Fishing Report - 5/30/25

After a considerable delay, runoff seems to be on throughout the North Platte and Laramie River drainages. The main branches and most tributary streams are running high and dirty right now. Expect to see flows continue to rise with some warmer temperatures in the forecast this week. Now may be a great time to explore some of the small brookie streams and beaver ponds east of town in the Vedauwoo/Pole Mountain area, or head to the Plains Lakes in pursuit of trophy-sized rainbows and browns. Anglers looking to fish rivers and streams should focus on higher-elevation tributaries. While these streams will still be running high, they typically maintain decent clarity and can provide fishing opportunities when everything else is completely blown out.

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Upper North Platte

Flows: ~ 500 cfs (Northgate)

Conditions: The Platte is finally on the rise after providing a long window of spring wade fishing opportunities. Expect the Platte to continue to rise this week with warmer temperatures in the forecast. Fishing is always tough when the river is on the rise, but big bugs should be appearing in the next week and fish will start take notice, runoff conditions or not. I would be fishing size 2 and 4 stonefly nymph rigs tight to the bank this week and keeping an eye out for winged adult salmonflies.

Flies: Nymphs; Rubber Legs, Flexy Stone, Restless Stone, 20 Incher, Tim's Stone, CDC Stone, San Juan Worm, Squirmy Wormy, Devil Jig, Duracell, HDA FAV, Blowtorch, Prince Nymph, Hare's Ear

Dries; Fluttering Stonefly, PMX Salmonfly, W.T.F. Stonefly, Chubby Chernobyl, Carnage Stone, Christensen's Salmonfly, Clark's Stone, Elk Caddis, Stimulator, Corn Fed Caddis

Streamers; Mini Dungeon, Tequeely, Circus Peanut, Bangtail, Flathead Kitty, Sculpzilla, Slumpbuster, Platte River Spider, Barely Legal

Laramie River

Flows: ~ 300 cfs (Woods Landing, WY)

Conditions: The Laramie River is now in runoff mode, with some fluctuations in flows. Expect to see the Laramie continue to rise over the next week with some warmer temperatures in the forecast. Big streamers and big nymph rigs will be the best options in big, dirty water.

Flies: Nymphs; Rubber Legs, Flexy Stone, 20 Incher, San Juan Worm, Squirmy Wormy, Restless Stone, CDC Stone, Copper John, Prince Nymph, Devil Jig, 307 Nymph, Hell Razor Craw

Streamers; Mini Dungeon, Circus Peanut, Tequeely, Boogieman, Heisenberg, Flathead Kitty, Bangtail, Baby Gonga, Slumpbuster, Sculpzilla, Thin Mint

Tributary Streams

Flows: ~ 200 - 1,000 cfs

Conditions: Tributaries to the Laramie and North Platte Rivers are cranking right now. The best bet for wading anglers is to get as high in the drainages as possible and hit some smaller streams. Flows will still be high, but these higher elevation tributaries typically continue to run clear through most of runoff. Anglers will need to cover a lot of water to find soft spots to cast to.

Flies: Nymphs; Rubber Legs, 20 Incher, San Juan Worm, Squirmy Wormy, Restless Stone, CDC Stone, Copper John, Hell Razor Craw

Streamers; Mini Bangtail, Boogieman, Thin Mint, Wolly Bugger, Platte River Spider, Tequeely, Slumpbuster, Pine Squirrel, Dirty Hippie, Baby Gonga

Vedauwoo/Pole Mountain

Conditions: Small streams and ponds throughout the Vedauwoo area will provide a great option while the Platte and Laramie drainages continue into runoff mode. The brookies throughout the area provide reliable fishing and aren't overly picky, a hopper dropper rig will almost always do the trick. Stay a little on the smaller side with dries and nymphs at this point in the season.

Flies: Amy's Ant, PMX, Chubby Chernobyl, Copper John, Prince Nymph, Hare's Ear, Pheasant Tail, Wolly Bugger, Thin Mint, Platte River Spider

Laramie Plains Lakes

Conditions: The Plains Lakes are all open and reportedly fishing well! Now is a great time of year to target large fish on streamers patterns as fish should be cruising the shallows looking for an easy meal to bulk up on after a long winter under the ice.

Flies: Hell Razor Craw, Tequeely, Slumpbuster, Wolly Bugger, GB Crystal Bugger, Pine Squirrel, Juju Midge, WD40, Ice Cream Cone