Fishing in Yosemite 2025

With countless lakes, rivers, and streams scattered through out the park, Yosemite offers fishing experiences for every angler. You’re most likely to catch rainbow, brook, and brown trout within the park. Fly fishing in Yosemite for brown trout and rainbow is available along the Merced and Tuolumne rivers, the South Fork of the Merced River, Merced, Tenaya, Eleanor lakes, Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, Lyell, and Dana Forks. Some rivers and lakes also have large populations of cutthroat and golden trout.

The fishing season for Yosemite’s rivers and streams opens on the last Saturday in April and goes up to November 15, while all lakes and reservoirs are open to fishing year-round. An exception is Frog Creek near Lake Eleanor, which opens on June 15.

It is important to remember that to fish in Yosemite National Park, you must possess a valid California fishing license. You can purchase a license at the Mountain Shop in Half Dome Village, the Pioneer Gift & Grocery in Wawona, or online through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

In addition to California state laws, special fishing regulations apply inside the national park and must be studied carefully in advance. You can find numerous fishing and outdoor stores in the park, which provide everything you may need for some world-class fishing.