Sweetwater River Fishing Guides
The river the Oregon Trail followed west for a hundred miles, running clear through sage and granite past Independence Rock, and still a genuine brown trout stream.
Guides on the Sweetwater River
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About the Sweetwater River
No river in the American West carries more history per mile than the Sweetwater. Emigrant wagons on the Oregon, California and Mormon trails followed it for roughly a hundred miles because it was the reliable water on the long climb toward South Pass, and the landmarks they recorded in their journals still stand along it: Independence Rock, where thousands carved their names, Devils Gate, where the river has cut a narrow slot through a granite ridge, and Split Rock, which guided travellers for days. Fishing it means fishing through all of that.
It is also, quite apart from the history, a good small trout river. The Sweetwater runs clear and cold through sage flats and granite outcrops in central Wyoming, with the long grassy banks, undercuts and meander bends that brown trout favour. Browns are the dominant fish and the main reason to come, with rainbow trout well distributed, brook trout in the colder upper water and tributaries, and cutthroat present in the headwaters toward the Wind River Range. Mountain whitefish are common. The river is small enough to wade comfortably and to read from the bank, which makes it approachable water despite the remoteness.
The gauge near Sweetwater Station reports discharge and stage. This is snowmelt water, so the pattern is the familiar one for the region: high and off-colour through late May and June, dropping into excellent condition by midsummer, and holding fishable flows through the autumn. Public access is better than on much Wyoming trout water, with substantial stretches crossing federal land, but the country is open, exposed and a long way from services in any direction. It is also worth bringing more water and fuel than seems necessary, because the distances between the landmarks are longer on the ground than they look on a map and there is nothing in between.
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Access
Sweetwater Station - the gauge locality and the usual reference point for conditions on the middle river.
Independence Rock - the best known landmark on the river, with a state historic site and parking.
Devils Gate - the granite slot the river has cut, immediately upstream of Independence Rock.
Split Rock - a further upstream landmark on the trail corridor with road access to the river.
Jeffrey City - the nearest settlement, with the most convenient road access to the upper reaches.
Three Crossings - a historic trail ford giving access to a remote middle stretch.
Muddy Gap - the junction to the east, the practical approach to the lower river.
Seasons
Spring: snowmelt keeps the river high and coloured through late May and June, with little worth fishing until the flows begin to drop.
Summer: the river comes into excellent shape through July and fishes well all season, running clear and cold over gravel and granite.
Fall: the finest window of the year, with brown trout aggressive before spawning, steady low flows and almost no other anglers.
Winter: cold, low and iced in the slower meanders, with access roads frequently the real obstacle.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Sweetwater River?
As of Nov 2, 6:30 am, the USGS gauge SWEETWATER RIVER NEAR SWEETWATER STATION, WY reads 42 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Sweetwater River?
Anglers target Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Mountain Whitefish, Rainbow Trout, White Sucker on the Sweetwater River in Wyoming.
Where can you access the Sweetwater River?
Sweetwater Station - the gauge locality and the usual reference point for conditions on the middle river. Independence Rock - the best known landmark on the river, with a state historic site and parking. Devils Gate - the granite slot the river has cut, immediately upstream of Independence Rock. Split Rock - a further upstream landmark on the trail corridor with road access to the river. Jeffrey City - the nearest settlement, with the most convenient road access to the upper reaches. Three Crossings - a historic trail ford giving access to a remote middle stretch. Muddy Gap - the junction to t...
When is the best time to fish the Sweetwater River?
Spring: snowmelt keeps the river high and coloured through late May and June, with little worth fishing until the flows begin to drop. Summer: the river comes into excellent shape through July and fishes well all season, running clear and cold over gravel and granite. Fall: the finest window of the year, with brown trout aggressive before spawning, steady low flows and almost no other anglers. Winter: cold, low and iced in the slower meanders, with access roads frequently the real obstacle.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Sweetwater River?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Wyoming agency site: https://wgfd.wyo.gov/regulations