Wind River

The Wind River is Wyoming's most storied freestone trout stream, carving a dramatic course from the high glaciers of the Wind River Mountains eastward through Fremont County before transforming into the Bighorn River at the legendary Wedding of the Waters near Thermopolis. Stretching nearly 110 miles of fishable water, the Wind River offers everything from intimate meadow reaches above Dubois to powerful canyon runs below Bull Lake. For the fly angler, the Wind River is a study in contrast — clear, cold freestone water in its upper reaches giving way to broader, deeper riffles as it descends toward the Wind River Basin.

Above Dubois, the river runs tight against the hills of the Shoshone National Forest, where wild rainbow and brown trout hold in deep undercut banks and boulder-strewn pools. This upper section sees limited pressure and rewards careful anglers with fish averaging 12 to 16 inches, with occasional 20-inch browns pushing into the riffles during the evening caddis hatch. The river corridor provides spectacular scenery — jagged mountain peaks, sagebrush flats, and the iconic red-rock formations that make this corner of Wyoming unforgettable.

Between Dubois and Riverton, a significant portion of the Wind River flows through the Wind River Indian Reservation, which requires a tribal fishing permit in addition to a Wyoming fishing license. Visitors can obtain these permits through the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribal Fish and Wildlife departments in Lander or Riverton. The reservation section is often overlooked by visiting anglers, but it holds exceptional fish populations due to lower pressure.

Below Riverton, the Wind River canyon section offers some of the most challenging and rewarding wade fishing in the state. Brown trout dominate here, growing fat on a rich diet of stoneflies, caddis, and PMDs. Salmonfly hatches in late June bring some of the largest fish to the surface, and the sight of a 20-plus-inch brown slashing at a size 6 Kaufmann's Stone is a memory that lasts a lifetime.

Hatches on the Wind River follow a classic western pattern. Early season brings blue-winged olives and small stoneflies. June delivers the salmonfly hatch and golden stones. By July, PMDs, caddis, and green drakes dominate, giving way to late-summer hopper fishing that can be spectacular — a weighted foam hopper slapped near a grassy bank will regularly pull fish from where you'd least expect them. Fall brings back the BWO hatches and sees large brown trout staging near spawning areas.

Guides from Dubois-based operations like Wind River Flyfitter and Dunoir Fishing Adventures know every bend and pool intimately and can make the most of your days on the water. The small town of Dubois serves as the perfect base camp, with friendly fly shops, quality lodging, and direct access to both the river and the surrounding national forest streams.

The Wind River offers year-round fishing (with appropriate licenses), though winter flows can be challenging. For the visiting angler, June through October represents the sweet spot — accessible water, active fish, and the dramatic high desert scenery that defines this special Wyoming drainage.