Fly Fishing Cody Wyoming

Cody Wyoming is the gateway to Yellowstone National Park and neighbor to Monster Lake. For anglers
looking for blue ribbon fly fishing waters, fly fishing Cody Wyoming’s rivers, lakes and reservoirs
is a must.

Fly fishing Cody Wyoming: the Shoshone River

If you are fly fishing Cody Wyoming and cast a line in the upper reaches of the South
Fork of the Shoshone River, you’ll be looking for the famous Yellowstone cutthroat. The
lower sections of the river house some nice brown trout.

There is a lot of private land on the North Fork of the Shoshone, but there are a couple of
public fishing spots. You’ll have to be early to avoid anglers who are making their way to
Yellowstone.

This is not a place to break out your tent – grizzly bears wander through the area so tent
camping is prohibited even in designated campgrounds. Because this is grizzly country, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with the bear and his habits and the ways to keep yourself safe.

The area is closed for the trout spawning run so check regulations for season times.

Fly fishing Cody Wyoming and Yellowstone National Park

If you intend on fly fishing Cody Wyoming you’ll probably have a day or two fishing in
Yellowstone National Park. Cody is one of the gateways to the park. Special regulations
are in effect in the park so make sure you are familiar with them.

You will need to have a Yellowstone fishing permit but you don’t need a state license. If
you do have a state license it is not valid in Yellowstone. The season goes from late May
to early November.

If the summers are long and dry, the park authorities will often close the rivers to fishing.
Also special season dates apply to Yellowstone Lake. Check with the rangers for any
changes or closures.

Regulations are also area specific and what applies to one spot may not apply to another.
This means that you have to be attentive to any posted signs and literature on the area you
are fishing.

Float tubes are considered boats in Yellowstone and the same restrictions apply. There
are very few areas that allow the use of any boats.

Remember that Yellowstone is bear country and a close encounter may spoil your fishing
experience. Give all wildlife a wide berth. If bears are around, choose another fishing
spot.

Fly fishing Cody Wyoming at Monster Lake

If you are fly fishing Cody Wyoming looking for big fish during your trip, you need to
have a look at Monster Lake.

Monster Lake is privately owned so you’ll need to make advanced reservations to fish
here. It’ll set you back a couple of hundred dollars for a day’s fishing, but you’ll be
casting your fly at some trophy fish and you are pretty much guaranteed a great day on
the water.

There are some strict regulations enforced at Monster Lake. You can only fly fish and
must use barbless hooks. Catch and release techniques are practiced. If you catch a trophy
trout, you can have it mounted for an extra hundred bucks or so.

You are allowed to fish from boats and float tubes, but no motors are permitted on the
lake. The season runs from April to November.

If you are excited by fly fishing for lunker trout, Monster Lake certainly has them with the
average being 20” in length. Rainbows, Brookies and Browns are all stocked in the lake.

Fly fishing Cody Wyoming and the Beartooth Plateau

The Beartooth plateau is an area to consider when you are fly fishing Cody Wyoming.
There are many lakes and rivers in this area. Access is limited by its high elevation as
snow and ice are sometimes still a problem in late June.

If you are heading into this are during the summer you will encounter some beautiful
scenery and some not so beautiful wildlife of the two legged variety. Tourists flock to the
Beartooth Plateau during the summer months. If you want solitude, be prepared to hike
into the back country.

Because of its proximity to so many blue ribbon rivers, lakes and reservoirs, fly fishing
Cody Wyoming is a must for the avid angler. Take note of the special regulations on
many of the waters here. They do not take away from your fishing pleasure and ensure
that generations to come will also enjoy the experience of fly fishing Cody wyoming.