Green River Fishing Report

From the Bureau of Reclamation:

“Starting June 8, 2026, Flaming Gorge Dam releases shall begin ramping up to approximately 4,600 cfs for the SMB flow experiment. The experiment is scheduled to last 72 hours and ramp down will begin on June 11, 2026. Reclamation has coordinated with Western Area Power Administration to create the hourly scheduled release pattern for the ramp down period. Please note that releases in this schedule include fluctuations for power generation. Release for June 13, 2026, and thereafter will be covered in a separate notification.

This release plan is subject to change depending on evolving river conditions and weather forecasts.

Those recreating on, working around, or traveling to the Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam should monitor river conditions.

View hourly water release schedules for Flaming Gorge Dam by visiting the Colorado River Basin Forecast Center website: GRZU1

Current Status

As of May 7, 2026 (end of day), Flaming Gorge Reservoir pool elevation is 6019.99 feet, which amounts to 79 percent of live storage capacity. Unregulated inflow volume for the month of April is approximately 51,190 acre-feet (af), which is 41 percent of the average unregulated inflow volume.

The May unregulated inflows into Flaming Gorge for the next three months projects to be much below average. May, June, and July forecasted unregulated inflow volumes are 70,000 af (28 percent of average), 175,000 af (45 percent of average), and 84,000 af (42 percent of average), respectively.

Drought Response Actions

Between 660,000 and one million acre-feet of additional water is being delivered from Flaming Gorge Reservoir to Lake Powell through April 2027 to help keep Lake Powell above critical elevations.

When these supplemental releases began, Flaming Gorge Reservoir was approximately 82% full, holding approximately 3.01 maf of water.

Reclamation and its partners are working to reduce recreational impacts as much as possible.

Recreationists below Flaming Gorge Dam should review posted information, closely monitor changing conditions, and use extreme caution when recreating in or around the Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam. Water will be colder than usual and will run high and swift during periods of elevated releases.

These actions are part of the Drought Response Operations Agreement (DROA), a component of the 2019 Colorado River Drought Contingency Plan for the Upper Colorado River Basin. To read more about the need for 2026-2027 supplemental releases, visit: Reclamation Acts to Protect Colorado River System During Historic Drought.

Reclamation previously implemented DROA operations in 2021 and 2022.

HELPFUL LINKS

• To view the most current reservoir elevation, content, inflows and releases, visit: Flaming Gorge Reservoir Data.

• For more information about boat ramp elevations and operability, visit: U.S. Forest Service: Flaming Gorge Recreation Updates.

• For information about flows below the dam, visit the Colorado Basin River Forecast Center’s GRZUI Reservoir Outflow Hydropgraph: GRZU1”

What this means:

Flows are going to increase to 4,600 CFS on the evening of June 8 and remain there through June 11. During that timeframe, water temperatures will drop. After the small mouth bass event, water temps will go back to around what they are now and we will have a consistent flow pattern again. Water temperatures are currently hovering around 52 degrees Fahrenheit.

Currently cicadas are on the menu. The most cicada activity is throughout the canyon on the A section. There are some cicadas on B and a few on C. If you aren’t in an area with cicadas, fish an ant or a beetle.

Red Creek is currently running low and clear.

Current water year to date precipitation in the Upper Green River Drainage is 98 percent of normal. Current water year to date precipitation in the Lower Green River Drainage is 92 percent of normal.

Green River Fishing Report

From the Bureau of Reclamation:

“As of March 04, 2026 (end of day), Flaming Gorge Reservoir pool elevation is 6022.73 feet, which amounts to 82 percent of live storage capacity. Unregulated inflow volume for the month of February is approximately 42,030 acre-feet (af), which is 93 percent of the average unregulated inflow volume.

As of March 1st, operations have entered the transition period. The current average daily release is 800 cfs and this release is expected to be maintained through the end of April, pending hydrology.

The March unregulated inflows into Flaming Gorge for the next three months projects below average. March, April, and May forecasted unregulated inflow volumes 80,000 af (75 percent of average), 95,000 af (76 percent of average), and 135,000 af (54 percent of average), respectively.

To view the most current reservoir elevation, content, inflow and release, click on: Flaming Gorge Reservoir Data.”

What this means:

Currently, Flaming Gorge Reservoir is operating a daily average release of 854 CFS. Water temperatures are currently hovering around 41 degrees Fahrenheit.

This unseasonable weather has been quite interesting or alarming to say the least. There have been very thick midge hatches in the morning followed by a decent Baetis hatch in the afternoon. The nymph fishing has been quite productive with scud, midge, and Baetis patterns. The dry dropper fishing has been decent in the afternoons with either a double dry or a point fly with an emerging Baetis pattern. The most impressive fishing has been the single point dry fly fishing. It’s March so I don’t expect the terrestrial fishing to continue for much longer, but I guess we should capitalize on the moment until the weather hopefully returns to normal.

