Wade2/100
Wading is the most sensitive plan today. Use protected edges only, avoid crossings, and downgrade quickly if clarity or current feels wrong.
All Texas reports
Fly fishing report · Southwest
Medina River
Is Medina River worth the trip today? Check flow, weather, hatches, access, and rules for Texas before you go.
See the flow chart ↓Generated artwork: BlueStreamFly · Regional illustration; not the exact location.
Good day to fish?Latest river check
Poor
Not today. Make another plan.
32
Best option: Bank / edge. Bank and edge fishing is the safer default when water is high, pushy, or not fully verified.
See update time and confidence
Live data checkHighHow much of the live flow, weather, and alert data came back.
Today's callHighCurrent flow, weather, alerts, and trip-critical signals support this decision.
Score calculated Aug 22, 2026, 11:36 PM CDTUsually checks again about every 45 minutes
Best access methodBank / edge
These scores compare the risks of wading, bank fishing, and floating.
Bank / edge · Best fit19/100
Bank and edge fishing is the safer default when water is high, pushy, or not fully verified.
FloatNot recommended
This report does not recommend floating this reach.
Your plan
Today's Medina River plan.
The Medina above Lake Medina is strongest when RiverReports and USGS 08180700 are stable, the water keeps its clear spring-fed look, and your day stays anchored to Moffett Park, Bandera City Park, or clearly public crossings. This is a short, careful warmwater plan that rewards compact gear and disciplined access choices, and it loses value quickly when summer lows or muddy runoff flatten the current.
- Check first
- TPWD describes the Medina as a spring-fed Hill Country river with crystal-clear water, bald cypress banks, limestone structure, and the best recreational conditions above Lake Medina.
- Try
- Start at one verified public access and fish it thoroughly instead of driving the valley looking for miracle pull-offs.
- Leave when
- Skip when summer water is too low, storm mud is present, water-quality concerns are active, park pressure is heavy, or access is uncertain.
Live river check
What the river is doing
Check the latest flow and weather before you go. A quick change can make the river harder or less safe to fish.
Showing the latest stored river check while current readings load.
- Flow
- 2.29 cfs
- From the latest stored river check. Open the official source for the newest reading.
- Air now
- 87°F
Current NWS forecast period
- Next 24h high
- 103.0°F
NWS air forecast near
- Rain chance
- 0%
For this forecast period
This is an air forecast, not a river-temperature reading. Check the water with a stream thermometer before fishing in hot weather.
Latest stored weather check
Mostly Clear
Mostly Clear
- Wind
- 5 mph
- Weather checked
Recent flow chart is loading
The latest stored reading is shown above. Check the official source below if you need the newest value now.
More forecast and source details
National Weather Service
Medina River near Pipe Creek, Texas
The National Weather Service forecast is temporarily unavailable.
Live data
Where these readings come from
RiverReports gauge: Medina River
How to fish it
How to fish Medina River today.
The best Medina sessions come on clear stable water when the current still pushes through the limestone runs and cypress banks without dropping into a summer trickle. If the gauge is sliding hard, the water turns cloudy, or Bandera access looks crowded, shorten the session and keep a backup river in play.
Clear stable flow
The best Medina window for short precise streamer or popper presentations and for reading the cypress-and-limestone structure cleanly.
Moderate rise with fishable color
Can improve current definition and connect runs, but only if the river still looks clear enough to support sight-feeding bass behavior.
Summer low water
A caution signal because TPWD says the upper Medina can become extremely shallow during dry summer periods.
Dirty storm flow
A skip signal because the small-river advantage disappears fast once clarity and footing margin are gone.
Fishing words used on this page
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) gauge
- A USGS gauge is an official river station that measures flow or water height.
- Cubic feet per second (cfs)
- Cubic feet per second, or cfs, shows how much water passes the gauge each second.
- Limestone stream
- A limestone stream runs through mineral-rich rock and often has clear, cool water.
- Presentation
- Presentation means how you cast and move the fly so it looks natural to a fish.
- Riffle
- A riffle is shallow, fast water broken by rocks.
- Streamer
- A streamer is a fly that looks like a small fish, leech, or other swimming food.
- Terrestrial
- Terrestrials are land insects, such as ants, beetles, and grasshoppers.
Why this call
Why this score
Best mode nowHurts
Bank / edge: Bank and edge fishing is the safer default when water is high, pushy, or not fully verified.
FlowUse caution
USGS shows 2 cfs. The flow has been rising about 34% over about 6 hours. USGS marks this reading provisional and may revise it. USGS records for this date (1981-2025, 44 readings) show a median near 40 cfs and the lower quartile near 27 cfs; today's flow is below normal for the date. This is below normal, so edge depth, temperature, and pressure matter.
