Warm water prompts Yellowstone 2 p.m.-sunrise fishing ban
This June 13, 2015, file photo shows the Gallatin River near Big Sky, Mont., about 50 miles from Yellowstone National Park. (Matt Volz/Associated Press)
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP) — Warm water and low flows have prompted Yellowstone National Park to close all fishing in rivers and streams during the afternoon and evening for the first time in over a decade.
The park sometimes closes portions of rivers to fishing during the summer due to warm water but this is the first park-wide closure since 2007, Yellowstone spokeswoman Linda Veress said Friday.
Starting Saturday, river and stream fishing will be prohibited from 2 p.m. until sunrise. Yellowstone Lake and other lakes will remain open to fishing from sunrise to sunset, like usual.
Water temperatures have topped 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 Celsius) in many of the park's creeks and rivers, park officials said in a statement.
More warm, dry weather was forecast, with high temperatures climbing into the mid-80s (29 Celsius) in areas of the park next week, according to the National Weather Service.
Warm water can be stressful for trout and other fish, especially when they're caught. Anglers should fish during the coolest part of the day and try to land fish quickly so they don't become exhausted, park officials said.
Anglers should also handle fish gently in the water as much as possible and let them recover before release, they said.