What is the largest fish in the Yellowstone River?
Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycush) were one of the first non-native species introduced into Yellowstone. They are also the largest fish species in the park growing to an average length of 20 inches (51 cm).
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“Average” Size Range: 14? — 17? UP TO 24?+ Brown Trout are considered to be native to Europe and western Asia and were widely introduced to North America in 1883 and in 1889 to the rivers of Montana.
In the Yellowstone River, you'll see Mountain Whitefish. Though they belong in the same family as trout and salmon, they don't have quite the same bright colors that rainbows and salmon have. Instead, they are usually silver or gray, with much larger scales.
While the only advisory warning currently in place is related to mountain whitefish and, at present, rainbow trout in the Yellowstone River are safe to eat, avoiding all fish caught in the river may be advisable for now — especially if you have any particular concerns regarding the effects of phenanthrene.
The Missouri River, also know as in the fly fishing community as the MO, is located below Holter Dam and is home to some of the best trout fishing in the western United States. Boasting up to 5,500 trout per mile with an average size of 16 inches or better, there are few other western rivers like the MO.
The white sturgeon is the largest freshwater fish in North America. White sturgeon have been reported to reach lengths of 15-20 feet and weights of nearly one ton. The second largest freshwater fish in North America is the alligator gar.
From it's headwaters in Yellowstone National Park, down to the roaring rapids of Yankee Jim Canyon, on through Paradise Valley, and further down east of Livingston, the Yellowstone River offers anglers a lifetime of fly fishing on a uniquely diverse and productive fishery.
Floating is not allowed in Yellowstone Park, so floating begins in Gardiner. For most of its length, the Yellowstone River has few major rapids. The exception occurs in the upper section soon after the river leaves the park.
Can You Swim in the Yellowstone River? As beautiful as the Yellowstone River is, you can't swim in it! There are a few legal places within Yellowstone National Park for swimming. To preserve the park, most lakes and rivers are closed for swimming.
Don't touch any water in or around thermal features. Never swim, soak, or wade in thermal features. More than 20 people have died from intentionally entering or falling into hot springs.
Cutting a diagonal northeast channel across Montana for nearly 700 miles to its confluence with the Missouri River in North Dakota, the Yellowstone River is the longest free-flowing river in the lower 48 states.
Yellowstone is underlain by two magma bodies. The shallower one is composed of rhyolite (a high-silica rock type) and stretches from 5 km to about 17 km (3 to 10 mi) beneath the surface and is about 90 km (55 mi) long and about 40 km (25 mi) wide. The chamber is mostly solid, with only about 5-15% melt.