Introduction
Top 5 Wyoming rivers this week highlight the best windows based on live flow data. We review flows, weather, hatches, and reports every week. This Wyoming river fishing report is also a Wyoming fly fishing guide. It tracks Wyoming fishing conditions and calls out the best Wyoming fly fishing water. Use this Wyoming fly fishing rivers update to plan your next trip and adjust if conditions shift.
Updated: August 23, 2026 with live condition scores from FlyGuysNLies.com
Quick Summary
Flows are stable and fishable across the state. Hoppers and terrestrials are the story this week and fish are looking up. Caddis, mayflies and stoneflies fill in through midday, with midges early. Lead with hoppers and dry-dropper rigs, and work the banks and inside seams; drop a nymph when the surface goes quiet.
Heat Advisory: Fish Early, Check Water Temps
Air temperatures hit 85°F this week and 3 Wyoming reaches are under an active fishing closure. Plan around the heat.
Fish the morning. Water temperature peaks in late afternoon, so the best and safest fishing runs from first light to late morning.
Carry a thermometer. At 65°F trout are already stressed; at 67°F and above, stop fishing and move to colder water. If you do fish warm water, use heavier tippet to shorten the fight, keep the fish wet, skip the photo, and revive it fully.
Check closures before you drive. Voluntary closures aren’t enforced, but they’re issued when biologists see real mortality risk, and they change weekly — confirm current status with Wyoming Game and Fish Department.
Every river below is clear of active closures. Check the water temperature listed for each one before you fish it — not all are running cold this week.
Top 5 Wyoming Rivers Fishing This Week
Each river featured below has optimal flows, good water quality, and active hatches. These best Wyoming rivers provide diverse fishing opportunities with current Wyoming river conditions that favor active feeding. Whether you’re targeting tailwaters or freestone streams, the top 5 Wyoming rivers this week provide exceptional fishing.
1. Buffalo Fork – Jackson Hole
Northwest Wyoming
The Buffalo Fork – Jackson Hole is currently flowing at 267 cfs (normal) with a stable trend. Flows are fishable today. Water Temperature: 59°F (prime). The Verdict: Excellent Conditions This week’s forecast shows temperatures ranging from 60-78°F. Calm winds make indicator nymphing more effective.
Insect Activity: Terrestrial season is peak right now on the Buffalo Fork — hoppers are thick in the meadow grass along the banks, and a size 10 Chubby Chernobyl fished tight to the willows will draw explosive takes through the afternoon. Mornings still belong to the bugs, with a size 16 Sparkle Dun picking off the tail end of summer mayfly activity in the slower flats, and a size 20 Griffith’s Gnat worth a look in any glassy back-eddy before the wind picks up.
Where to Fish: At 267 cfs the Buffalo Fork is running clean and comfortably wadeable, so work the braided riffles and gravel bars below Turpin Meadow where the current breaks around structure. The deeper cutbank runs hold the bigger cutthroat and whitefish, so swing a size 4 Swim Coach streamer through those in low light. Tip: this stretch sees far less pressure than the Snake proper, so don’t be afraid to walk past the first pullout.
Gear Tip: Start with a streamer rig in softer edges. Switch to a two-fly nymph rig and a yarn indicator as flows settle. A 9-foot 5X leader with light tippet keeps the rig natural in these flows.
Presentation: Start shallow, then add weight or depth as you move into deeper runs and pockets. Use longer drifts to cover tailouts and seam water.
Regulations: Buffalo Fork River (Bridger-Teton National Forest headwaters downstream to the Snake River confluence near Moran) — Wyoming Game & Fish Area 1 regulations. Buffalo…
2. Gros Ventre River – Kelly to Moose
Northwest Wyoming
The Gros Ventre River is currently flowing at 234 cfs (normal) with a falling trend. Flows are fishable today. Water Temperature: 60°F (prime). The Verdict: Excellent Conditions This week’s forecast shows temperatures ranging from 60-78°F. Calm winds support dry fly presentations.
Insect Activity: The Gros Ventre from Kelly to Moose is showing a full late-August lineup — Hydropsyche caddis firing off in the afternoon and evening (size 12-18, an Elk Hair Caddis or LaFontaine’s Sparkle Pupa both work), hoppers and ants active from midday on, and midges still clicking along in the mornings before the day warms up. A size 10 Morrish Hopper along the grass lines has been the most consistent producer this week.
Where to Fish: Flows sit at 234 cfs, gentle enough to fish the long riffle-to-run transitions where the caddis emerge, then follow the seam down into the deeper pools for the eddies where cutthroat and the occasional brown stack up. Don’t overlook the tailouts in low light — that’s where the streamer bite on a size 4 Swim Coach turns on for bigger fish. Tip: this section inside the National Elk Refuge boundary is open through November 30, so there’s plenty of season left.
Gear Tip: Start with a two-fly nymph rig and a yarn indicator early. Shift to dry fly or dry-dropper during hatch windows. A 9-foot 5X leader with light tippet keeps the rig natural in these flows.
Presentation: Start shallow, then add weight or depth as you move into deeper runs and pockets. Use longer drifts to cover tailouts and seam water.
