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The Green River winding through Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge downstream of Fontenelle Reservoir
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Green River Below Fontenelle Reservoir

Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Mountain-Prairie Opens in a new tab. · Public domain

Should I go fishing?

Go with caution.

No single best way to fish. Wading, Bank fishing, and Floating have the same top score. Use current access, footing, weather, and local rules to choose.

Check first: USGS 09211200, weather, and alerts support below-Fontenelle planning. Wind, legal access, release timing, fish activity, and exact-bank safety still need same-day checks.

Rating updatedRiver local time:

Why this recommendation?

The forecast has storm or heavy-precipitation risk, so timing and access matter more than the score alone.

Available live dataHighHow much of the live flow, weather, and alert data came back.
Confidence in this recommendationMediumUSGS 09211200, weather, and alerts support below-Fontenelle planning. Wind, legal access, release timing, fish activity, and exact-bank safety still need same-day checks.
Usually checks again about every 45 minutes

Restrictions and advisories

Check Green River Below Fontenelle Reservoir before fishing.

These notices match this river report. No notice here does not mean the river is open. Always check the agency before you fish.

Last known active — check nowAgency advisoryVoluntary advisory

Current Green River voluntary heat advisory below Slate Creek

Area
Slate Creek Campground downstream to Flaming Gorge
Link checked
Link status
Check the agency now
Check again by
Daily hours
Daily, 12:00–following sunrise (America/Denver)
Repeats
Daily from noon until the following sunrise
What to know about this notice

The listed advisory begins 4.6 river miles below Fontenelle Dam and is not a statutory whole-river closure.

The agency notice is voluntary and reach-specific. Its missing agency end is preserved; the operational review deadline removes it from the active view unless reverified.

Open the official notice: Current Green River voluntary heat advisory below Slate Creek Opens in a new tab.

If you go

Check first
Use USGS 09211200 for the machine-readable flow that feeds the fishability decision on this page.
Try
Read the release graph before tying a rig. Trend direction matters as much as the displayed discharge.
Leave when
Skip the first mile during the October 1-December 31 closure. Elsewhere skip or narrow the plan for sharp release changes, lightning, unsafe wind, unclear access, or a section-by-section advisory.

Flow and weather

Showing server-checked river conditions while current readings refresh.
Flow
852 cfs
From the latest stored river check. Open the official source for the newest reading.Water 61.7°F · 24h high 62.8°F · USGS provisional
Air forecast
54°F
Next 24h high
65.0°F

NWS air forecast near

Rain chance
15%
Latest stored weather check

Isolated Showers And Thunderstorms

Wind
5 mph
Weather checked
More forecast and source details

Isolated Showers And Thunderstorms

National Weather Service

Green River below Fontenelle forecast point

The National Weather Service forecast is temporarily unavailable.

Live data

Where these readings come from

RiverReports gauge: Green River below Fontenelle Reservoir

Water 61.7°F · provisional · 24h high 62.8°F provisionalWater observed · high observed
Official USGS station Opens in a new tab.RiverReports gauge Opens in a new tab.Official NWS forecast Opens in a new tab.

Flies for this time of year

Seasonal starting points, not a live hatch report. Match what you see on the water.

See flies for every season
SeasonWhat to look forFlies to try

Each fly name opens its matching Fly Box guide.

More fishing tips

Methods, fish species and trip notes

How to fish Green River Below Fontenelle Reservoir today.

Stable releases and manageable wind create the cleanest nymph, dry-fly, and streamer windows. Rapid flow changes, severe weather, an annual first-mile closure, or a section-by-section heat advisory should narrow or stop only the part of the plan they actually cover.

Stable release

Fish defined seams with small nymphs, dry-dropper rigs, and dries when adults are visible.

Rising release

Step back from crossings, fish softer banks, and wait for the new level to stabilize.

Falling release

Expect fish to reposition. Work remaining depth and avoid stranding a boat or wade route.

Severe wind or lightning

Leave exposed water. A favorable flow does not make an open tailwater safe in a storm.

Wading, bank fishing or floating?
Access choicesNo single best option

Wading, Bank fishing, and Floating have the same top score. Use current access, footing, weather, and local rules to choose.

Wading64/100

Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.

Bank fishing64/100

Bank and edge fishing remains a practical low-commitment option if access is legal and footing is safe.

Floating64/100

A float is in play where this report supports boat access and wind, releases, and shuttle logistics are manageable.

Full river report

Is Green River Below Fontenelle Reservoir worth the trip today? Check flow, weather, hatches, access, and rules for Wyoming before you go.

