish you are allowed to have in your possession (and sometimes the limit of length). Since these are based on species, it’s important to know the various features indicating the species. If you are fishing in Yellowstone National Park, some fish are catch-and-release only, so you must know what you’re hooking.

Recognize Wyoming’s Various Fish

Wyoming’s trout species include rainbow, brook, lake, brown and cutthroat trout. The native species to the state are rainbow, lake and cutthroat. You’ll also find golden trout and Kokanee salmon as well as the Arctic grayling and Montana whitefish.

• Rainbow Trout
  This trout is the most common catch in Wyoming rivers and lakes. The rainbow has a reddish stripe that runs down its side with black spots (particularly on the head) and dark green fins. Rainbow trout can also be recognized by the white color on the edge of the fin.
• Brook Trout
  The “brookie” has orange fins with black and white edges, and a dark body with red and white spots within bluish circles. Another characteristic of the brook trout is its worm-like markings.
• Lake Trout
  The largest trout is the lake trout. They have dark bodies with irregular white spots and a deeply forked tail.
• Brown Trout
  Browns will have a tan belly with black spots over the body and reddish orange spots inside light blue circles.
• Cutthroat Trout
  The cutthroat is the state fish of Wyoming. There are a number of different cutthroats, like the Westslope cutthroat and the Yellowstone cutthroat. They all have a red slash below the lower jaw. In Yellowstone National Park, these fish are catch-and-release only.
• Golden Trout
  This trout has marvelous coloring, with a red band dividing the upper section (green) from the lower portion (gold). The top and tail are covered with black spots.
• Kokanee Salmon
  For the greater portion of the year, Kokanee salmon are bluish-green with silver sides. The males have no spots. In the fall months, the male changes to a deep red and the females turn to a red, gray and white color.
• Arctic Grayling
  This fish is recognized by its large sail-like dorsal fin. In Yellowstone National Park, the Arctic grayling is catch-and-release only.
• Montana Whitefish
  One of the noticeable characteristics of the Montana whitefish is its very round body at the cross section and no teeth. In Yellowstone National Park, this fish is also catch-and-release only.

Be familiar with the rules and regulations for each species. You can download a booklet of Wyoming’s fishing regulations here:
http://gf.state.wy.us/fish/fishing/fishregs.pdf