Wind River water or watershed scenery in Wyoming
Should I go fishing?

Skip fishing here today.

No access method is recommended today. Review the live conditions below before choosing another river or day.

Rating updatedRiver local time:

Why this recommendation?

An active alert is in effect: High Wind Warning issued September 13 at 6:58PM MDT until September 14 at 2:00PM MDT by NWS Riverton WY. Check public safety sources before going.

Available live dataHighHow much of the live flow, weather, and alert data came back.
Confidence in this recommendationHighA verified hard stop is active, so the avoid-or-wait decision is clearer than the fishing score itself.
Usually checks again about every 45 minutes
Before you go

High Wind Warning issued September 13 at 6:58PM MDT until September 14 at 2:00PM MDT by NWS Riverton WY

If you go

Check first
USGS 06218500 near Dubois is the best page-scoped flow source.
Try
Use the Dubois gauge trend to decide whether to fish edges, pockets, or skip high water.
Leave when
Skip the Wind when runoff makes crossings unsafe, when access boundaries are uncertain, when the plan drifts into reservation or private water without permission, or when weather makes an exposed upper-basin day impractical.

Flow and weather

Showing server-checked river conditions while current readings refresh.
Flow
91 cfs
Stable over about 6 hoursU.S. Geological Survey may revise this reading
Air forecast
54°F
Next 24h high
60.0°F

NWS air forecast near

Rain chance
24%

This is an air forecast, not a river-temperature reading. Check the water with a stream thermometer before fishing in hot weather.

7-day U.S. Geological Survey chart

Recent flow

Discharge

107 cfs90 cfs
Sep 7Sep 14

Latest reading: 91 cfs. Stable over about 6 hours. Chart covers Sep 7 through Sep 14; readings are provisional and may be revised.

Latest stored weather check

Slight Chance Rain Showers

Wind
8 mph
Weather checked
More forecast and source details

Slight Chance Rain Showers

National Weather Service

Wind River near Dubois, Wyoming

The National Weather Service forecast is temporarily unavailable.

Live data

Where these readings come from

Current U.S. Geological Survey gauge: Wind River near Dubois

Stable 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.

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 Wind River today.

Best fishing is usually after the main snowmelt push settles and before late-season cold or low water narrows the day. Have a backup plan when the Dubois gauge is rising fast.

Settled post-runoff

Best all-around window for dries, dry-droppers, and nymphing.

Rising snowmelt

Fish soft edges only if safe. Otherwise wait for falling clarity.

Low clear water

Use smaller flies, longer leaders, and careful approaches.

Cold windy day

Nymph deeper, slow down, or choose a lower-elevation backup.

Wading, bank fishing or floating?
Not recommended todayChoose another river or day

No access method is recommended in today's conditions. Review the live river and weather checks before making another plan.

Wading39/100

Not recommended today. Recheck the river, weather, and access before planning another trip.

Bank fishing39/100

Not recommended today. Recheck the river, weather, and access before planning another trip.

FloatingNot recommended

Not recommended today. Recheck the river, weather, and access before planning another trip.

Full river report

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

The useful Wind River report is the upper public-water plan near Dubois, not a vague mix of reservation water, Boysen tailwater, and Bighorn River naming changes. Use the Dubois gauge and WGFD access sources first.

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.
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.
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.
Pocket water
Pocket water is a small calm spot among rocks or fast current.
Why this call

Why this score

Public alertHurts

An active alert is in effect: High Wind Warning issued September 13 at 6:58PM MDT until September 14 at 2:00PM MDT by NWS Riverton WY. Check public safety sources before going.

FlowHelps

USGS shows 91 cfs. The flow has been stable over about 6 hours. USGS marks this reading provisional and may revise it. USGS records for this date (1946-2025, 72 readings) show a typical middle range of 75 cfs to 113 cfs. Flow is within the typical range for this date, so weather, temperature, and access become the next checks.

SeasonHelps

Fall: Clear water and cooler days favor nymphs and small streamers.

WeatherHelps

The current NWS air forecast is about 54F, and the next 24-hour high reaches about 60F. Slight Chance Rain Showers.

Fishing usefulnessHelps

Skip the Wind when runoff makes crossings unsafe, when access boundaries are uncertain, when the plan drifts into reservation or private water without permission, or when weather makes an exposed upper-basin day impractical.

Trip notes

Check these before you choose a reach.

Best flows

Use USGS 06218500 Wind River near Dubois as the primary live trend. Stable or slowly dropping flows after runoff are the best fit. High cold water, wind, or unclear public access should move the plan to short scouting or another river.

When to leave

Skip the Wind when runoff makes crossings unsafe, when access boundaries are uncertain, when the plan drifts into reservation or private water without permission, or when weather makes an exposed upper-basin day impractical.

Local plan

Keep the day near the upper Dubois scope. Use Dunoir or Sawmill public-access information as the planning anchors, the Dubois gauge for flow, and a separate rule check before treating downstream Wind or Bighorn water as part of the same trip.

Backup water

If the upper Wind is high, cold, windy, or access-limited, compare the Shoshone near Cody, the Bighorn near Thermopolis, or the Snake River for a different Wyoming trout plan.

Wind 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 Wyoming Game and Fish Area 2 rules and current access-area rules before fishing. Confirm tribal, private, or reservation boundaries before fishing outside the upper Dubois public-water scope.

Where to access the river

Dunoir PAA

WGFD public access context near Dubois. Verify current signs and restrictions.

Sawmill PAA

Another WGFD upper Wind access reference for reach planning.

Dubois gauge area

Use USGS 06218500 before committing to pocket-water wading.

  • This page does not cover reservation fishing permission or lower Wind/Bighorn tailwater rules.
  • Public access can be section-by-section and should be verified before walking banks.
  • Runoff and weather can make a short-looking crossing unsafe.

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

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.

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.

Source check is old. Last checked . Open the official links now and check for changes.

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 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 Wind River?

WGFD Area 2 rules, access-area status, USGS Dubois flow, weather, snowmelt, and land boundaries

Which flow should I use for Wind River?

Use USGS 06218500 Wind River near Dubois for the upper page scope, with USGS 06220000 at Dubois as additional local context when needed.

Where should I start on Wind River?

Start with WGFD upper Wind public access areas such as Dunoir and Sawmill, then confirm posted boundaries and road conditions.

Can I wade Wind River?

Yes at normal summer flows in suitable pocket water, but snowmelt and cold pushy current make conservative wading essential.