Wade92/100
Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.
All Vermont reports
Fly fishing report · Northeast
Black River Fishing Report — Vermont
Is Black River worth the trip today? Check flow, weather, hatches, access, and rules for Vermont before you go.
See the flow chart ↓Photo: Pbergstrom Opens in a new tab. · CC BY-SA 4.0
Good day to fish?Latest river check
Good fishing
Yes. Fishing looks good.
92
Good fishing based on the verified flow and weather. No official live water-temperature reading is available. Carry a thermometer during warm weather and stop if the water is stressful for trout.
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, 10:51 PM EDTUsually checks again about every 45 minutes
Access choicesNo clear best mode
Wade and Bank / edge have the same top score. Use current access, footing, weather, and local rules to choose.
Bank / edge92/100
Bank and edge fishing remains a practical low-commitment option if access is legal and footing is safe.
FloatNot recommended
This report does not recommend floating this reach.
Your plan
Today's Black River plan.
The Black River is a southern Vermont trout stream with stocked and wild-trout context. Flow, water temperature, and section-by-section rules matter before fly choice.
- Check first
- Use RiverReports and USGS North Springfield for the live flow trend.
- Try
- Start with nymphs along soft seams if the river is up.
- Leave when
- Skip or change the plan when water temperature is trout-stressful, the trophy-trout reach is unclear, banks are posted, the river is rising after rain, or winter ice makes footing unsafe.
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
- 34 cfs
- From the latest stored river check. Open the official source for the newest reading.
- Air now
- 65°F
Current NWS forecast period
- Next 24h high
- 76.0°F
NWS air forecast near
- Rain chance
- 13%
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 Cloudy
Mostly Cloudy
- Wind
- 1 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
Black River near North Springfield, Vermont
The National Weather Service forecast is temporarily unavailable.
Live data
Where these readings come from
RiverReports gauge: Black River at North Springfield
How to fish it
How to fish Black River today.
The Black River fishes best when flows are stable, water is cool, and the reach is matched to current Vermont rules. Treat hot or very low water as a reason to protect trout first.
Spring flow
Nymph edges and fish softer seams when runoff or rain pushes the river.
Stable cool flow
Fish hatches, riffles, pocket water, and shaded banks.
Low summer
Use small terrestrials early and stop if temperatures are trout-stressful.
Fall
Cool water and lower crowds can make nymphs and small streamers useful.
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.
- Nymph
- A nymph is a young water insect. Anglers also use the word for a fly that copies it.
- Riffle
- A riffle is shallow, fast water broken by rocks.
- Seam
- A seam is the line where fast and slow water meet.
- Attractor fly
- An attractor fly is bright or bold. It draws a strike without copying one exact insect.
- 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.
Why this call
Why this score
FlowHelps
USGS shows 34 cfs. The flow has been stable over about 6 hours. USGS marks this reading provisional and may revise it. USGS records for this date (1930-2025, 68 readings) show a typical middle range of 32 cfs to 69 cfs. Flow is within the typical range for this date, so weather, temperature, and access become the next checks.
SeasonHelps
Summer: Fish early and watch temperature, especially in lower or open reaches.
WeatherHelps
The current NWS air forecast is about 65F, and the next 24-hour high reaches about 76F. Mostly Cloudy.
Public alertsHelps
No active NWS alert was returned for this forecast point.
Fishing usefulnessHelps
Skip or change the plan when water temperature is trout-stressful, the trophy-trout reach is unclear, banks are posted, the river is rising after rain, or winter ice makes footing unsafe.
Trip notes
Trip notes
Check these before you choose a reach.
Use RiverReports and USGS 01153000 at North Springfield as the live trend. Stable or slowly falling flows are easiest to fish. Sharp rises, stain, ice, or warm low water should shorten the plan.
Skip or change the plan when water temperature is trout-stressful, the trophy-trout reach is unclear, banks are posted, the river is rising after rain, or winter ice makes footing unsafe.
Check Vermont rules first, then use the North Springfield gauge and weather to choose a Weathersfield, Cavendish, or town-access plan with one nearby backup reach.
If the Black River is high, warm, crowded, or rule-complicated, compare the Ottauquechee River, Otter Creek, or White River before forcing the same trout plan.
What to try
Black 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 forQuill Gordons, Hendricksons, BWOs, caddis, and high-water nymphing
June to July
What to look forCaddis, sulphurs, March Browns, Light Cahills, and evening spinners
August to SeptemberCurrent
What to look forTerrestrials, ants, beetles, hoppers, tricos, and shaded brook-trout water
October to March
What to look forBWOs, midges, small stones, and year-round catch-and-release windows where legal
Each fly name opens its matching Fly Box guide.
Access and safety
Black 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 Vermont Fish and Wildlife rules, year-round trout rules, and any trophy trout reach details before fishing.
North Springfield gauge context
Best live flow reference for this page.
Weathersfield and Cavendish area
Useful trophy-trout planning area. Verify exact reach.
Town and road crossings
Use legal pullouts and avoid posted land.
Private land and posted banks matter even where the road follows the river.
Vermont trout rules can differ by reach and season.
Summer water temperature should drive catch-and-release decisions.
River sources
Official Black 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.
See all 7 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.
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.
Quick answers
Quick Black River answers.
What should I check first before fishing Black River?
Check Vermont rules, trophy trout details, RiverReports or USGS 01153000, weather, access, and water temperature.
Where should a first-time visitor start on Black River?
Start with the North Springfield gauge context, then verify exact public access around Weathersfield or Cavendish.
Can I wade Black River?
Often at normal flows, but spring high water, slick rock, and private banks can limit wading.
What flies should I bring for Black River?
Bring the seasonal fly box, then adjust size, weight, and color to the water level, clarity, temperature, and fishing pressure you find.