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White River Fishing Report

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

Vermont’s longest undammed river: the White runs 60 miles of trout and smallmouth water to the Connecticut.

2/5
Slow. Work for them.Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.
Flow
161 cfs
Air / High
78 / 78 F
Wind
NW 11 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 01144000, 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.

2/5Slow. Work for them.Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.

White River is in transition: bait on the move and predators following. The river is running 161 cfs, steady over the week. Today brings clear skies, wind NW around 11 mph, rising pressure near 1010 hPa and a high of 78. Water sits around 54 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

Rainbow troutGood

Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown troutGood

Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

Tomorrow: Similar at 75 F with a rain chance. 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 White River at West Hartford.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 01144000.

195295394161 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp78 F
High / Low78 / 61 F
WindNW 11-17 mph
Pressure1009.5 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain7% cloud, 5%
Sunrise / Sunset06:16 / 19:20
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~54 F est.

Bite planner

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

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunset

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Showers, 78/61 F, wind 11 mph, rain 5%

Fair or better. A 11 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

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

Rainbow trout illustration

Rainbow trout

Best: Apr-Jun, Sep-Oct

The workhorse of western rivers: riffles, seams and dry-fly eats. Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown trout illustration

Brown trout

Best: Sep-Nov

Wary, predatory and nocturnal by preference. The big ones eat streamers. Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

When to come: the White 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
Rainbow trout
Brown trout
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 54 F (estimated, not a reading).

30405060JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~54 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 White River today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 77 F, wind to 9 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Rainbow trout led the card at excellent. High of 69 F, wind to 10 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 69 F, wind to 6 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

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

Regulations

Vermont license. Trout and bass limits per current Vermont Fish and Wildlife regulations; some sections have special rules.

Access

Route 107 and Route 100 pull-offs; public access sites through Bethel, Royalton and Sharon.

About this water

Vermont’s longest undammed river, running 60 miles through Windsor and Orange counties to the Connecticut River.

Fishing White River: the full guide

A free-flowing river

The White River runs 60 miles through central Vermont to the Connecticut River at White River Junction, the state’s longest undammed river and one of its most varied fisheries. The upper river and its branches hold wild brook trout and browns in cold mountain water; the middle river adds rainbow trout; and the lower stretches warm enough for smallmouth bass, giving anglers three fisheries in one drainage.

Trout in the branches

The First, Second, Third and Tweed branches all hold wild trout in small, wadeable water: brook trout in the headwaters, browns lower down. Attractor dries, small nymphs and careful approaches work in water where a fifteen-foot cast is often plenty. Spring and fall are prime; summer requires early starts and attention to water temperature in the main stem.

Smallmouth downstream

From Bethel and Royalton down to the Connecticut, the river warms and smallmouth take over: ledges, riffles and deeper pools holding fish that take tubes, small crankbaits and topwater. It is excellent wading and canoe water in summer, largely uncontested. Rainbow trout also run up from the Connecticut in spring, adding a seasonal bonus in the lower river.

Route 100 logistics

Vermont Route 107 and 100 parallel much of the river, with numerous pull-offs and public access. The White is popular for swimming and tubing in summer: fish early or in the branches. Rochester, Bethel and Royalton are the local towns, with Interstate 89 crossing near the mouth. Flows drop through summer, making late-season fishing a small-water game.

Common questions

Where are the wild trout?

In the branches and upper main stem: brook trout in the headwaters, wild browns in the middle water.

Is the smallmouth fishing good?

Yes: the lower river below Bethel holds good numbers, excellent for wading and canoe trips in summer.

Does it get low in summer?

Yes, being undammed: late summer flows drop, concentrating fish in the deeper pools and favoring the branches.

Is fishing good at White River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Slow. Work for them. Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.

Nearby waters

Connecticut River7 miLake Sunapee30 miNewfound Lake32 miPemigewasset River37 miSquam Lake44 miWaterbury Reservoir48 mi
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