Wade74/100
Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.
All Washington reports
Fly fishing report · Pacific Northwest
Snoqualmie River
Is Snoqualmie River worth the trip today? Check flow, weather, hatches, access, and rules for Washington before you go.
See the flow chart ↓Photo: Ron Clausen Opens in a new tab. · CC BY-SA 4.0
Good day to fish?Latest river check
Good fishing
Yes. Fishing looks good.
74
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, 7:12 PM PDTUsually 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 / edge74/100
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 Snoqualmie River plan.
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.
- 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.
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
- 519 cfs
- From the latest stored river check. Open the official source for the newest reading.
- Air now
- 75°F
Current NWS forecast period
- Next 24h high
- 76.0°F
NWS air forecast near
- Rain chance
- 12%
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
Partly Cloudy
Partly Cloudy
- Wind
- 2 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
Snoqualmie River near Carnation, Washington
The National Weather Service forecast is temporarily unavailable.
Live data
Where these readings come from
Latest stored USGS gauge: Snoqualmie River near Carnation
From the latest stored river check. Open the official source for the newest reading.
How to fish it
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.
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 519 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 805 cfs and the lower quartile near 620 cfs; today's flow is below normal for the date. This is below normal, so edge depth, temperature, and pressure matter.
SeasonHelps
Summer: Lower flows can improve access but may reduce trout-safe options.
WeatherHelps
The current NWS air forecast is about 75F, and the next 24-hour high reaches about 76F. Partly Cloudy.
Public alertsHelps
No active NWS alert was returned for this forecast point.
Fishing usefulnessHelps
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 mainstem.
Trip notes
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.
What to try
Snoqualmie 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 to May
What to look forBWOs, midges, Skwalas where present, early caddis, and high-water nymphing
June to July
What to look forCaddis, PMDs, Golden Stones, small yellow sallies, and evening soft hackles
August to SeptemberCurrent
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.
Access and safety
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. 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.
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.
River sources
Official Snoqualmie 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 Snoqualmie River answers.
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.