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THE INTOFLYFISHING RIVER GUIDES
Fly Fishing Rivers
In The United States
Choose a state, compare rivers, and find the water you want to fish.
I’ve spent the past two decades fly fishing around the US. When I’m planning a trip, I start with the part of the country I want to fish, then narrow it down to a few rivers I can give proper time to.
START WITH A STATE
Where Do You Want To Fish?
Start with a few river picks in each of these 44 states. The totals show our state river selections; the descriptions below highlight a few waters to compare, with linked fishing guides for more detail.
START WITH A STATE
Three State Starting Points
Alaska, Montana, and Colorado give you three different places to begin. Start with the rivers below, then explore the state that appeals to you.
ALASKA
35 Rivers In Our Selection
Start with the Kenai, then compare it with the Kvichak and Kanektok.
MONTANA
28 Rivers In Our Selection
Compare the Madison with the Missouri and Yellowstone before choosing a river.
COLORADO
35 Rivers In Our Selection
Compare the Animas and Frying Pan with the Arkansas and other Colorado waters.
EXPLORE COLORADO
Colorado
Colorado gives you a choice between the Animas freestone fishery in Durango and the Frying Pan tailwater below Ruedi Dam. Compare them with the Arkansas, South Platte, and the rest of the state’s waters.
35 Rivers In Our Selection
Colorado Fishing Guide
EXPLORE MONTANA
Montana
Shallow riffles and boulders shape the upper Madison, while the Missouri below Holter Dam gives you a tailwater option. Compare those rivers with the Yellowstone, Gallatin, and the rest of Montana’s river selection.
28 Rivers In Our Selection
Montana Fishing Guide
Photo: Miguel Hermoso Cuesta / CC BY-SA 4.0.
EXPLORE WYOMING
Wyoming
The Firehole runs through Yellowstone’s geyser country, while the Snake near Jackson Hole holds fine-spotted cutthroat trout. The North Platte adds another choice, with the Miracle Mile tailwater between Seminoe and Pathfinder reservoirs.
26 Rivers In Our Selection
Wyoming Fishing GuideCOMPARE THE WATER
Three Rivers, Three Different Decisions
A freestone river in Colorado, a reach below a dam, and selective trout in Idaho offer different places to begin.
Animas River, Colorado. Photo: Frans-Banja Mulder / CC BY 3.0. Cropped for display.
ANIMAS RIVER · COLORADO
Freestone Water
The Animas is a freestone fishery in Durango. Read our Animas River guide to plan a closer look.
Frying Pan River, Colorado.
FRYING PAN RIVER · BELOW RUEDI DAM
Below Ruedi Dam
The Frying Pan offers tailwater fishing below Ruedi Dam, a different setting from the Animas freestone fishery.
Henry’s Fork at Last Chance in Island Park, Idaho. Photo: Z3lvs / CC0 1.0.
HENRY’S FORK · IDAHO
Selective Rainbow Trout
At Harriman, selective rainbow trout call for a drag-free presentation.
A STATE AT A TIME
Browse The States
Choose a region to compare states, or find your state in the alphabetical index.
No state names match. Try another spelling.
Rocky Mountains
For Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, start with the featured guides above.
21 RIVERS
Idaho
On the Henry’s Fork, Harriman offers selective rainbow trout that call for a drag-free presentation, while Box Canyon has fast, rocky water and strong currents that can make wading difficult. The South Fork Snake River and Silver Creek add two more Idaho options.
11 RIVERS
New Mexico
The Red River has rainbow and brown trout. The San Juan River, Pecos River, and Rio Chama give you a broader New Mexico shortlist beyond that one fishery.
9 RIVERS
Utah
The Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam holds brown and rainbow trout beneath red canyon walls, and Section A has a riverside trail from the dam to Little Hole. The Provo River and Weber River are the other Utah waters on our first shortlist.
Pacific And Southwest
7 RIVERS
Arizona
The Colorado River between Glen Canyon Dam and Lees Ferry is an Arizona rainbow-trout fishery. Black River and Oak Creek are the other waters in our first Arizona selection.
Arizona Fishing Guide28 RIVERS
California
Fall River is primarily a boat-fishing choice, while Hot Creek is small enough to fish from the bank. The Lower Sacramento River adds drift-boat fishing for wild rainbow trout, often with nymphs beneath an indicator.
4 RIVERS
Nevada
The Jarbidge River is a Nevada option for redband trout. The East Fork Owyhee River and South Fork Humboldt River are the other waters to begin with in this state selection.
30 RIVERS
Oregon
The Rogue River and North Umpqua River are steelhead-focused choices. The Deschutes River completes our first Oregon shortlist; steelhead openings need to be checked for the particular river and reach.
21 RIVERS
Washington
The Skagit River and Sauk River are steelhead destinations with a tradition of Spey casting and swung flies. The Hoh River, which begins in Olympic glaciers and runs toward the Pacific, adds a different Washington river setting.
Alaska
35 RIVERS
Alaska
The Kenai River has rainbow trout and Dolly Varden, with eggs becoming an important food during salmon spawning. The Kvichak River and Kanektok River round out our first Alaska picks.
Midwest And Plains
3 RIVERS
Iowa
Bloody Run Creek near Marquette has brown trout. French Creek and Waterloo Creek are the other Iowa waters in this selection.
Iowa Fishing Guide13 RIVERS
Michigan
The Au Sable River, Manistee River, and Pere Marquette River all belong on a Michigan brown-trout shortlist. These three give you several destinations to consider without changing that target fish.
4 RIVERS
Minnesota
Trout Run Creek in Fillmore County has benefited from habitat-restoration work. The Root River, Whitewater River, and Knife River provide a wider Minnesota selection; keep the county with the Trout Run name when locating that creek.
