Freestone · Mixed · Colorado

North Platte River (North Park)

Up in North Park, the high sage basin north of Steamboat, the North Platte is the antidote to the Front Range crowds — a remote, wild, snowmelt freestone full of good browns and rainbows that hardly anyone bothers to drive to.

Species

About as good as it gets

River steady at a fishable height. About as fair as it ever gets — go properly.

75% confidence in this read
Water temperature for brown trout
Ideal
12°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
Why this score · for brown trout
  • Temperature10028% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity9518% weight
  • Feeding Time5013% weight
  • Pressure807% weight
  • Insect activity6012% weight
Conditions
Level
0.94 m
Water temp
12.3°C
Estimated
Clarity
Clear
Air temp
19°C
Wind
N 18 km/h
Gentle breeze
Pressure
1015 hPa
Rain · 48h
0.0 mm
No meaningful rain
Rain · ahead
0.3 mm
No meaningful rain · next 48h

Live readings — water temperature is an estimate where the gauge does not record it.

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
Excellent — water temperature is right today, though time of day could be better.
Through the year
0–3 scale · June 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
GrannomHatch
2
2
Evening SedgeHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Western Green DrakeHatch
2
2
Flav (Small Western Green Drake)Hatch
2
3
2

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

Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Colorado licence
  • Wild-trout / quality water with special-regulation sections — verify CPW rules
  • Access largely via SWAs and BLM.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
About this water

Up in North Park, the high sage basin north of Steamboat, the North Platte is the antidote to the Front Range crowds — a remote, wild, snowmelt freestone full of good browns and rainbows that hardly anyone bothers to drive to. It winds through meadow and then drops into Northgate Canyon on its way to Wyoming, and the further you walk the better it gets. Runoff owns it in May and June; the prime is the post-runoff summer and the autumn. Bring everything you need, because out here there's no fly shop around the corner.

  • Mixed
Seasons & zones
  • Trout1 January → 31 December