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Wind River Fishing Report

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

A river across the reservation: the Wind runs trout from the Absarokas through a red-rock canyon.

2/5
Slow. Work for them.Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.
Water temp
~54 F est.
Air / High
79 / 81 F
Wind
SW 14 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 06225500, 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.

Wind River feels the season turning: shorter days, grouping fish. Today brings clear skies, wind SW around 14 mph, rising pressure near 1004 hPa and a high of 81. 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 81 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 Wind River near Crowheart.

No live gauge on this water

Conditions here are modeled from weather, season and the nearest stations. Water readings appear when a USGS gauge is available.

30405060JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~54 F now

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp79 F
High / Low81 / 48 F
WindSW 14-24 mph
Pressure1003.5 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain0% cloud, 0%
Sunrise / Sunset06:44 / 19:46
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 · Clear, 81/48 F, wind 17 mph, rain 0%

Fair or better. A 17 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Wind 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 Wind 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 Wind 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 78 F, wind to 14 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

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 16 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 76 F, wind to 14 mph.

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Before you go

License

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

Regulations

Tribal permit required on Wind River Indian Reservation waters, including much of the river; a Wyoming license does not cover them. Check current tribal and WGFD rules by reach.

Access

US 20 pullouts through Wind River Canyon; Boysen State Park above and Thermopolis below.

About this water

A 185-mile river across central Wyoming that becomes the Bighorn at the Wedding of the Waters.

Fishing Wind River: the full guide

A river that changes its name

The Wind River rises in the Absaroka and Wind River ranges and flows about 185 miles across central Wyoming before becoming the Bighorn River at the Wedding of the Waters below Thermopolis, a naming quirk unique in American rivers. It holds brown, rainbow and cutthroat trout, with the canyon reach genuinely spectacular.

Trout through the canyon

The Wind River Canyon below Boysen Reservoir is the best-known reach: a deep red-rock gorge with the river running cold and strong past highway pullouts, holding good numbers of brown and rainbow trout. Nymphs and streamers do the work; hatch fishing produces in the right conditions. Access here requires a tribal permit.

Permits and access, honestly

Much of the Wind River crosses the Wind River Indian Reservation, home to the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes, and fishing there requires a tribal permit rather than a Wyoming license. The canyon reach and reservation waters have their own rules and seasons. Get the correct permit before fishing: this matters.

Fremont and Hot Springs county logistics

Access is via US 20 through the canyon with numerous pullouts, plus Boysen State Park above and Thermopolis below. Riverton, Lander and Thermopolis provide services and permit sales. Flows are governed by Boysen releases: check them, and note that the canyon runs high and hard during releases.

Common questions

Do I need a tribal permit?

On reservation waters, yes: a Wyoming license does not cover them. Buy the correct permit before fishing.

Why does it change names?

At the Wedding of the Waters below the canyon the Wind River becomes the Bighorn: a naming quirk unique in the country.

When does it fish best?

Late summer through fall when Boysen releases stabilize and the canyon runs clear and cold.

Is fishing good at Wind 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

Ocean Lake31 miFremont Lake40 miBoysen Reservoir51 miSnake River76 miJackson Lake83 miGreen River100 mi
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