Wade46/100
Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.
All Utah reports
Fly fishing report · West
Duchesne River
Is Duchesne River worth the trip today? Check flow, weather, hatches, access, and rules for Utah before you go.
See the flow chart ↓Photo: Famartin Opens in a new tab. · CC BY-SA 4.0
Good day to fish?Latest river check
Caution
Maybe. Read the cautions first.
46
No clear best access mode. Wade, Bank / edge, and Float have the same top score. Use current access, footing, weather, and local rules to choose.
See update time and confidence
Live data checkHighHow much of the live flow, weather, and alert data came back.
Today's callMediumWater temperature not verified; do not use this score to clear warm-water risk.
Score calculated Aug 22, 2026, 8:51 PM MDTUsually checks again about every 45 minutes
Access choicesNo clear best mode
Wade, Bank / edge, and Float have the same top score. Use current access, footing, weather, and local rules to choose.
Bank / edge46/100
Bank and edge fishing remains a practical low-commitment option if access is legal and footing is safe.
Float46/100
A float is in play where this report supports boat access and wind, releases, and shuttle logistics are manageable.
Your plan
Today's Duchesne River plan.
The Duchesne is a high-country freestone system where flow timing and legal access matter. The Tabiona gauge helps with trend, but conditions can vary by reach and elevation.
- Check first
- Use RiverReports and USGS Tabiona flow before choosing a reach.
- Try
- Fish dry-droppers through pocket water once runoff settles.
- Leave when
- Skip the Duchesne when runoff makes crossings unsafe, when the access path is unclear, when afternoon water temperatures threaten trout recovery, or when storms and remote roads make a short mountain day less predictable than it looks.
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
- 49 cfs
- From the latest stored river check. Open the official source for the newest reading.
- Air now
- 81°F
Current NWS forecast period
- Next 24h high
- 88.0°F
NWS air forecast near
- Rain chance
- 16%
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
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
- Wind
- 7 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
Tabiona and upper Duchesne River, Utah
The National Weather Service forecast is temporarily unavailable.
Live data
Where these readings come from
RiverReports gauge: Duchesne River near Tabiona
How to fish it
How to fish Duchesne River today.
Fish the Duchesne when runoff has settled, water remains cool, and access is clear. If flows are high, wait or fish softer edges. If flows are low and warm, protect trout first.
Runoff
Expect pushy water, poor crossing options, and limited dry-fly windows.
Post-runoff
Prime pocket-water time with attractors, caddis, PMDs, and stonefly nymphs.
Low summer
Fish early, use terrestrials, and watch water temperature closely.
Fall
Clear water and spooky fish reward careful approaches and smaller flies.
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.
- Technical fishing
- Technical fishing means the fish are hard to fool, so careful casts and natural drifts matter.
- Nymph
- A nymph is a young water insect. Anglers also use the word for a fly that copies it.
- Blue-winged olive (BWO)
- Blue-winged olives, or BWOs, are small mayflies that often hatch in cool or cloudy weather.
- Caddis
- Caddis are small water insects. The adults look a little like tiny moths.
- Emerger
- An emerger copies an insect as it rises from below the water toward the surface.
- Midge
- Midges are tiny flies and a common trout food, especially in cold water.
- Pale morning dun (PMD)
- Pale morning duns, or PMDs, are light-colored mayflies that often hatch in warmer months.
- Pocket water
- Pocket water is a small calm spot among rocks or fast current.
Why this call
Why this score
FlowUse caution
USGS shows 49 cfs. The flow has been stable over about 6 hours. USGS marks this reading provisional and may revise it. USGS records for this date (1919-2025, 107 readings) show a median near 85 cfs and the lower quartile near 64 cfs; today's flow is below normal for the date. This is below normal, so edge depth, temperature, and pressure matter.
HeatUse caution
The current NWS air forecast is about 81F, and the next 24-hour high reaches about 88F. This is an air forecast, not a water-temperature reading. Fish early and check the river with a stream thermometer.
Short-term weatherUse caution
The forecast has storm or heavy-precipitation risk, so timing and access matter more than the score alone.
Best mode nowUse caution
Wade: Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.
SeasonHelps
Summer: Post-runoff into early summer is usually the best freestone window.
Trip notes
Trip notes
Check these before you choose a reach.
Use RiverReports and USGS 09277500 near Tabiona as a trend check. Stable or slowly easing post-runoff flows are the best fit. Fast runoff, sharp storm bumps, or very low warm water should move the plan to safer edges or another fishery.
Skip the Duchesne when runoff makes crossings unsafe, when the access path is unclear, when afternoon water temperatures threaten trout recovery, or when storms and remote roads make a short mountain day less predictable than it looks.
Pick the character first: Tabiona area for the clearest live-flow match, Hanna and upper-river scouting for a more exploratory mountain day, or a nearby larger Utah river when the freestone window is too narrow.
If the Duchesne is too high, too warm, or too uncertain for access, compare the Provo for a technical Wasatch plan, the Weber for another access-sensitive trout river, or the Green for a clearer tailwater objective.
What to try
Duchesne 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
April to May
What to look forPre-runoff midges, BWOs, early caddis, and nymph windows
June to July
What to look forPost-runoff caddis, PMDs, golden stones, drakes where present, and attractors
August to SeptemberCurrent
What to look forTerrestrials, ants, beetles, hoppers, evening caddis, and low-water nymphs
October to March
What to look forBWOs, midges, small stones, and slow winter nymphing
Each fly name opens its matching Fly Box guide.
Access and safety
Duchesne 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 the Utah DWR guidebook, Fish Utah map, stream access guidance, and current emergency changes before fishing.
Tabiona gauge area
Best live-flow reference for this page and a useful basin condition check.
Upper Duchesne River
Check public access and road status before fishing upstream reaches.
DWR/Fish Utah access research
Use official mapping to avoid private-land mistakes.
Utah stream access rules are important on this river.
Runoff can make crossings unsafe even when banks look manageable.
Some productive water borders private land. Permission and signage matter.
River sources
Official Duchesne 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 is maintained from current regulation, access, flow, weather, and public planning sources so anglers can make better trip decisions than a raw gauge or generic overview would allow.
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 8 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.
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.
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.
Quick answers
Quick Duchesne River answers.
What should I check first before fishing Duchesne River?
Check Utah DWR rules, stream access guidance, RiverReports or USGS 09277500, weather, runoff, and temperature.
Where should a first-time visitor start on Duchesne River?
Use the Tabiona gauge as the flow reference, then research legal access for the exact upper-river reach.
Can I wade Duchesne River?
Often after runoff settles, but high snowmelt and private boundaries can make wading impractical.
What flies should I bring for Duchesne River?
Bring the seasonal fly box, then adjust size, weight, and color to the water level, clarity, temperature, and fishing pressure you find.