August 31, 2026
Fishing remains steady and productive in the mornings on both Big Creek and the North Platte. Low flows are becoming the main crux of fishing, as cooler nights have started to lower the water temperature back into a healthy range. Nymphing on the Platte in the early morning is a good way to find fish before tricos start to come off. Large trico hatches present opportunities for rising fish. These hatches tend to start around 9 a.m. and last for about an hour. Fish have become pickier during these hatches, no longer taking purple adams #16 and keying in on small trico dun patterns. Throwing a double dry rig during these hatches is a productive way to fish, and allowing the trico dun to sink just below the surface sometimes triggers a strike. Hopper dropper rigs with a variety of bead head nymphs continue to produce fish. Throwing streamers through shallow riffles as the sun hits the water can trigger a big fish strike.
Big Creek flows are low. Small dry flies in the morning have been successful. Approaching pools and runs stealthily is key when targeting rising fish. A variety of bead head nymphs are working. Hopper bites are more consistent on Big Creek, so hopper dropper rigs are the most efficient way to fish when the bugs turn off. Again, low flows and clear water make for spooky fish so small tippet and stealthy approaches will lead to success.
Suggested Fly Patterns
Parachute Adams (#18-22), Purple Parachute Adams (#14 – 20), Chubby Chernobyl (#8 – 12), Peaches and Cream (#16-18), Rainbow warrior (#18), Trico Spinner (#20-22), Streamers (#4-8), Red Copper John (#14-18)
Current Hatches: Tricos, Caddis, Blue-Winged Olives, Mahogany Duns, Grasshoppers, Ants
General Entomology
The major insect hatches consist of stoneflies, caddis, and mayflies. There is also an ample supply of terrestrial insects, aquatic worms, and native minnows that make up much of a trout’s diet.
Hatches generally begin mid-morning, and at times will last the entire day. Spring offers a diverse range of caddis, stoneflies, and mayflies. Terrestrial insects are most abundant during the heat of the summer—July and August—and will survive until the first hard frost. The most notable mayfly hatch in the upper North Platte River watershed is the trico mayfly, which usually arrives late-July and August. In the fall, and especially with a little moisture, blue winged olive mayflies may hatch the entire day.
Throughout the year trout will feed subsurface on the aquatic stages of many insects. Spring is often a time when lots of terrestrial nymphs and aquatic worms are flushed through the streams. It is also a time when stoneflies and caddis hatch, attracting the attention of many trout. In correlation with the seasonal hatches and as stream levels drop, trout will shift their focus to smaller mayfly and midge nymphs later in the season.
Trout are opportunistic feeders, and at certain times territorial. Streamers imitate the various life stages of fishes and leeches, and can be an effective method of fishing the entire season. Streamers are usually large and flashy, which make them a great option during the early season when water levels are high and off color. They also work well in lakes where trout sometimes ambush their prey.
General Hatch Guide
Mid-June to July
- Caddis
- Stoneflies (golden, salmonflies, yellow sallies, and little black)
- Mayflies (pale morning dun, green and brown drakes)
- Terrestrials (grasshoppers and ants)
- Aquatic worms
July to August
- Caddis
- Stoneflies (yellow sallies)
- Mayflies (trico, pale morning dun, callibeatis, and mahogany dun)
- Terrestrials (grasshoppers and ants)
- Midges
August to September
- Caddis
- Mayflies (trico, blue winged olive, and blue quill)
- Terrestrials (grasshoppers and ants)
- Midges
