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fishregs

2026 regulation year

Yosemite National Park Fishing License 2026

Last updated

California

Yosemite runs on the host state's fishing license; the National Park Service does not sell a separate permit here.

Quick answer

State fishing license applies

A California state fishing licence is required for anyone 16 or older. CDFW inland regulations apply throughout the park EXCEPT on the listed Merced, Tuolumne, and Hetch Hetchy stretches where stricter park rules take over.

What to know before you fish Yosemite

  • Stream season on most park waters runs the last Saturday in April through November 15 (CA general inland trout season); designated lakes are open year-round per CA rules.
  • Merced River (Happy Isles through El Portal) and the South Fork Merced: artificial flies/lures with barbless hooks only, rainbow trout are catch-and-release (zero bag), and any brown or brook trout caught MUST be retained, not released — a deliberate inversion designed to protect the native rainbow population.
  • Tuolumne River below O'Shaughnessy Dam: barbless artificial only, open year-round, 12-inch maximum size + 2-fish daily bag during the regular season, zero bag in winter; Frog Creek (Hetch Hetchy) above Lake Eleanor is barbless artificial with zero bag.
  • Fishing is PROHIBITED from bridges, piers, and the top of O'Shaughnessy Dam; review the statewide mercury advisory for CA lakes and reservoirs and the quagga / zebra mussel inspection rules before launching any vessel.

How licensing works at Yosemite

Yosemite National Park runs on the host state's regular fishing license — there is no separate National Park Service fishing permit to buy. Use the same California license you would use anywhere else in the state. Park-specific regulations (gear restrictions, species closures, catch-and-release zones) still layer on top of the state rule, so read the unit's current fishing page before launching.

Compare what the California license costs on the non-resident fee table, or open the full California regulations.

Official source

Yosemite National Park publishes its authoritative 2026 fishing rules on the page below. Regulations change annually — verify the current year before you fish.

nps.gov →

Emergency-order & closure feed

On federal land, in-season closures don't go through the host state's DFW — they post to the unit's own news desk. Road closures that cut off river access, wildfire trailhead shutdowns, drought-driven access changes, and bear-activity lake closures all publish to Yosemite's National Park Service news feed. Subscribe before any long-haul trip.

Yosemite — National Park Service news releases

RSS feed1-click subscribe:FeedlyInoreaderNewsBlur

Download the full state + federal OPML bundle →

Yosemite fishing license — FAQ

Do you need a fishing license to fish Yosemite National Park?
Yosemite runs on the host state's fishing license; the National Park Service does not sell a separate permit here.
Who issues the fishing license for Yosemite?
The host state's fish & wildlife agency issues the controlling fishing license for Yosemite — the California license. There is no federal fishing permit to buy here.
Is your California fishing license valid in Yosemite?
Yes — Yosemite runs on the California fishing license. The same license you use elsewhere in California covers the unit's waters, subject to any unit-specific regulation that layers on top.
Where are Yosemite fishing closures posted?
In-season closures inside Yosemite are published to the unit's National Park Service news feed (RSS), not the host state's emergency-order page. Subscribe to the feed on this page to catch road, wildfire, drought, and access closures before a trip.

Related federal & tribal waters

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