Fontenelle is a release-controlled tailwater, so the useful question is not whether the Green River is generally fishing well. It is whether the exact below-dam trend is stable, the access you intend to use is open and legal, and the wind or storm risk still leaves a safe plan.

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.
Confluence
A confluence is the place where two streams or rivers meet.
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.
Midge
Midges are tiny flies and a common trout food, especially in cold water.
Why this call

Why this score

Short-term weatherUse caution

The forecast has storm or heavy-precipitation risk, so timing and access matter more than the score alone.

Public alertUse caution

An active public alert is in effect near this forecast point, so the score is capped at caution until conditions are checked. NWS alert: Hydrologic Outlook issued September 18 at 10:20AM MDT by NWS Riverton WY.

Best mode nowUse caution

Wade: Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.

FlowHelps

USGS shows 852 cfs. The flow has been stable over about 6 hours. USGS marks this reading provisional and may revise it. This is the clearest starting signal.

SeasonHelps

Fall: Cooler weather and streamers can be effective, with extra care around spawning fish.

Trip notes

Check these before you choose a reach.

Best flows

No single universal discharge is promised. Favor a stable trend that leaves defined edges and safe entries at the exact access you inspect.

When to leave

Skip the first mile during the October 1-December 31 closure. Elsewhere skip or narrow the plan for sharp release changes, lightning, unsafe wind, unclear access, or a section-by-section advisory.

Local plan

Start at the official tailrace access, inspect clarity and edge speed, then decide whether the day stays local or expands downstream.

Backup water

Use Fontenelle Reservoir or the separate Warren Bridge report when the tailwater's release, wind, or restrictions do not fit the day.

Green River Below Fontenelle Reservoir 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

The 2026 rule closes all fishing from Fontenelle Dam downstream about one mile to the USGS cable at Weeping Rocks from October 1-December 31. From County Road 8, 4.5 miles below the dam, to the Big Sandy confluence, the rule is one trout, release all trout under 20 inches, and artificial flies or lures only. The current WGFD brochure and posted signs are the legal authority.

Where to access the river

BLM Tailrace Camp Area

Official public access below Fontenelle Dam with fishing and camping context. Verify current site conditions before driving in.

Below-dam public area

Use signed public entries and current land-status maps. Visible banks are not automatically public.

Seedskadee refuge float area

USFWS documents four ramps, designated roads, non-motorized boating guidance, and named river-mile access points downstream.

  • The Tailrace Camp Area is the clearest official public starting point for this page.
  • Seedskadee prohibits camping and open fires on refuge land. Use designated upstream BLM campgrounds and current refuge rules.
  • Some unimproved east-side refuge roads close November 15-March 15, and emergency release pulses can change flow quickly.
  • Do not cross fences, private roads, or unsigned banks based on a map pin alone.
  • Confirm road and weather conditions before committing to an isolated downstream shuttle.
More rules and access notices
Seasonal — check datesSeasonal closure

Fontenelle Dam to Weeping Rocks annual fishing closure

Applies to: Fontenelle Dam downstream about one mile to the USGS cable at Weeping Rocks Campground

When: October 1-December 31 annually

Source reviewed:

This closure does not extend to the full Fontenelle-to-Seedskadee corridor.

Open official source in a new tab

If this water does not fit the day, check another report before you start the drive.

WyomingGreen River fishing reportA separate upper Green freestone and access-corridor decision, not a substitute gauge for Fontenelle.
See all Wyoming fly fishing reports

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.

More helpful links

Use these links for stocking, safety, and other local details.

See all 14 checked sources

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.

Recently checked. Last checked . Conditions and rules can still change, so open decision-critical links before fishing.

See something wrong? Report a source problem. Please do not send private spots or private access notes.

How this report was checked

How this report was checked

Trip guidance checked

What was checked: This restored report is maintained from official flow, regulation, access, weather, and public-land sources. Planning guidance is separated from live observations and legal rules.

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 water does this Green River below Fontenelle report cover?

The tailwater immediately below Fontenelle Dam and the downstream public-access area, not the upper Green at Warren Bridge.

What should I check first before fishing Green River below Fontenelle?

Start with USGS 09211200, then confirm Wyoming rules, dam-area notices, BLM access, wind, and lightning risk.

Is access straightforward on Green River below Fontenelle?

There is verified BLM tailrace access, but downstream ownership is mixed. Stay with signed public entries and confirmed parcels.

Does the fishability score replace local judgment?

No. Use it as a starting decision, then confirm the source timestamp, official rules, alerts, water temperature, visibility, and conditions at the access you actually plan to use.