6 RIVERS
Missouri
The upper Current River offers trout fishing, making the reach an important part of the destination’s name. The Eleven Point River and North Fork of the White River round out our first Missouri picks.
2 RIVERS
Nebraska
Long Pine Creek is a Nebraska trout fishery. It joins the North Platte River in this two-river selection.
1 RIVER
North Dakota
Northern pike are present in North Dakota’s Missouri River. This stretch of the Missouri gives the national selection a pike option alongside its many trout destinations.
4 RIVERS
Ohio
Spring flow feeds the Mad River, which has a brown-trout fishery. The Chagrin River and Rocky River are the other Ohio waters on our shortlist.
4 RIVERS
South Dakota
Spearfish Creek is one of the Black Hills waters with brown trout. Rapid Creek and Castle Creek complete our first South Dakota picks.
10 RIVERS
Wisconsin
The Bois Brule River is one Wisconsin option for brook trout. The Kinnickinnic River and Black Earth Creek are the other waters on our first shortlist.
Wisconsin Fishing GuideNortheast And Mid-Atlantic
2 RIVERS
Connecticut
The Housatonic River has trout-managed water and sections with smallmouth bass, giving you different fishing options along the same river. The Farmington River is the other Connecticut selection here.
1 RIVER
Delaware
White Clay Creek is an established Delaware fly-fishing destination with stocking. It is the state’s single creek in this selection.
8 RIVERS
Maine
The Magalloway River has brook trout and landlocked salmon. Kennebec River and Grand Lake Stream complete our first Maine picks.
4 RIVERS
Maryland
The lower Savage River combines tailwater fishing, pocket water, and brown and brook trout. Gunpowder Falls and the North Branch Potomac River complete this Maryland shortlist.
3 RIVERS
Massachusetts
The Swift River offers Massachusetts trout fishing on the fly. Deerfield River and Millers River are the other waters in this selection.
3 RIVERS
New Hampshire
The Saco River through Conway offers trout fishing. Androscoggin River and Connecticut River complete our first New Hampshire picks.
3 RIVERS
New Jersey
Ken Lockwood Gorge is a named fishing reach on the South Branch Raritan River. Big Flatbrook and the Musconetcong River complete our first three New Jersey picks.
15 RIVERS
New York
The Upper Delaware includes its branches and mainstem; the West Branch below Cannonsville Reservoir and the mainstem from Hancock to Callicoon are distinct places to investigate. Wild brown and rainbow trout occur in that mainstem reach, with the Beaverkill River and West Branch Ausable River among the other New York selections.
New York Fishing Guide19 RIVERS
Pennsylvania
Penns Creek has brown trout. Letort Spring Run and Big Spring Creek are the other Pennsylvania waters in this selection.
1 RIVER
Rhode Island
The Wood River is our Rhode Island trout-water selection. It is the single river included here for the state.
5 RIVERS
Vermont
The Batten Kill offers brown-trout fishing in Vermont. White River and Mettawee River complete our first three picks.
South
1 RIVER
Alabama
The Sipsey Fork below Smith Lake offers cold-water rainbow trout fishing. The tailwater below the dam is the focus of this Alabama selection.
5 RIVERS
Arkansas
The White River below Bull Shoals Dam offers cold-water fishing for brown and rainbow trout, with baitfish imitations among the streamer options. The Little Red River and Norfork River are also on our Arkansas shortlist.
1 RIVER
Florida
The Suwannee River has Suwannee bass, adding a bass destination to this largely trout-focused guide. It is the Florida river covered in this selection.
Florida Fishing Guide7 RIVERS
Georgia
The Chattahoochee River below Buford Dam offers trout fishing, so that specific reach is the focus for a trout trip. The Toccoa River and Chattooga River are the other Georgia waters on our shortlist.
2 RIVERS
Kentucky
The Cumberland River below Wolf Creek Dam is a trout tailwater with brown and rainbow trout. Elkhorn Creek is the other Kentucky water in our selection.
10 RIVERS
North Carolina
The Davidson River is a North Carolina trout-fishing destination. The Nantahala River and Hazel Creek are the other two waters on our first shortlist.
3 RIVERS
Oklahoma
The Lower Mountain Fork River has both rainbow and brown trout. The Blue River and Lower Illinois River round out the Oklahoma selection.
2 RIVERS
South Carolina
The Middle Saluda River offers trout fishing in Jones Gap State Park. It joins the Saluda River in this two-river South Carolina selection.
9 RIVERS
Tennessee
The Elk River below Tims Ford Dam provides a trout-tailwater option. The South Holston River, Caney Fork, and Clinch River are the other Tennessee waters to put beside it.
5 RIVERS
Texas
The Guadalupe River below Canyon Dam offers trout fishing. The Llano River and Devils River complete the first Texas shortlist, with the Guadalupe tailwater as the trout-focused starting point.
8 RIVERS
Virginia
Mossy Creek is spring-fed trout water. Jackson River and Rapidan River are the other Virginia waters in this selection.
6 RIVERS
West Virginia
The Cranberry River is a West Virginia trout stream. The Elk River and Shavers Fork complete our first three picks in the state.
TAKE THE NEXT STEP
From A State To A Day On The River
Choose a river that fits the fishing you want to do, then use the linked guides to plan your visit. Check the exact access and current rules for the reach you intend to fish.
Colorado Fishing Guide
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Pack For The Water You Choose
For a trout trip, organize the flies for your chosen river in a SF slim fly box. If your plans include wading, the Frogg Toggs Canyon II waders are one option to compare; KastKing Skidaway polarized sunglasses are another item for your packing list. Match the rest of your tackle to the river and the fish you plan to target.
Save This Fishing Guide For Later
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