7-day U.S. Geological Survey chart
Recent flow
Discharge
687 cfs459 cfs
Sep 4Sep 11
Latest reading: 485 cfs. Rising over about 6 hours. Chart covers Sep 4 through Sep 11; readings are provisional and may be revised.
Should I go fishing?
Go with caution.
No single best way to fish. Wading and Bank fishing have the same top score. Use current access, footing, weather, and local rules to choose.
Check first: Water temperature is unconfirmed. Use a stream thermometer before fishing.
Fishing rating68
Rating updatedRiver local time:
Why this recommendation?
USGS shows 485 cfs. The flow has been stable over about 6 hours. USGS marks this reading provisional and may revise it. USGS records for this date (1929-2024, 96 readings) show a median near 798 cfs and a low-water marker near 518 cfs; today's flow is unusually low for the date. Low water can make fish spooky, warm, pressured, or concentrated; check temperature and handling risk.
Available live dataHighHow much of the live flow, weather, and alert data came back.
Confidence in this recommendationMediumWater temperature not verified; do not use this score to clear warm-water risk.
Usually checks again about every 45 minutes
If you go
- Check first
- Use Carnation flow for lower-river trend and flood awareness.
- Try
- Decide whether you are fishing the lower river or a fork before choosing flies.
- Leave when
- Skip the Snoqualmie when WDFW rules do not clearly support the exact reach and species, when rain pushes the Carnation gauge up quickly, when banks are muddy or undercut, or when the trip depends on applying fork or Tokul Creek assumptions to the lower main river.
Flow and weather
Showing server-checked river conditions while current readings refresh.
- Flow
- 485 cfs
- Rising over about 6 hoursU.S. Geological Survey may revise this reading
- Air forecast
- 62°F
- Next 24h high
- 72.0°F
NWS air forecast near
- Rain chance
- 2%
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
Cloudy
- Wind
- 0 mph
- Weather checked
More forecast and source details
Cloudy
National Weather Service
Snoqualmie River near Carnation, Washington
The National Weather Service forecast is temporarily unavailable.
Live data
Where these readings come from
Current U.S. Geological Survey gauge: Snoqualmie River near Carnation
Rising over about 6 hoursU.S. Geological Survey may revise this readingObserved
Flies for this time of year
Seasonal starting points, not a live hatch report. Match what you see on the water.
- Grasshopper PatternsFoam hopperView fly guide ↗
- Ant PatternsantView fly guide ↗
- Beetle PatternsbeetleView fly guide ↗
- X-CaddisView fly guide ↗
- Sculpin Patternsolive sculpinView fly guide ↗
See flies for every season
SeasonWhat to look forFlies to try
March to May
What to look forBWOs, midges, Skwalas where present, early caddis, and high-water nymphing
Flies to try
June to July
What to look forCaddis, PMDs, Golden Stones, small yellow sallies, and evening soft hackles
August to SeptemberThis season
What to look forHoppers, ants, beetles, small caddis, and low-light streamer windows
October to February
What to look forOctober caddis, BWOs, midges, eggs where legal, and winter steelhead context
Each fly name opens its matching Fly Box guide.
More fishing tips
Methods, fish species and trip notes
How to fish Snoqualmie River today.
The best lower-river days are stable or dropping after rain, with enough clarity to fish edges and a current rule that supports the target species.
Dropping after rain
Best time to look for clarity and safer edges.
Flooding or rising
Skip fishing. Lowland banks and wood hazards become serious.
Low clear water
Use stealth, smaller flies, and longer leaders.
Fork planning
Check each fork separately before applying lower-river assumptions.
Wading, bank fishing or floating?
Access choicesNo single best option
Wading and Bank fishing have the same top score. Use current access, footing, weather, and local rules to choose.
Wading68/100
Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.
Bank fishing68/100
Bank and edge fishing remains a practical low-commitment option if access is legal and footing is safe.
FloatingNot recommended
This report does not recommend floating this reach.
Full river report
Is Snoqualmie River worth the trip today? Check flow, weather, hatches, access, and rules for Washington before you go.
The Snoqualmie can mean different things to different anglers. This report focuses on lower-river planning below Snoqualmie Falls while reminding anglers that forks, smaller streams, coho windows, and gamefish rules may differ.
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.
- Seam
- A seam is the line where fast and slow water meet.
- 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.
- Soft hackle
- A soft-hackle fly has moving fibers that can look like an insect rising through the water.
Why this call
Why this score
FlowUse caution
USGS shows 485 cfs. The flow has been stable over about 6 hours. USGS marks this reading provisional and may revise it. USGS records for this date (1929-2024, 96 readings) show a median near 798 cfs and a low-water marker near 518 cfs; today's flow is unusually low for the date. Low water can make fish spooky, warm, pressured, or concentrated; check temperature and handling risk.
Best mode nowUse caution
Wade: Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.
SeasonHelps
Fall: Coho context depends on exact WDFW openings and closures.
WeatherHelps
The current NWS air forecast is about 62F, and the next 24-hour high reaches about 72F. Cloudy.
Public alertsHelps
No active NWS alert was returned for this forecast point.
Trip notes
Check these before you choose a reach.
Use USGS 12149000 near Carnation as the lower-river trend and USGS 12144500 near Snoqualmie for upstream context. Stable or slowly falling water is the best fit. Sharp rain bumps, high water, or poor clarity should move the plan to edge scouting or another river.
Skip the Snoqualmie when WDFW rules do not clearly support the exact reach and species, when rain pushes the Carnation gauge up quickly, when banks are muddy or undercut, or when the trip depends on applying fork or Tokul Creek assumptions to the lower main river.
Pick the reach first: Carnation and lower-valley water for the main report, Snoqualmie-area water for upstream context, or the forks only after a separate rule and access check. Then match the fly plan to clarity and legal species.
If the Snoqualmie is high, off-color, crowded, or legally unclear, compare the Skykomish for another Snohomish-system rule check, the Sauk for a North Cascades plan, or the Yakima for a more dependable trout-centered day.
Snoqualmie River access and rules.
Use these places as starting points. Open the access link below and check posted signs before you park or enter.
Before you go
Check WDFW rules and emergency rule changes before fishing the Snoqualmie, including the exact reach, forks, gamefish seasons, coho rules, and any floating or method restrictions.
Where to access the river
Fall City and lower valley
Lower-river access context with rain and private-land awareness.
Carnation gauge reach
Best flow reference for lower-river trend.
Snoqualmie forks
Different rules and character. Check separately before fishing.
- Lowland private land and soft banks make legal access and safe exits important.
- Flood stages and rain rises should override any fly plan.
- Emergency rules can reopen or close parts of the river on short notice.
Sources and report details
Official agencies and primary river operators come first. Secondary tools are labeled so you know what carries the most weight.
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.
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.
Quick questions
What should I check before fishing Snoqualmie River?
WDFW emergency rules, Carnation flow, forks versus lower river, coho/gamefish status, rain, and access
Which flow should I use for Snoqualmie River?
Use USGS 12149000 Snoqualmie River near Carnation for lower-river trend and flood context.
Where should I start on Snoqualmie River?
Start by choosing lower river or fork water, then use public parks, bridges, and WDFW rules to confirm a legal plan.
Can I wade Snoqualmie River?
Sometimes on low stable edges, but rain rises, soft banks, and wood make aggressive wading a bad idea.