North Brush Creek Fishing Guides
A small forest creek off the west slope of the Snowy Range above Saratoga, running cold through lodgepole and willow into the North Platte valley.
Guides on the North Brush Creek
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About the North Brush Creek
North Brush Creek drains the western slope of the Snowy Range in the Medicine Bow National Forest and runs down toward the North Platte River in the Saratoga valley of south central Wyoming. This is high country water. The headwaters sit above nine thousand feet in lodgepole pine and spruce, and the creek falls through a sequence of meadow reaches and short timbered canyons before reaching the sagebrush flats of the valley floor. Most of its length is on national forest land, which makes access straightforward in a state where private ground closes a great deal of water.
The flow regime is pure snowmelt. Runoff peaks hard in late May and June when the Snowy Range snowpack releases, and through that period the creek is high, cold and largely unfishable. It drops through July into a long clear low water period that runs to autumn, and that is when the creek fishes. Because the basin is small and almost entirely forested, the water clears quickly after summer thunderstorms and the discharge trace settles within a day or two of a storm rather than staying up for a week.
The fishing is small stream trout fishing of the most straightforward kind. Brook trout dominate much of the upper creek and are abundant if not large, with brown trout heavier and warier in the lower meadow reaches and rainbow trout mixed through. Cutthroat are present in parts of the drainage. Willow lined meadow sections hold the better fish and demand a careful approach, while the pocket water in the timber rewards covering ground quickly. The North Platte below Saratoga is the region’s celebrated water and takes almost all the guide traffic, which leaves creeks like this one quiet.
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Access
Saratoga - the town in the valley, with lodging, fly shops, hot springs and the nearest full services.
Medicine Bow National Forest - the public land the creek drains, with campgrounds and forest road access.
Brush Creek Work Center - the Forest Service site on the drainage, with the main access road.
North Platte River - the valley river below and the principal guided fishery in the area.
Snowy Range - the high country above, with alpine lakes and further small stream fishing.
Encampment - south in the valley, with services and access to the upper North Platte.
Laramie - roughly ninety minutes east, with the nearest airport and full services.
Seasons
Spring: snowbound then blown out, with runoff filling the creek through late May and June and little fishing possible.
Summer: the season proper, clear and low from July onward with willing brook trout and good meadow fishing.
Fall: cool, settled and quiet, with brown trout colouring up and the best conditions of the year before the snow.
Winter: snowed in and inaccessible, with the forest roads closed and no practical angling on the creek.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the North Brush Creek?
As of Oct 18, 5:30 pm, the USGS gauge NORTH BRUSH CREEK NEAR SARATOGA, WY reads 10 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the North Brush Creek?
Anglers target Arctic Grayling, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Creek Chub, Cuttbow, Cutthroat Trout, Mountain Whitefish, Rainbow Trout, Splake, White Sucker on the North Brush Creek in Wyoming.
Where can you access the North Brush Creek?
Saratoga - the town in the valley, with lodging, fly shops, hot springs and the nearest full services. Medicine Bow National Forest - the public land the creek drains, with campgrounds and forest road access. Brush Creek Work Center - the Forest Service site on the drainage, with the main access road. North Platte River - the valley river below and the principal guided fishery in the area. Snowy Range - the high country above, with alpine lakes and further small stream fishing. Encampment - south in the valley, with services and access to the upper North Platte. Laramie - roughly ninety minute...
When is the best time to fish the North Brush Creek?
Spring: snowbound then blown out, with runoff filling the creek through late May and June and little fishing possible. Summer: the season proper, clear and low from July onward with willing brook trout and good meadow fishing. Fall: cool, settled and quiet, with brown trout colouring up and the best conditions of the year before the snow. Winter: snowed in and inaccessible, with the forest roads closed and no practical angling on the creek.
Where are the fishing regulations for the North Brush Creek?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Wyoming agency site: https://wgfd.wyo.gov/regulations