The good days are in sight now! Flows have been dropping gradually and fishing conditions have been slowly improving over the past week. Salmonflies have been out on the Upper Platte and should continue to provide action as water clarity improves, and we should be seeing some drake hatches starting up around some of our tributary streams. We are also starting to see some consistency in our typical summer menu of caddis, PMDs, and terrestrials.
Runoff seems to be subsiding, there are plenty of bugs out and about, and rivers are coming to great condition for both wading and floating - it looks like some great fishing days are ahead of us here in southeast Wyoming!
Upper North Platte
Flows: ~ 1500 cfs (Northgate)
Conditions: The Platte has been slowly dropping with fishing conditions improving. Flows will still make for difficult wading, but anglers can still have success fishing salmonfly patterns along the banks. Expect fish to be looking up for dry flies with improving water clarity, but don't be afraid to fish a large stonefly nymph tight to the bank as well. Dry dropper set ups with a large salmonfly pattern on top and a brown or orange stonefly nymph will be the most productive as the hatch continues and begins to taper off.
Flies: Streamers; Sculpzilla, Tequeely, Slumpbuster, Pine Squirrel, Wedge Head, Dirty Hippie, Baby Gonga
Dries; Carnage Stone, Christensen's Salmonfly, Swisher's Foam PMX, Chubby Chernobyl, Clark's Stonefly
Nymphs; Rubber Legs, Restless Stone, 20 Incher, Tim's Stone, San Juan Worm, Squirmy Wormy, CDC Stone, Dirty Bird, Devil Jig, Hare's Ear, Prince Nymph, Blow Torch
Laramie River
Flows: ~ 700 cfs (Woods Landing, WY)
Conditions: The Big Laramie is slowly coming down as well and we should see sections of the Laramie start to become a bit more viable for the wading angler. Big mayflies, PMDs, a variety of caddis, and terrestrials are all active right now, and hopper-dropper rigs should be the most productive as fishing conditions continue to improve.
Flies: Streamers; Sculpzilla, Tequeely, Slumpbuster, Pine Squirrel, Wedge Head, Dirty Hippie, Baby Gonga
Dries; Chubby Chernobyl, Swisher's Foam PMX, Amy's Ant, Carnage Drake, Green Drake Parachute,
Nymphs; Rubber Legs, 20 Incher, Restless Stone, San Juan Worm, Squirmy Wormy, Tim's Stone, CDC Stone, Dirty Bird, Devil Jig, Hare's Ear, Blow Torch
Tributary Streams
Flows: ~ 300 - 2000 cfs
Conditions: The tributary streams will provide wading anglers with the best option over the next week. While the North Platte and Laramie Rivers are dropping and clearing, they still present challenging wading conditions at current flows. Higher elevation tributary streams will be much more wadeable, and should have better water clarity than the main branches. Streamers and hopper dropper rigs will be the most productive as fish seek out significant meals following the runoff window.
Flies: Streamers; Sculpzilla, Tequeely, Slumpbuster, Wolly Bugger, Platte River Spider, GB Crystal Bugger, Pine Squirrel, Wedge Head, Dirty Hippie, Baby Gonga
Nymphs; Rubber Legs, 20 Incher, Restless Stone, San Juan Worm, Squirmy Wormy, Tim's Stone, CDC Stone, Dirty Bird, Devil Jig, Hare's Ear, Blow Torch
Plains Lakes
Conditions: Reports from the Plains Lakes have indicated that fishing has been good to excellent for the past couple of weeks! The Plains Lakes will offer anglers the best and most consistent option to get hooked up with a quality fish at this point in the season. All of the lakes are open and fish are reportedly being caught on both nymph rigs and stripped streamers.
Flies: Streamers; Hell Razor Craw, Wolly Bugger, GB Crystal Bugger, Platte River Spider, Tequeely, Pine Squirrel, Hot Head Leech
Nymphs; Hare's Ear, Prince Nymph, Tungsten Zebra Midge, WD40, Juju Baetis