2026 regulation year
Bighorn Lake / Yellowtail Reservoir 2026 — Wyoming Fishing Regulations
Wyoming statewide rules apply unless overridden below.
Last updated
Bighorn Lake / Yellowtail Reservoir carries a special-regulation overlay on top of Wyoming's 2026 fishing rules. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.
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State-level special regulation
MT/WY joint reciprocal compact on the boundary reservoir; walleye + sauger 6 / day no minimum; smallmouth bass 6 / day combined; brown + rainbow trout 6 / day combined; lake trout no daily bag
Source: Wyoming special-water list
Official source
Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) publishes the authoritative 2026 Wyoming fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.
Visit official Wyoming fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven harvest pauses are posted to Wyoming Game and Fish Department's emergency-order feed — check it before any Wyoming trip during the active season.
Other special-regulation waters in Wyoming
- Bear River drainage
- Bighorn Lake tailwater on the Bighorn River
- Bighorn Mountains high lakes
- Boysen Reservoir
- Buffalo Bill Reservoir
- Flaming Gorge Reservoir
- Fremont Lake
- Glendo Reservoir
- Grand Teton National Park
- Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam
- Grey Reef tailwater on the North Platte River
- Headwater streams statewide
Frequently asked questions
- What special fishing regulations apply at Bighorn Lake / Yellowtail Reservoir?
- Bighorn Lake / Yellowtail Reservoir carries one special-regulation overlay that overrides Wyoming's statewide 2026 rules. It reads: "MT/WY joint reciprocal compact on the boundary reservoir; walleye + sauger 6 / day no minimum; smallmouth bass 6 / day combined; brown + rainbow trout 6 / day combined; lake trout no daily bag." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
- Do I need a fishing license to fish Bighorn Lake / Yellowtail Reservoir?
- Yes. Bighorn Lake / Yellowtail Reservoir is in Wyoming, so a valid Wyoming fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD). The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Bighorn Lake; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Wyoming rules.
- Do Bighorn Lake / Yellowtail Reservoir's special rules replace Wyoming's statewide limits?
- Only where they conflict. Wyoming's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Bighorn Lake by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rule for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.