Big Sandy River
river in Wyoming
The Big Sandy River is a gateway to the southern Wind Rivers, providing a mix of easily accessible and remote fishing, renowned for its pristine waters and wild trout.
What's working on Big Sandy River
- 01Crisp fall weather with clear skies and mild temperatures on the Big Sandy River.
- 02Active Blue-Winged Olive (BWO) hatches and consistent midge activity are present.
- 03Brown trout are staging for spawning, making egg patterns a crucial fly choice.
- 04Focus on slower runs, seams, eddies, deeper pools, riffle tails, and gravelly stretches for feeding fish.
- 05Utilize a versatile dry-dropper rig to cover both surface and subsurface feeding, being mindful of spawning trout.
Past reports week by week
9 weeksWhat to tie on
Picked from reports, hatches and the season. Tap a fly for the recipe and where else it works.
Pheasant Tail Nymph
An essential and versatile searching nymph, especially effective for imitating various mayfly nymphs that are active year-round.
Buy at AmazonWoolly Bugger (Olive)
A versatile and reliable streamer for eliciting aggressive strikes from larger predatory trout and grayling in fall conditions.
Flashback Hare's Ear Nymph
An excellent general searching nymph, mimicking various aquatic insects and scuds active in the currents year-round.
Blue-Winged Olive Comparadun
Active Blue-Winged Olive (BWO) hatches are occurring, making this pattern effective for surface feeders.
Zebra Midge (Black)
Consistent midge activity remains a year-round staple, effective as a subsurface searching pattern in colder water.
October Caddis (Dry)
Capitalize on the significant large October Caddis hatch that can occur in the fall.
Buy at AmazonBlood Dot Egg
Fall is the egg season for trout, particularly with brown trout staging for their spawn, making this pattern crucial.
Buy at AmazonWhere to fish and who to ask
Big Sandy Opening Trailhead
Provides access to the upper river and wilderness area, ideal for adventurous anglers seeking solitude.
Bridge Access near Farson
Lower river access points near Farson, often easier to reach and fish.
Sweetwater Gap Section
Productive waters further downstream, offering different character and fishing opportunities.
Fly shops within 40 miles
Two Rivers Fishing Co.
Rendezvous Anglers
Get Big Sandy River reports by email
Save this water and we'll email you a weekly summary of conditions, hatches and what's working.
Wyoming season by season
What changes on the water through the year, with the flies for each season.
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Quick answers
Common questions about Big Sandy River.
What flies work best on Big Sandy River?
Our top scored fly patterns for Big Sandy River right now are Pheasant Tail Nymph (80% confidence), Woolly Bugger (Olive) (80% confidence), Flashback Hare's Ear Nymph (80% confidence). These picks are scored from recent fishing reports, hatch data, and seasonal patterns.
What fish species are in Big Sandy River?
Big Sandy River holds Grayling. See the species links on this page for fly recommendations and seasonal behavior for each.
What are current flow conditions on Big Sandy River?
Live USGS streamflow readings for Big Sandy River are charted in the sidebar of this page and updated automatically from the nearest gauge.
Is Big Sandy River fishing well right now?
We publish a fresh bite report for Big Sandy River each week based on recent on-the-water intel. The current report — with conditions, hatches, and what's producing — is on this page.