Regulations: General Area 1 regulations: 3 trout/day (streams), no more than 1 exceeding 16 inches, no more than 1 cutthroat exceeding 12 inches. Maximum 3…
3. Hoback River – Granite Creek to Snake
Northwest Wyoming
The Hoback River is currently flowing at 265 cfs (normal) with a stable trend. Flows are fishable today. Water Temperature: 60°F (prime). The Verdict: Excellent Conditions This week’s forecast shows temperatures ranging from 66-84°F. Calm winds support dry fly presentations.
Insect Activity: The Hoback canyon is in full terrestrial mode — grasshoppers, ants, and beetles are all on the menu, and a size 10 Morrish Hopper bounced off the rock walls draws immediate strikes. Caddis (Hydropsyche and Brachycentrus, size 10-18) are still active afternoon into evening, and streamer fishing with a size 4 Swim Coach in the deeper slots has been productive at dawn and dusk when the light is low.
Where to Fish: At 265 cfs the pocket water and plunge pools through the Granite Creek canyon are fishing well — read the boulder-strewn runs and target the soft water behind and beside each rock. With highs pushing into the mid-80s this week, get on the water at first light and plan to be off by early afternoon; the fish here run smaller (8-13 inches average) but eager, and the bite fades fast once the sun hits the canyon walls.
Gear Tip: Start with a two-fly nymph rig and a yarn indicator early. Shift to dry fly or dry-dropper during hatch windows. A 9-foot 5X leader with light tippet keeps the rig natural in these flows.
Presentation: Start shallow, then add weight or depth as you move into deeper runs and pockets. Use longer drifts to cover tailouts and seam water.
Regulations: General Area 1 regulations: 3 trout/day (streams), no more than 1 exceeding 16 inches, no more than 1 cutthroat exceeding 12 inches. Maximum 3…
4. Clarks Fork Yellowstone River – Wyoming
Northwest Wyoming
The Clarks Fork Yellowstone River is currently flowing at 264 cfs (normal) with a rising trend. Flows are fishable today. The Verdict: Excellent Conditions This week’s forecast shows temperatures ranging from 60-78°F. Calm winds make indicator nymphing more effective.
Insect Activity: Late-August action on the Clarks Fork is leaning heavily on attractor patterns and terrestrials — a size 12 Chubby Chernobyl worked along the banks is picking up fish looking up for hoppers, while a size 20 Parachute Adams covers any lingering mayfly activity in the softer water. Don’t overlook a small worm or egg pattern in the deeper runs; that non-insect forage stays productive here right through fall.
Where to Fish: Running at 264 cfs, this stretch is best worked through its riffle-run sequences with a dry-dropper rig, letting the Chubby ride high while a small nymph probes the deeper crease. Remember this water is artificial flies and lures only, so leave the bait at home. Water temp telemetry isn’t available here, so carry a stream thermometer and fish the cooler morning hours if you’re unsure.
Gear Tip: Start with a streamer rig in softer edges. Switch to a two-fly nymph rig and a yarn indicator as flows settle. A 9-foot 5X leader with light tippet keeps the rig natural in these flows.
Presentation: Start shallow, then add weight or depth as you move into deeper runs and pockets. Use longer drifts to cover tailouts and seam water.
Regulations: Artificial flies & lures only
5. Green River – Headwaters
Southwest Wyoming
The Green River is currently flowing at 274 cfs (normal) with a stable trend. Flows are fishable today. The Verdict: Excellent Conditions This week’s forecast shows temperatures ranging from 54-72°F. Calm winds make indicator nymphing more effective.
Insect Activity: Up in the Green River headwaters, PMDs are still hanging on — a size 18 Parachute PMD is the call for any midday mayfly activity — while grasshoppers along the open meadow banks make a size 12 Chubby Chernobyl the better bet through the warmer afternoon hours. Cutthroat here will also chase a small worm pattern in faster water after any afternoon thunderstorm bumps the flow.
Where to Fish: At 274 cfs this headwater stretch is fishing clean and clear, so focus on the meadow riffles and undercut banks where Colorado River cutthroat and rainbows hold tight to cover. The high-elevation water here runs cooler than lower-valley stretches even without a live gage reading, but still carry a thermometer and back off if it feels warm to the touch by afternoon. Tip: the walk-in access above the headwaters keeps crowds thin even in late summer.
Gear Tip: Start with a streamer rig in softer edges. Switch to a two-fly nymph rig and a yarn indicator as flows settle. A 9-foot 5X leader with light tippet keeps the rig natural in these flows.
Presentation: Start shallow, then add weight or depth as you move into deeper runs and pockets. Use longer drifts to cover tailouts and seam water.
Regulations: Standard WGFD fishing regulations apply. Valid fishing license required. See https://wgfd.wyo.gov/regulations.
Top 5 Wyoming Rivers This Week: Fishing Outlook
All five rivers featured above are fishing well with favorable conditions. Flow stability and active hatches make the top 5 Wyoming rivers this week the safest bets for consistent action. Bookmark this top 5 Wyoming rivers this week report for quick trip planning. Use live flow graphs to time your sessions. Use these notes to refine fly choice.
Conclusion
This top 5 Wyoming rivers this week report updates every week. Recheck flows the day you fish, use the river links above for the latest conditions, and review Wyoming fishing regulations before you go.
Have a recent fishing report or tips for these rivers?
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Tight lines!
— The FlyGuysNLies Team
Data sourced from FlyGuysNLies.com condition scoring system. Conditions can change rapidly, so check current data before your trip.
