Wade60/100
Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.
All Wyoming reports
Fly fishing report · West
Bighorn River Fishing Report — Wyoming
Is Bighorn River worth the trip today? Check flow, weather, hatches, access, and rules for Wyoming before you go.
See the flow chart ↓Photo: Paul Hermans Opens in a new tab. · CC BY-SA 4.0
Good day to fish?Latest river check
Caution
Maybe. Read the cautions first.
60
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, 8:12 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 / edge60/100
Bank and edge fishing remains a practical low-commitment option if access is legal and footing is safe.
Float60/100
A float is in play where this report supports boat access and wind, releases, and shuttle logistics are manageable.
Your plan
Today's Bighorn River plan.
This page covers the Bighorn around Thermopolis, where the Wind River becomes the Bighorn near Wedding of the Waters. The Montana Bighorn below Yellowtail is a separate fishery with separate flows and rules.
- Check first
- Use the Thermopolis source for reach context and the Kane gauge as downstream live flow trend.
- Try
- Start with indicator or tight-line nymphing through walking-speed seams.
- Leave when
- Skip or reset the plan when Wyoming rules are unclear, when wind makes casting or boat control poor, when downstream flow is rising hard, when public access boundaries are not obvious, or when the day depends on Montana Bighorn assumptions.
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
- 634 cfs
- From the latest stored river check. Open the official source for the newest reading.
- Air now
- 90°F
Current NWS forecast period
- Next 24h high
- 90.0°F
NWS air forecast near
- Rain chance
- 10%
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
- 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
Bighorn River near Thermopolis, Wyoming
The National Weather Service forecast is temporarily unavailable.
Live data
Where these readings come from
Latest stored USGS gauge: Bighorn River at Kane downstream context
From the latest stored river check. Open the official source for the newest reading.
How to fish it
How to fish Bighorn River today.
Stable flows and mild weather give the best mix of nymphing and streamer fishing. Avoid unsafe pushy flows, floating debris, and days when wind makes line control poor.
Stable tailwater flow
Nymph seams, buckets, and walking-speed edges before switching to dries.
Slight stain
Use streamers and larger nymphs along banks and soft inside bends.
High or fast
Limit wading, use heavier rigs from safe banks, or choose a calmer access point.
Low and clear
Lengthen leaders, fish smaller nymphs, and avoid repeated casts over visible trout.
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.
- Dry-dropper
- A dry-dropper rig has a floating fly with an underwater fly tied below it.
- Emerger
- An emerger copies an insect as it rises from below the water toward the surface.
- Indicator
- An indicator is a small floating marker that can show when a fish takes an underwater fly.
- Midge
- Midges are tiny flies and a common trout food, especially in cold water.
Why this call
Why this score
FlowUse caution
USGS shows 634 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, 96 readings) show a median near 1,020 cfs and the lower quartile near 664 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 90F. This is an air forecast, not a water-temperature reading. Fish early and check the river with a stream thermometer.
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: Early and late sessions fish best; watch water temperature and afternoon wind.
Public alertsHelps
No active NWS alert was returned for this forecast point.
Trip notes
Trip notes
Check these before you choose a reach.
Use USGS 06279500 at Kane as the live downstream flow trend and keep the Thermopolis source for reach context. Stable flow is the best fit. Fast rising water, heavy wind, or unclear access boundaries should shorten the plan.
Skip or reset the plan when Wyoming rules are unclear, when wind makes casting or boat control poor, when downstream flow is rising hard, when public access boundaries are not obvious, or when the day depends on Montana Bighorn assumptions.
Start at the Wyoming reach you actually plan to fish: Wedding of the Waters for the name change and public access context, Longwell for WGFD access-area planning, or Thermopolis-area banks for a shorter local session. Then choose nymphs, streamers, or dry-dropper work based on water clarity and wind.
If the Wyoming Bighorn is windy, rising, crowded, or access-limited, compare the Wind River for upstream context, the Shoshone for a Cody-area tailwater plan, or the Snake River for a different Wyoming trout trip.
What to try
Bighorn 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 April
What to look forMidges, little black stones, early BWOs, and cold-water nymph windows
May to June
What to look forRunoff edges, salmonflies where present, caddis, PMDs, and Green Drakes on some water
July to SeptemberCurrent
What to look forCaddis, PMDs, terrestrials, small olives, ants, beetles, and hopper banks
October to February
What to look forBWOs, midges, October caddis in places, streamers, and slow winter nymphing
Each fly name opens its matching Fly Box guide.
Access and safety
Bighorn 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 current Wyoming Game and Fish rules for Area 2 and any Bighorn River exceptions before fishing. Do not apply Montana Bighorn rules to this page.
Wedding of the Waters PAA
Core name-change and access reference near Thermopolis. Confirm posted boundaries.
Longwell PAA
WGFD public access option for the Thermopolis-area Bighorn.
Thermopolis area
Use the USGS Thermopolis gauge and local access signs before committing to a reach.
Public access areas can be narrow and site-specific.
This page intentionally avoids Montana Bighorn rules, flows, and access language.
Private property and riverbank rules should be checked before walking beyond signed access.
River sources
Official Bighorn 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 Bighorn River answers.
What should I check before fishing Bighorn River?
WGFD Area 2 rules, public-access-area boundaries, USGS Thermopolis flow, weather, and private land
Which flow should I use for Bighorn River?
Use the USGS 06259500 Bighorn River at Thermopolis station page for the exact reach. The embedded official USGS graph uses 06279500 at Kane only as downstream Bighorn context because the Thermopolis graph endpoint was not usable during review.
Where should I start on Bighorn River?
Start with WGFD Wedding of the Waters and Thermopolis-area public access areas, then confirm each posted boundary.
Can I wade Bighorn River?
Yes in some edge water at manageable flows, but the Bighorn is a large river. Treat deep channels and fast seams with caution.