Wyoming Asks Anglers to Back Off Catch-and-Release When Trout Water Gets Hot

Wyoming anglers are being told to pay attention to water temperatures, not just the bite. Hot weather, low flows, and record drought conditions are pushing some streams and rivers into the danger zone for trout, and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department is asking anglers to adjust before fish start dying for no good reason.

The key number is 70 degrees. Game and Fish says when water temperatures exceed 70 degrees, anglers should not attempt catch-and-release fishing because survival drops hard. Trout can die after prolonged exposure above 75 degrees, and even brief exposure over 80 degrees can be lethal. Warm water carries less oxygen, and a fish that might recover fine in cold water can be cooked by stress in August conditions.

That does not mean anglers have to quit fishing altogether. It means fish smarter. Go early in the morning when water is coolest. Land fish quickly. Keep them in the water. Use heavier tackle where it makes sense instead of playing a trout to exhaustion. If the thermometer says the river is too warm, move to cooler water, target warmwater species, or call it a day.

Real conservation is not just license money and slogans. Sometimes it is having enough discipline to leave stressed fish alone. Legal harvest has its place, catch-and-release has its place, and both depend on knowing when conditions make either one irresponsible.

A dead trout released into 75-degree water is not a conservation win. Check the temperature, respect the resource, and do not let pride turn a summer fishing trip into wasted fish.