Fly Fishing Buffalo Fork - Jackson Hole

Fly fishing the Buffalo Fork of the Snake River near Jackson Hole is a stonefly-driven freestone experience through some of Wyoming's most spectacular mountain scenery. The Buffalo Fork enters the Snake River near Moran Junction at 6,773 feet, draining 330 square miles of the Teton Wilderness and Bridger-Teton National Forest. The lower 25 miles hold federal Wild & Scenic River designation — a recognition of the river's outstanding natural values. Snake River Fine-Spotted Cutthroat Trout dominate the fishery, averaging 10 to 16 inches with fish to 18 inches holding in the deeper pools and logjam-protected lies. Brook Trout occupy the upper tributaries and Mountain Whitefish share the lower runs.

The Buffalo Fork's character is defined by its gradient and structure. The river alternates between boulder-strewn pocket water, willow-lined meadow runs, and deep cottonwood pools as it descends from the wilderness toward the Snake River confluence. Spring runoff is dramatic — median flows hit 3,030 cfs in June — but the river drops to outstanding wading conditions from mid-July through September, with August flows typically between 200 and 450 cfs. The cobble and gravel substrate creates ideal habitat for the abundant stonefly population that defines this fishery. Wading is straightforward during normal summer flows but requires caution during June and early July.

The Salmonfly hatch is the crown jewel of the Buffalo Fork — a legendary emergence that draws knowledgeable anglers from across the Jackson Hole valley. Salmonflies (Pteronarcys californica) typically begin in early June and continue through early July, with Golden Stoneflies overlapping and extending the big-bug window into late July. Before the adult hatch, rubberleg stonefly nymphs produce year-round in the cobble runs. PMDs are the primary mayfly, hatching in large numbers from late June through August, and BWOs bookend the season with reliable spring and fall emergences. Caddis provide strong evening hatches through summer. Terrestrials — especially hoppers along the meadow banks — are highly effective from mid-July through September.

Access to the Buffalo Fork requires knowing the landscape. The river flows through a mix of National Forest, private ranch land, and Teton Wilderness. Bridger-Teton National Forest access is available along the Buffalo Valley Road (Forest Road 30210) east of Moran Junction, where several pulloffs and trailheads provide stream access. The wilderness section above requires hiking. Wyoming Game & Fish Area 1 regulations apply: flies and lures only, no bait, and all cutthroat and cutthroat hybrids must be released. Other trout limits are 3 per day with only 1 over 18 inches.

The Buffalo Fork rewards anglers who appreciate wild cutthroat in a wilderness-adjacent setting. Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) is the closest commercial service, just 30 minutes from Moran Junction. The river connects directly to the Snake River system — the South Fork of the Snake and the main Snake through Grand Teton National Park are both within easy reach. For those who time the Salmonfly hatch on the Buffalo Fork, the combination of large stonefly dries, aggressive cutthroat, and the Teton Range rising above the valley creates one of the finest early-summer fly fishing experiences in the Northern Rockies.