The streamer fishing has been good on all three sections of the Green River. Try nymphing a smaller bugger under an indicator in the big back eddies where you see fish podded up. White, gold, ginger, silver, and black have all been productive. Lighter colors during the main portions of the day and black in the early morning and afternoon light.

Red Creek is currently running low and clear.

Current snowpack in the Upper Green River Drainage is at 71 percent of normal. Snowpack in the Lower Green River Drainage is sitting at 40 percent of normal. Current water year to date precipitation in the Upper Green River Drainage is 106 percent of normal. Current water year to date precipitation in the Lower Green River Drainage is 96 percent of normal.

Green River Fishing Report

From the Bureau of Reclamation:

“As of February 9, 2026 (end of day), Flaming Gorge Reservoir pool elevation is 6022.50 feet, which amounts to 82 percent of live storage capacity. Unregulated inflow volume for the month of January is approximately 31,460 acre-feet (af), which is 78 percent of the average January unregulated inflow volume.

Flaming Gorge Dam operations are in a moderately dry hydrologic classification for the month of February and are projected to remain in the moderately dry hydrologic classification through the remainder of the base flow period. The current average daily release is 800 cfs but may vary to meet the 1,100-1,500 cfs target in Reach 2, measured at the Jensen USGS Gage. This data is considered the most likely scenario given the current forecast, is general, and is subject to changing conditions.

The February unregulated inflows into Flaming Gorge for the next three months projects below average. February, March, and April forecasted unregulated inflow volumes 40,000 af (88 percent of average), 70,000 af (66 percent of average), and 80,000 af (64 percent of average), respectively.

To view the most current reservoir elevation, content, inflow and release, click on: Flaming Gorge Reservoir Data.”

What this means:

Currently, Flaming Gorge Reservoir is operating a daily average release of 854 CFS. Water temperatures are currently hovering around 40.3 degrees Fahrenheit.

Fish have moved into the slower and deeper pools for the winter. There are some rising fish to midges and baetis in slower pools and seams during the warmest parts of the day. You can target these rising fish with cluster midges or blue wing cripple patterns. It is currently much more efficient to fish to rising fish from the bank as opposed to from a drift boat this time of the year as they are very spooky due to the colder water temperatures.

The streamer fishing has been good on all three sections of the Green River. Try nymphing a smaller bugger under an indicator in the big back eddies where you see fish podded up. White, gold, ginger, silver, and black have all been productive. Lighter colors during the main portions of the day and black in the early morning and afternoon light.

Red Creek is currently running low and clear.

Current snowpack in the Upper Green River Drainage is at 96 percent of normal. Snowpack in the Lower Green River Drainage is sitting at 76 percent of normal. Current water year to date precipitation in the Upper Green River Drainage is 116 percent of normal. Current water year to date precipitation in the Lower Green River Drainage is 99 percent of normal. Hopefully, this current snow cycle will bring some much needed snow to our mountains.

Green River Fishing Report

From the Bureau of Reclamation:

“As of January 07, 2025, the Flaming Gorge Reservoir pool elevation is 6022.55 feet, which amounts to 82 percent of live storage capacity. Inflows for the month of December totaled approximately 40,000 acre-feet (af) or 121 percent of average.

Flaming Gorge Dam operations are in a moderately dry hydrologic classification for the month of January and are projected to remain in the moderately dry hydrologic classification through the remainder of the base flow period. The current average daily release is 800 cfs but may vary to meet the 1,100-1,500 cfs target in Reach 2, measured at the Jensen USGS Gage. This data is considered the most likely scenario given the current forecast, is general, and is subject to changing conditions.

The January unregulated inflow forecast into Flaming Gorge for the next three months projects below average conditions. January, February, and March forecasted unregulated inflow volumes 45,000 af (112 percent of average), 40,000 af (88 percent of average), and 73,000 af (69 percent of average), respectively.

To view the most current reservoir elevation, content, inflow and release, click on: Flaming Gorge Reservoir Data.”

What this means:

Currently, Flaming Gorge Reservoir is operating a daily average release of 854 CFS. Water temperatures are currently hovering around 42 degrees Fahrenheit.

Fish have moved into the slower and deeper pools for the winter. There are some rising fish to baetis and midges in slower pools and seams during the warmest parts of the day. You can target these rising fish with cluster midges of blue wing cripple patterns.

The streamer fishing has been good. I’ve had my best luck with streamers on the B and C sections of the river. White, gold, ginger, and black have all been productive. Lighter colors during the main portions of the day and black in the early morning and afternoon light.

Red Creek is currently running low and clear.

Current snowpack in the Upper Green River Drainage is at 131 percent of normal. Snowpack in the Lower Green River Drainage is sitting at 105 percent of normal. Current water year to date precipitation in the Upper Green River Drainage is 147 percent of normal. Current water year to date precipitation in the Lower Green River Drainage is 122 percent of normal.