Lewis River Facts

Location:

The Lewis River flows out of Shoshone Lake, wanders down for four miles to Lewis Lake, then travels 14 miles, most of it through a canyon, to join the Upper Snake River.  This river is located in the southwest portion of Yellowstone National Park.

Features:

The Lewis River has several different sections.  The first is the four mile run between the lakes.   The stretch of water is calm and smooth, offering the angler a shot at fair sized brown, rainbow and lake trout. 

Below Lewis Lake, the river goes over Lewis Falls and into a canyon.  This canyon stretch offers some good fishing in faster water.  Fall sees a spawning run of brown trout out of the lakes.  This is the time to catch trout in the 20 inch range. 

Seasonal Strategies:

The Lewis River fishes well starting in late June.  Green Drakes arrive then, followed by PMDs and Baetis in July and August.  The stretch of water between Lewis Lake and the falls sees a good Stonefly hatch around July 4^th. 

Caddis show up in July and stay for the rest of the season.  Terrestrials work well in late summer and fall.  A Wooly Bugger is the best way to catch the spawning browns in the fall.

Special Regulations:

Catch and release all native fish. Check the Yellowstone fishing regulations for more information regarding the Lewis River.

Access:

Access to Lewis River is easy due to the South Entrance Road, which follows the river for its entire length.  There are campgrounds at Lewis Lake for those interested in staying.  Trails follow the river both above and below Lewis Lake.

Special Cautions:

Watch for bears.  This is prime Grizzly bear country, so observe all the usual precautions for hiking and camping in bear country.

Links:

Lewis River Blog Entries and Updates

For the most current fly recommendations and hatch information, click on Lewis River Blog Entries and Updates