Cooke City Fishing Resources

Montana's fishing rules and regulations are based on districts: Eastern, Western, and Central. Cooke City is in the Central District. Usually, in the Central District, you can fish year-round in rivers, streams, lakes, and reservoirs. (Note that this general rule can change based on current conditions.) You can find out more at the Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks website.

As for fishing licenses, Montana requires a valid fishing license for any angler 12 or older. This applies to residents and non-residents. Actually, the state requires two licenses: a Conservation License, and a Base Fishing License. Prices vary depending on the time period covered by the license (one day, five day, yearly).

Wyoming's fishing rules and regulations are relatively straight forward. You can find them conveniently listed in a printable PDF file. Keep in mind that statewide rules can vary somewhat depending on the specific area of Wyoming you're fishing in. Cooke City is closest to Area Two, which includes Clarks Fork and Yellowstone River drainages.

In Wyoming, a fishing license is required for all anglers 14 and older. Prices vary depending on the time period covered by the license (one day, five day, yearly). You'll also need to purchase a Conservation Stamp, good for one year. 

Yellowstone National Park has its own rules, regulations, and licensing procedures. In general, you can fish in the park from Memorial Day through the end of October, from sunrise to sunset. However, you'll need to review the park's rules and regulations prior to fishing there. The rules and regulations are very detailed, and they vary by park region. Cooke City is close to the Northeast Region.

A Yellowstone National Park fishing permit is required for any angler 16 and over. Note that a Wyoming fishing license is not valid (or required) in Yellowstone.

Montana Angler has detailed, up-to-date fishing reports for a few locations near Cooke City. Don't overlook their Home Waters section for more general information on the areas covered by their detailed fishing reports.

Montana Troutfitters has fishing reports for many of the fishing locations near Cooke City, including Yellowstone National Park. The individual report pages also have fly pattern suggestions.

At the North Fork Anglers websites, you'll find fishing reports for a number of areas, including Yellowstone National Park and Upper Clarks Fork.

At Cooke City Store, run by Troy and Beth Wilson, you can purchase fishing licenses for Montana, Wyoming, and Yellowstone. Inside the store, you'll find Trout Rider Fly Shop where you'll find a variety of flies, lures, and other fishing necessities. We highly recommend Cooke City Store for all your fishing needs.