Overview
Yellowstone Lake Map
Fishing Regulations
Special Fishing regulations: This lake has special fishing regulations that differ from statewide or border water regulations for those species identified below and take precedence. Regulations listed below are currently in place. Visit the fishing regulations page for links to upcoming regulations for specific lakes.
Special Waterbody Regulations
- Catch and release fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass is open year round unless otherwise noted. Motor Trolling is allowed with up to 3 hooks, baits, or lures, per angler.
Special Species Regulations
- Panfish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 25
- Walleye: See Walleye, Sauger, and Hybrids.
- Urban waters gamefish: This waterbody is not considered an urban water, Urban Waters Gamefish regulations do not apply.
- Shortnose gar: Open all year: Fish may not be harvested (catch and release only)
- Sauger and hybrids: See Walleye, Sauger, and Hybrids.
- Longnose gar: Open all year: Fish may not be harvested (catch and release only)
- Hybrid, Striped, Yellow, and White Bass: See Rock, Yellow and White Bass.
- Flathead catfish: See Catfish.
- Crappies: See Panfish.
- Channel catfish: See Catfish.
- Bowfin: Open all year: Fish may not be harvested (catch and release only)
- Bluegill: See Panfish.
- White perch: Open all year: The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office
- Trout and salmon: See Trout regulations layer.
- Shovelnose sturgeon: Closed. No fishing allowed.
- Ruffe: Open all year: The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office
- Round goby: Open all year: The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office
- Rough fish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited
- Rock, Yellow, and White Bass: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited
- Paddlefish: Closed. No fishing allowed.
- Smallmouth bass: See Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass.
- Largemouth bass: See Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass.
- Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass: May 3, 2025 to March 1, 2026: Daily combined bag limit of 2 fish for walleye, sauger and their hybrids 15”-18”, and largemouth and smallmouth bass 12”-15”
- Northern pike: May 3, 2025 to March 1, 2026: Fish may not be harvested (catch and release only)
- Muskellunge and hybrids: May 3, 2025 to December 31, 2025: The minimum length limit is 50” and the daily bag limit is 1
- Lake sturgeon: Closed. No fishing allowed.
- Cisco and whitefish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10
- Catfish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10
- Bullheads: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited
- Walleye, Saugers, and Hybrids: May 3, 2025 to March 1, 2026: Daily combined bag limit of 2 fish for walleye, sauger and their hybrids 15”-18”, and largemouth and smallmouth bass 12”-15”
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Fish Species
Yellowstone Lake Bluegill abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.| Survey Year | Largest Fish (in) |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 9 |
| 2022 | 9 |
| 2018 | 9 |
Yellowstone Lake Channel catfish abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Yellowstone Lake Crappie abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Yellowstone Lake Largemouth bass abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.| Survey Year | Largest Fish (in) |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 20 |
| 2018 | 21 |
Yellowstone Lake Muskellunge abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.| Survey Year | Largest Fish (in) |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 48 |
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.| Survey Year | Largest Fish (in) |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 41 |
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Yellowstone Lake Smallmouth bass abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.| Survey Year | Largest Fish (in) |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 18 |
| 2018 | 18 |
Yellowstone Lake Walleye abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.| Survey Year | Largest Fish (in) |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 30 |
| 2018 | 29 |
