Yellowstone restricts fishing on many rivers and creeks

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP) — Hot temperatures have prompted Yellowstone National Park to restrict fishing during the afternoon hours on many of the park's rivers and creeks. The restrictions replace the fishing advisory the park issued earlier this month.

Warm weather combined with lower than normal water flows have resulted in high afternoon water temperatures, the National Park Service stated.

For instance, water temperature in the Firehole River near West Yellowstone has topped 80 degrees for several days, the agency stated. The temperature of the Gibbon River at Madison Junction and Soda Butte Creek near the Lamar Ranger Station have both reached 78 degrees.

Such high water temperatures can be stressful or fatal for trout.

Beginning Saturday, the Park Service is imposing restrictions that ban fishing between the hours of 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. on many rivers and streams. The waters will remain open to fishing the rest of the time.