Top 5 Wyoming Rivers Fishing This Week | May 2026

The Middle Fork Powder River is currently flowing at 21 cfs (normal) with a rising trend. Flows are fishable today. The Verdict: Excellent Conditions This week’s forecast shows temperatures ranging from 30-51°F. Cooling temperatures may slow hatch activity.

Insect Activity: The Middle Fork Powder is reading like a true freestone this week: 21 cfs with a low trend and a snow showers start before it opens up into sunnier water in the 50s and 60s. There’s no strong hatch on the board, so I’d lean on a Rainbow Warrior or Soft Hackle Hare’s Ear first, then keep a Nuke Egg, Garcia’s Mother’s Day Caddis, and Griffith’s Gnat handy when that cold, wet weather settles the bugs down.

Where to Fish: At 21 cfs, wading is easy enough that you can pick your way through the pocket water and seams without fighting the river. Fish the softer edges below riffles, the inside bends, and any slow tongue where a short drift with a Pheasant Tail Nymph or Elk Hair Caddis can get down before the fish see you; once the sun breaks through, the Chernobyl Ant and Woolly Bugger are worth a look along the banks.

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.

The North Platte River is currently flowing at 530 cfs (normal) with a stable trend. Flows are fishable today. The Verdict: Excellent Conditions This week’s forecast shows temperatures ranging from 34-58°F. Cooling temperatures may slow hatch activity.

Insect Activity: The Miracle Mile is a stable tailwater at 530 cfs, and that keeps the menu dependable even with snow showers kicking around early in the week. There’s an active hatch in play, but the real workhorses are still San Juan Worms, Squirmy Worms, Sow Bugs, Scuds, Mercury Midges, and Rojo Midges; if the water softens a touch, a Pheasant Tail Nymph or Bunny Leech can pick off better fish.

Where to Fish: At 530 cfs, this is more of a line-control river than a ‘bomb it from shore’ kind of place, and a drift boat or careful wading both make sense depending on the reach. Focus on deeper slots, softer inside seams, and the tailouts below the long runs where trout can hold out of the current; on the coldest mornings, stay subsurface with Scuds and midges, then swing a Clouser Minnow or Muddler Minnow once the afternoon light starts to move fish.

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: Barbless hooks required

The North Platte River is currently flowing at 86 cfs (normal) with a stable trend. Flows are fishable today. The Verdict: Excellent Conditions This week’s forecast shows temperatures ranging from 31-57°F. Cooling temperatures may slow hatch activity.

Insect Activity: Fremont Canyon is fishing at a very manageable 86 cfs, which makes the canyon water feel honest and technical instead of intimidating. With patchy snow and a cold breeze in the forecast, I’d start with Mercury Midges, Top Secret Midges, WD-40s, and RS2s, then step up to a Pheasant Tail Nymph or Czech Nymph variant if the fish want a little more push.

Where to Fish: 86 cfs is low enough to reward disciplined wading, so keep your profile down and work the soft pillows, seams, and slicks where the canyon current eases off. A lot of the better water will be inside the rock walls and below the riffle drops; fish those travel lanes slowly with a midge under an indicator or a tiny streamer like a Clouser Minnow when the wind has the water dimmed up.

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; Barbless hooks required; No bait allowed

The Sand Creek is currently flowing at 14 cfs (normal) with a rising trend. Flows are fishable today. The Verdict: Excellent Conditions This week’s forecast shows temperatures ranging from 41-59°F. Calm winds make indicator nymphing more effective.

Insect Activity: Sand Creek is classic spring-creek fishing at 14 cfs: clear, quiet, and spooky if you stomp around, especially with rain showers keeping the light flat. There’s no strong hatch listed, so I’d fish it like a midge river with Griffith’s Gnat, Zebra Midge, Black Beauty, Rojo Midge, and an RS2 in the top slot; if a few fish start looking up, a Parachute Adams or Sparkle Dun can still turn them.

Where to Fish: 14 cfs means stealth matters more than distance here—long leaders, soft landings, and a slow crawl to the next lie will catch more fish than rushing around. Work the deeper bends, undercut edges, and the little transitions between grass and gravel; in this kind of water, a Scud or Sow Bug dead-drifted inches off the bottom is usually better than forcing the brighter attractors.

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

The Green River is currently flowing at 658 cfs (normal) with a falling trend. Flows are fishable today. The Verdict: Good Conditions This week’s forecast shows temperatures ranging from 41-57°F. Cooling temperatures may slow hatch activity.

Insect Activity: The Green is still pushing at 658 cfs, but the -18% trend says the river is on its way to getting better every day. With snow showers early and a small hatch window later, I’d reach for a Sparkle Dun, Parachute Adams, or Klinkhammer Special on top, with Griffith’s Gnat and Rojo Midge for the quiet water and a Woolly Bugger or Sculpzilla when you want to move a bigger fish.

Where to Fish: At 658 cfs, I’d rather have a boat or hit the river edges than try to force a full-on wade trip in the strongest current. Target the softer bank seams, eddies, and inside bends where the falling water is starting to leave fish behind; that’s the kind of water where a streamer fished with intent can shine before the midday dry-fly window opens.

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