Overview
Step into Yellowstone National Park with a guide who knows every corner of it. The Yellowstone Experience puts you on the water Eric Frohlich knows best — whether that's sight-casting to cruising cutthroat on Yellowstone Lake's volcanic flats, fishing the quiet shoreline of Lewis Lake, or wading into the park's legendary rivers. This is a full-day expedition tailored to conditions, your skill level, and what the fish are doing that day.
Teton Troutfitters holds one of only ten motorized boat permits issued by the National Park Service for Yellowstone Lake — giving you access to remote arms and shallow flats that shore anglers will never reach. On the lake, we use a sight-and-stalk method: cruising the flats until we spot fish, then cutting the motor to drift in for a stealthy presentation. The clarity of the water makes this some of the most visual, exciting fishing in the West.
But the experience doesn't stop at the lake. Lewis Lake offers a quieter, more intimate alternative — smaller water, fewer boats, and aggressive cutthroat willing to chase streamers along the drop-offs. For anglers who prefer moving water, Eric guides wade trips on the Yellowstone River inside the park and the upper Snake near its headwaters.
The best part: your day is shaped by conditions. If the wind is howling on the lake, you're on the river. If the rivers are blown out from runoff, you're on calm water. Eric reads the day and puts you where the fishing is best — that flexibility is what makes this trip unique.
This is an expedition for those who want the full breadth of Yellowstone's fishery in a single day, guided by someone who lives on these waters all season.
What's Included
Trip Planner
The Yellowstone Lake season is highly dependent on the ice-off timeline and the thermal stratification of the water. June and July are the prime months — fish move to shallow water to feed after ice-off and the surface hatches are at their peak. By August, fish begin moving deeper, and by September the window narrows to the last major surface activity before winter.
Guide's Take
Yellowstone Lake is like nowhere else on earth. You're in a power boat in the middle of a wilderness, casting to native fish that have never seen a road. The clarity of the water is staggering — you can see every rock, every drop-off, and every cruising trout. It's a pure experience of the high-altitude west.
Meet Your Guide
Drawn to the Tetons over a decade ago to teach skiing, Eric quickly found his place on the water and has spent the last five years guiding anglers throughout the Greater Yellowstone region.
YNP Experience Lead
Yellowstone Lake is like nowhere else on earth. You're in a power boat in the middle of a wilderness, casting to native fish that have never seen a road. The clarity of the water is staggering — you can see every rock, every drop-off, and every cruising trout.
Originally from Tallahassee, Florida, Eric Frohlich, better known as the “Mountain Gator” grew up chasing fish in saltwater long before making his way west to Jackson, Wyoming. Drawn to the Tetons over a decade ago to teach skiing, Eric quickly found his place on the water and has spent the last five years guiding anglers throughout the Greater Yellowstone region.
Eric brings an incredible depth of river experience to every trip, with years spent guiding whitewater rafting on Idaho’s Lochsa River and fly fishing on both the Main and Middle Fork of the Salmon River. While he’s an exceptional oarsman and river guide, he’s equally at home targeting trout on the still waters of Yellowstone and Lewis Lake aboard his 21’ Lund in Yellowstone National Park.
Known for his enthusiasm, adventurous spirit, and genuine love for fishing, Eric is the kind of guide who makes every day on the water memorable whether you’re chasing your first trout or the fish of a lifetime.
Common Questions
Yes. The park requires its own specific fishing permit, which we can help you obtain online before the trip. It is separate from the Wyoming state fishing license.
Yes. This is a great trip for families as the power boat provides a stable platform and the scenery is constantly engaging. It's one of our most popular family trips.
We primarily use a sight-and-stalk method. We cruise the shallow flats until we spot fish, then cut the motor and drift toward them to allow for a stealthy cast. It's visual, exciting fishing.
We hold one of only ten motorized permits for Yellowstone Lake. Prime June and July dates sell out months in advance — we recommend booking as early as possible.
Your guide reads conditions that morning — wind, water clarity, runoff levels, hatch activity — and puts you on the water that's fishing best. You can also request a specific experience (lake, river, or combination) when you book, and we'll plan around it.