SeasonUse caution
This month is not listed as a top seasonal window in this page's reviewed season notes. Use current regulations, flow, temperature, and access checks before treating the score as a slam dunk.
HeatUse caution
The current NWS air forecast is about 87F, and the next 24-hour high reaches about 103F. This is an air forecast, not a water-temperature reading. This gauge has no live water temperature. Check the river with a stream thermometer before fishing.
Public alertUse caution
A heat alert is active near this forecast point, so the score is capped at caution until water temperature and fish-handling risk are checked. NWS alert: Heat Advisory issued August 22 at 11:06PM CDT until August 26 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX.
Trip notes
Trip notes
Check these before you choose a reach.
Use the Pipe Creek trend with clarity and water-quality context. Stable clear current is the best signal.
Skip when summer water is too low, storm mud is present, water-quality concerns are active, park pressure is heavy, or access is uncertain.
Start with Pipe Creek flow, then pick Bandera City Park or another verified public crossing before choosing flies.
Compare Llano River, Guadalupe River, or Pedernales River when the Medina is too low, muddy, crowded, or access-limited.
What to try
Medina River flies through the year.
Match the time of year, then let rising fish and current speed guide the next change.
SeasonWhat to look forFlies to try
March-May
What to look forSmall baitfish, crawfish movement, and spring aquatic insects
June-AugustCurrent
What to look forTerrestrials, minnows, and dawn topwater windows
September-November
What to look forBaitfish and crawfish feeding windows in cooler clearer water
Winter stable days
What to look forSparse insect activity with slower forage-driven feeding
Each fly name opens its matching Fly Box guide.
Access and safety
Medina River access and rules.
Use these places as starting points. Open the access link below and check posted signs before you park or enter. Check TPWD freshwater rules before fishing and follow any posted park rules or local safety notices at the access point you use.
Bandera City Park
The clearest official Bandera entry on this page, with posted fishing access, park rules, and direct water-level and bacteria-monitoring links.
Moffett Park in Medina
TPWD's upper-river access list starts here, making it a useful upstream public look when you want the clearest small-river water first.
SH 16 and FM 470 crossings near Bandera
TPWD lists these as public roadside or bridge-access points, best treated as quick checks and short sessions rather than assumed all-day water.
Use city parks and clearly public crossings only. The upper Medina still runs through long stretches of private property.
Bandera City Park does not allow overnight camping and posts rules around private south-bank trespass, dam safety, and river-entry behavior.
Upper Medina access works best as a sequence of short legal stops, not as an improvised roam between ranch frontage.
River sources
Official Medina River sources.
Official agencies and primary river operators come first. Secondary tools are labeled so you know what carries the most weight.
How this report was checked
How this report was checked
Reviewed byBlueStreamFly River Review Team
Trip guidance checked
What was checked: This report starts with official regulation, access, flow, weather, and public-water sources, then adds practical planning guidance for fly anglers.
Live measurements and forecasts keep their provider timestamps. Rules, access, and trip guidance use the source-review date shown here. BlueStreamFly planning advice is editorial interpretation, not an agency notice.
First-hand experience: BlueStreamFly does not claim a first-hand visit or local field test for this report unless a real contributor is explicitly named and linked.
Rules and closures
Check what is allowed, where the rule applies, and whether the river is open.
Flow and weather
Check the latest river reading and forecast before you leave.
Access and land
Check public entry points, land rules, and seasonal access changes.
More helpful links
Use these links for stocking, safety, and other local details.
See all 9 checked sources
Rules and closures
Check what is allowed, where the rule applies, and whether the river is open.
What this source covers
Open the current rules and check the river section, season, and special limits.
Flow and weather
Check the latest river reading and forecast before you leave.
What this source covers
Open this page and check the latest safety advice before your trip.
What this source covers
Open this river reading to check the latest level, flow, and update time.
What this source covers
Open this river reading to check the latest level, flow, and update time.
Access and land
Check public entry points, land rules, and seasonal access changes.
What this source covers
Open the land or access page, then check signs before you park or enter.
What this source covers
Open the land or access page, then check signs before you park or enter.
What this source covers
Open the land or access page, then check signs before you park or enter.
More helpful links
Use these links for stocking, safety, and other local details.
What this source covers
Open this page for more river information and check when it was last updated.
What this source covers
Open this page and check the latest safety advice before your trip.
Quick answers
Quick Medina River answers.
What flow should I trust for the Medina River?
Use the RiverReports chart for quick reads and keep USGS 08180700 open as the official backstop before you commit to the upper Medina area.
Where should I start on the Medina River?
Bandera City Park is the clearest first stop because it openly allows fishing and posts current water-level and bacteria-monitoring links. Moffett Park and public crossings make good backups.
When should I skip the Medina River?
Skip it when the water turns muddy after storms, when summer lows make the river extremely shallow, or when your access plan depends on guessing where private property starts.