Fly Fishing North Platte River - Fremont Canyon

Overview

Fremont Canyon is a technical tailwater section of the North Platte in central Wyoming, tucked between granite cliffs below Pathfinder Dam. The river reaches Alcova Reservoir after passing through deep slots, fast chutes and slick tailouts. Those changes in depth and current call for precise presentations and a careful approach.

Small flies and light tippet can be useful when brown or rainbow trout are visible in clear water. Watch a feeding lane before casting, and adjust a nymph’s depth to the slot or seam in front of you. Reservoir releases change the current; the same tailout can fish differently from one visit to the next.

Small flies in changing currents

Midges and blue-winged olives are useful fly choices in cooler conditions. As the weather warms, watch for terrestrial activity and occasional Tricos before switching to a surface pattern. Let the insects and feeding behavior you see guide the choice instead of expecting the same hatch at every stop.

Whether you are targeting a sighted riser or nymphing a seam, keep the drift free of drag through the feeding lane. The canyon’s deep pockets and adjacent tailouts require different depth and weight; a setup that reaches one slot may pass above fish in the next.