Freestone · Mixed · Utah, US

Fremont River

The Fremont River flowing over a rocky bed through a red rock canyon in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah.
Today · A proper day on the water
Sculpin Streamer
Forecast · Today
A proper day on the water
A proper day for it. Work the seams with an upstream nymph, switch to the dry when they show.
75% projected
Today's fly
Sculpin Streamer
Sculpin Streamer
Conditions on the water · Today
Live gauge
Level
Falling
1.33 m
Dropping after lift
Water temp8.1°C
ClarityClearing
Weather5°C
WindN 7 km/h
Pressure1032 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm
Rain · ahead0.0 mm

The nearest gauge doesn't record temperatures, so we've estimated it — defer to the river keeper's advice.

Water temperature for Brown Trout
Cool — slow
8°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Brown Trout
When
Nymphing can work through most of the day.
Where
Cover mixed depths.
Method
Start with tight-line nymphs and adjust if fish rise or drift higher.
Kit
9 ft #4 rod, floating line, 12 ft tapered leader to 4–5 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Good — water clarity is right today, though water temperature could be better.
Likely species
Chironomids
Gammarids
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 10:00

12:00(now) — Black Midge

Stage: On emergersApproach: Emerger or dryActivity: 30%
Also:Western Blue-Winged Olive24%
Peak emergence window5 food groups active

Peak activity at 10:00 — Black Midge (Black Midge, Peak emergence window)

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Supporters see the full sub-surface read.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

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Evidence
Records-basedModerate confidence

Based on species-occurrence records, not local invertebrate surveys.

Through the year
0–3 scale · October highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Brown DunHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Western Green DrakeHatch
2
2
Flav (Small Western Green Drake)Hatch
2
3
2
Mahogany DunHatch
2
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Fly box · Brown Trout
SD
Sex Dungeon
2-6 · Pattern
Proven pattern for this period
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Open all year (statewide default)
  • Verify current UDWR gear/limit rules
  • Flow on the upper trout reach is dam- and diversion-influenced (Mill Meadow / Johnson Valley) and can run low and warm in late summer — a thermal-welfare caution applies; fish early in heat
  • The river below Bicknell is warm desert water, not a trout fishery.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 3
Boulder Mountain Lakes
20 km
Brook trout · Cutthroat trout · Rainbow trout
Fish Lake
31 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout · Brook trout
East Fork Sevier River — Kingston Canyon
53 km
77
Brown trout · Rainbow trout · Cutthroat trout
Gallery · 2
  1. The Fremont River flowing over a rocky bed through a red rock canyon in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah.
    Fremont River at Capitol Reef NP in Utah
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Water quality · US Clean Water Act
  • Aquatic life: Impaired
  • Recreation: Impaired
What this classification means

Recreation: Bacteria/pathogen advisory — mind wading cuts and immersion.

EPA ATTAINS assessment unit 'Fremont River-3' (UT14070003-008_00), 2024 Integrated Report. Aquatic Life use: Not Supporting. Listed impairment causes: Temperature, Pathogens. This is a Clean Water Act assessment-unit classification (the US analogue of WFD), not a live reading.

Status is for the Clean Water Act assessment unit covering this reach.

EPA ATTAINS (Clean Water Act) · UT14070003-008_00

The full read · show the working · for Brown Trout · confidence 90%
How the 74 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature57 × 28%16.0
Flow80 × 22%17.6
Clarity95 × 18%17.1
Feeding Time80 × 13%10.4
Pressure80 × 7%5.6
Insect activity60 × 12%7.2
Conditions total= 74
Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
Prey activitymodelled from regional profilemodelled
What would change the calculation
Warmer water — toward the 10–16 °C ideal band — would lift the temperature score.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 1 January → 31 December
Related guides
Euro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Booking & contacts