Fly Fishing North Platte River
I admittedly haven’t fished in Wyoming a whole lot, since I was a kid.
So when I get back to the Cowboy State (it’s officially the Equality State, but Cowboy sounds more rugged and outdoorsy), I always make sure to stop by the local fly shop to get some fly fishing tips on the latest hatches, patterns and hot spots on where the trout are boiling.
In Casper, Wyoming, the hotspot always seems to be somewhere along the North Platte River, the river of choice by Mark Boname, guide at Platte River Fly Shop (wyomingflyfishing.com, 307-237-5997, the longest owned fly shop and guide service on Wyoming’s North Plate River.
That might be a surprise to some, given waters like the Yellowstone, Snake, Wind and Big Horn (all of which originate in Wyoming) often catch more headlines in the fishing press.
Where to Fish on the North Platte River
While on the North Platte River, Boname recommends anglers try their hand at Gray Reef, Fremont Canyon and Miracle Mile, which are all tailwaters. On those runs anglers can find rainbows, browns and cutthroats, he said. And while you’re probably not going to catch any world records here, there are plenty of trophies waiting for your fly.
Fly Fishing Equipment for North Platte River
And the best setup for those runs?
“Fly Fishing with indicators and nymphs, streamers and dries,” Boname said. “But the best tip would to be hire a local guide for at least one day.”
Know Before You Go
If you don’t have the time or budget for a guide, it’s also a good idea to troll message boards and local newspaper and guideshop fish reports for the latest hatches and popular patterns.
But if you’re from out of town, you’ll still want to stop by a local shop to get directions to legal waters.
“Be sure to stop at a local fly shop and pick up access maps,” Boname said, “as we do not have high water access like some states.”
Wyoming is the second-least populated of the 50 states, and about 48 percent of the land is owned by the U.S. Government (about 30.1 million acres, with another six percent – 3.8 million acres – owned by the state of Wyoming), but because it has the sixth largest amount of acreage among U.S. states, there’s still a ton of privately-owned land out there.
More About the North Platte River
All in all, the North Platte River runs some 716 miles, quite a long stretch for a tributary of the Platte River – showing just how curvy this river can be as it runs by cities like Casper and Laramie in Wyoming, as well as out of state cities such as Walden, Colorado, and North Platte, Scottsbluff and Oshkosh in Nebraska.
After running to Casper from Colorado, the river turns to the east-southeast and flows for 350 miles to North Platte where it joins with the South Platte River to form the Platte River in Nebrasca.
From there, the Plate flows into the Missouri and joins the Mississippi River en route to the Gulf of Mexico.
North Platte River Water Levels
The North Platte River can be treacherous to navigate at its high-water level, so use caution when fishing it after and during a storm, as well as when snowmelt occurs. In most cases, the water is not safe to wade during high-water season, and is only able to be navigated by driftboat, raft or kayak.
Unfortunately, the river is much more narrow in Wyoming than in Nebraska, so it’s also more fast flowing throughout much of the year.
In Casper, the river emerges from the Granite Mountains to the west and the Laramie Mountains to the east, which can make for murky water during the runoff period. North Platte River Flies
On the North Plate, there are a half dozen go-to flies to have in your box depending on the time of year.
Throughout much of the year, scuds, midges, crayfish and minnows can be productive, according to Wyoming Fly Fishing.
Blue-winged olives typically come out and play in the spring and fall, while PMDs, yellow sallies and golden stones fill the gaps in the spring. From May through October, the caddis is traditionally a consistent fly, as with many rivers across the West.
And Tricos can turn on in late July and August, depending on the river’s flows.
So when I get back to the Cowboy State (it’s officially the Equality State, but Cowboy sounds more rugged and outdoorsy), I always make sure to stop by the local fly shop to get some fly fishing tips on the latest hatches, patterns and hot spots on where the trout are boiling.
In Casper, Wyoming, the hotspot always seems to be somewhere along the North Platte River, the river of choice by Mark Boname, guide at Platte River Fly Shop (wyomingflyfishing.com, 307-237-5997, the longest owned fly shop and guide service on Wyoming’s North Plate River.
That might be a surprise to some, given waters like the Yellowstone, Snake, Wind and Big Horn (all of which originate in Wyoming) often catch more headlines in the fishing press.
Where to Fish on the North Platte River
While on the North Platte River, Boname recommends anglers try their hand at Gray Reef, Fremont Canyon and Miracle Mile, which are all tailwaters. On those runs anglers can find rainbows, browns and cutthroats, he said. And while you’re probably not going to catch any world records here, there are plenty of trophies waiting for your fly.
Fly Fishing Equipment for North Platte River
And the best setup for those runs?
“Fly Fishing with indicators and nymphs, streamers and dries,” Boname said. “But the best tip would to be hire a local guide for at least one day.”
Know Before You Go
If you don’t have the time or budget for a guide, it’s also a good idea to troll message boards and local newspaper and guideshop fish reports for the latest hatches and popular patterns.
But if you’re from out of town, you’ll still want to stop by a local shop to get directions to legal waters.
“Be sure to stop at a local fly shop and pick up access maps,” Boname said, “as we do not have high water access like some states.”
Wyoming is the second-least populated of the 50 states, and about 48 percent of the land is owned by the U.S. Government (about 30.1 million acres, with another six percent – 3.8 million acres – owned by the state of Wyoming), but because it has the sixth largest amount of acreage among U.S. states, there’s still a ton of privately-owned land out there.
More About the North Platte River
All in all, the North Platte River runs some 716 miles, quite a long stretch for a tributary of the Platte River – showing just how curvy this river can be as it runs by cities like Casper and Laramie in Wyoming, as well as out of state cities such as Walden, Colorado, and North Platte, Scottsbluff and Oshkosh in Nebraska.
After running to Casper from Colorado, the river turns to the east-southeast and flows for 350 miles to North Platte where it joins with the South Platte River to form the Platte River in Nebrasca.
From there, the Plate flows into the Missouri and joins the Mississippi River en route to the Gulf of Mexico.
North Platte River Water Levels
The North Platte River can be treacherous to navigate at its high-water level, so use caution when fishing it after and during a storm, as well as when snowmelt occurs. In most cases, the water is not safe to wade during high-water season, and is only able to be navigated by driftboat, raft or kayak.
Unfortunately, the river is much more narrow in Wyoming than in Nebraska, so it’s also more fast flowing throughout much of the year.
In Casper, the river emerges from the Granite Mountains to the west and the Laramie Mountains to the east, which can make for murky water during the runoff period. North Platte River Flies
On the North Plate, there are a half dozen go-to flies to have in your box depending on the time of year.
Throughout much of the year, scuds, midges, crayfish and minnows can be productive, according to Wyoming Fly Fishing.
Blue-winged olives typically come out and play in the spring and fall, while PMDs, yellow sallies and golden stones fill the gaps in the spring. From May through October, the caddis is traditionally a consistent fly, as with many rivers across the West.
And Tricos can turn on in late July and August, depending on the river’s flows.
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