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Niobrara River Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Nebraska’s scenic river: the Niobrara runs clear over sand through canyon country, holding catfish and smallmouth.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Flow
525 cfs
Air / High
94 / 95 F
Wind
SE 18 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 06461500, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Niobrara River offers the kind of conditions this water was made for. The river is running 525 cfs, dropping and clearing. Today brings clear skies, wind SE around 18 mph, steady pressure near 1006 hPa and a high of 95. Water sits around 73 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

MuskellungeExcellent

Bucktails and rubber over cabbage and rock bars; moon majors matter here more than anywhere.

Smallmouth bassGood

Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

WalleyeGood

Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

Catfish (blue, channel)Good

Drift cut bait across flats near the river channel, or anchor on ledges at dusk.

Tomorrow: Similar at 93 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from Niobrara River near Sparks.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 06461500.

526579632525 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp94 F
High / Low95 / 59 F
WindSE 18-22 mph
Pressure1006.2 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain0% cloud, 3%
Sunrise / Sunset07:09 / 20:10
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~73 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Partly cloudy, 95/59 F, wind 19 mph, rain 3%

Fair or better. A 19 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Niobrara River: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Smallmouth bass illustration

Smallmouth bass

Best: May-Oct

Current and rock. Finds gravel flats, boulders and drop-offs, and fights far above its weight. Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Walleye illustration

Walleye

Best: May-Jun, Oct

The glass-eyed prize of northern lakes. Low light, wind-blown structure and live bait. Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

Muskellunge illustration

Muskellunge

Best: Sep-Nov

The fish of ten thousand casts. Weed edges, rock bars and big-water structure. Bucktails and rubber over cabbage and rock bars; moon majors matter here more than anywhere.

Catfish (blue, channel) illustration

Catfish (blue, channel)

Good year-round

The most reliable bite on most southern waters. Blues run big; channels fill the cooler. Drift cut bait across flats near the river channel, or anchor on ledges at dusk.

When to come: the Niobrara River calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Smallmouth bass
Walleye
Muskellunge
Catfish (blue, channel)
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 73 F (estimated, not a reading).

4050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~73 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Niobrara River today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 96 F, wind to 22 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 93 F, wind to 10 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 83 F, wind to 14 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
Only used to send you this water's report each week. No spam, ever.

Before you go

License

Nebraska requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Nebraska license. Catfish, bass and trout limits per current Game and Parks regulations; some tributaries have specific rules.

Access

National Park Service and refuge access near Valentine; numerous outfitter put-ins along the scenic reach.

About this water

A 535-mile river across northern Nebraska with 76 miles designated National Scenic River near Valentine, Cherry County.

Fishing Niobrara River: the full guide

A national scenic river

The Niobrara River flows 535 miles across northern Nebraska, with 76 miles designated as a National Scenic River through the Sandhills canyon country near Valentine. Spring-fed, clear and shallow over sand and gravel, it is better known for tubing and canoeing than fishing, but it holds channel catfish, smallmouth bass, rock bass and, in places, trout in the cold spring-fed tributaries.

Fishing a shallow river

The river is wadeable through most of its scenic reach: work the deeper holes, undercut banks and the mouths of spring-fed tributaries with small jigs, spinners and live bait. Channel catfish hold the deeper bends. Smallmouth and rock bass work the faster gravel water. It is light-tackle fishing in genuinely spectacular scenery.

Trout in the tributaries

Several spring-fed tributaries feeding the Niobrara run cold enough for trout, and Nebraska stocks some of them: small water, careful approaches and a real surprise in a state better known for reservoir walleye. The Snake River and other feeders offer their own fishing, and the Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge protects a stretch of the corridor.

Valentine logistics

Access is via the National Park Service and Fish and Wildlife Service areas near Valentine, plus numerous outfitters serving the tubing and canoe trade. Summer weekends bring heavy float traffic to the scenic stretch: fish early, fish weekdays, or fish outside the designated float reach. Valentine provides supplies and lodging.

Common questions

Is it good fishing or just scenery?

Both, modestly: catfish, smallmouth and rock bass in spectacular canyon country, with trout in some spring-fed tributaries.

How busy is the float traffic?

Heavy on summer weekends in the scenic reach: fish early, on weekdays, or outside the popular float sections.

Can I wade it?

Yes: the river is shallow over sand and gravel through most of the scenic stretch, ideal for wading with light tackle.

Is fishing good at Niobrara River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Merritt Reservoir36 miLake Francis Case73 miCalamus Reservoir88 miLake Sharpe95 miLake Oahe110 miSherman Reservoir127 mi
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