Wade36/100
Wading is the most sensitive plan today. Use protected edges only, avoid crossings, and downgrade quickly if clarity or current feels wrong.
All Wyoming reports
Fly fishing report · West
Shoshone River
Is Shoshone River worth the trip today? Check flow, weather, hatches, access, and rules for Wyoming before you go.
See the flow chart ↓Photo: Betty Jo Tindle Opens in a new tab. · CC BY-SA 3.0
Good day to fish?Latest river check
Caution
Maybe. Read the cautions first.
56
Best option: Float. A float can fit better than wading only if launches, shuttle, boat skill, wind, and local rules all check out.
See update time and confidence
Live data checkHighHow much of the live flow, weather, and alert data came back.
Today's callHighCurrent flow, weather, alerts, and trip-critical signals support this decision.
Score calculated Aug 22, 2026, 8:15 PM MDTUsually checks again about every 45 minutes
Best access methodFloat
These scores compare the risks of wading, bank fishing, and floating.
Bank / edge48/100
Bank and edge fishing is the safer default when water is high, pushy, or not fully verified.
Float · Best fit60/100
A float can fit better than wading only if launches, shuttle, boat skill, wind, and local rules all check out.
Your plan
Today's Shoshone River plan.
The most defensible Shoshone page covers the main river around Cody below Buffalo Bill Reservoir. The North Fork and South Fork have their own access and fishery details, so this report keeps them as context instead of pretending every reach is identical.
- Check first
- Use the below-Buffalo-Bill source for Cody context and the Lovell gauge as downstream live flow trend.
- Try
- Start with a two-nymph rig in walking-speed seams below structure.
- Leave when
- Skip or reset the Shoshone plan when Wyoming rules are unclear, wind makes casting or boat control poor, flow is changing hard, public access is not obvious, or the day depends on treating North Fork, South Fork, and Cody main river water as one fishery.
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
- 715 cfs
- From the latest stored river check. Open the official source for the newest reading.Water 66.9°F · 24h high 71.2°F · USGS provisional
- Air now
- 76°F
Current NWS forecast period
- Next 24h high
- 88.0°F
NWS air forecast near
- Rain chance
- 17%
For this forecast period
Latest stored weather check
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
- Wind
- 3 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
Shoshone River near Cody, Wyoming
The National Weather Service forecast is temporarily unavailable.
Live data
Where these readings come from
Latest stored USGS gauge: Shoshone River near Lovell downstream context
Water 66.9°F · provisional · 24h high 71.2°F provisionalWater observed · high observed
From the latest stored river check. Open the official source for the newest reading.
How to fish it
How to fish Shoshone River today.
Stable flows below Buffalo Bill Reservoir are the best starting point. If releases are high, wind is strong, or access is unclear, choose a safer bank or another Wyoming report.
Stable release
Best for nymphing seams, riffle edges, and deeper runs.
High release
Stay near safe edges, avoid aggressive wading, and use heavier nymphs or streamers.
Low clear water
Use smaller flies, longer leaders, and careful angles.
Windy afternoons
Fish heavier rigs, sheltered banks, or early mornings.
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.
- 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.
Why this call
Why this score
Recent water heatUse caution
USGS shows a current water temperature near 66.9F, but the rolling 24-hour high reached about 71.2F. A cool dawn reading does not erase recent heat stress. USGS marks the temperature data provisional and may revise it. Fish only during the legal early window and stop if the water warms.
Short-term weatherUse caution
The forecast has storm or heavy-precipitation risk, so timing and access matter more than the score alone.
Best mode nowUse caution
Float: A float can fit better than wading only if launches, shuttle, boat skill, wind, and local rules all check out.
FlowHelps
USGS shows 715 cfs. The flow has been stable over about 6 hours. USGS marks this reading provisional and may revise it. USGS records for this date (1967-2025, 59 readings) show a typical middle range of 480 cfs to 864 cfs. Flow is within the typical range for this date, so weather, temperature, and access become the next checks.
SeasonHelps
Summer: Mornings and evenings are best; watch temperature and recreation traffic.
Trip notes
Trip notes
Check these before you choose a reach.
Use USGS 06285100 near Lovell as the live downstream trend and keep USGS 06282000 below Buffalo Bill Reservoir as reach context. Stable flows are easiest to plan around. Abrupt dam-operation changes, strong wind, or unclear access boundaries should shorten the day.
Skip or reset the Shoshone plan when Wyoming rules are unclear, wind makes casting or boat control poor, flow is changing hard, public access is not obvious, or the day depends on treating North Fork, South Fork, and Cody main river water as one fishery.
Choose the Cody main river first, then choose the access. Use Shoshone Riverway for the main public anchor, below-Buffalo-Bill context for dam-influenced planning, and North Fork sources only when that separate canyon plan is intentional.
If the Shoshone is windy, changing, crowded, or access-limited, compare the Bighorn near Thermopolis, the upper Wind near Dubois, or the Snake River for a different Wyoming trout plan.
What to try
Shoshone 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
Shoshone 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 Wyoming Game and Fish Area 2 rules and any section-by-section Shoshone River exceptions before fishing or keeping trout.
Shoshone Riverway
WGFD access context near Cody. Verify current posted rules.
Buffalo Bill Reservoir tailwater context
Use the below-reservoir gauge before fishing downstream reaches.
North Fork Shoshone public-land context
A separate canyon/fork plan. Do not use it as the main river gauge.
Dam-controlled water can rise, fall, or change character outside a natural runoff pattern.
Public access is available but not every bank is open.
Road, wind, and canyon weather matter as much as fly choice.
River sources
Official Shoshone 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 9 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.
What this source covers
Open this page for more river information and check when it was last updated.
Quick answers
Quick Shoshone River answers.
What should I check before fishing Shoshone River?
WGFD Area 2 rules, Buffalo Bill release context, USGS flow, public access, wind, and road conditions
Which flow should I use for Shoshone River?
Use the USGS 06282000 Shoshone River below Buffalo Bill Reservoir station page for Cody main river planning. The embedded official USGS graph uses 06285100 near Lovell only as downstream context because the below-reservoir graph endpoint was not usable during review.
Where should I start on Shoshone River?
Start with WGFD Shoshone Riverway and other Cody-area access points, then confirm posted boundaries and current conditions.
Can I wade Shoshone River?
Yes in some normal-flow edge water, but dam releases and slick rocks make conservative wading the right default.