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River guide · Wyoming

Fly Fishing the Salt River

Star Valley's Salt River is a small, intimate freestone stream fed by springs and high-country snowmelt, running cold through willowy ranch corridors with wild Snake River fine-spotted cutthroat and sizeable brown trout that don't see nearly enough pressure. The float from Afton to the Snake takes anglers through some of Wyoming's most scenic agricultural valley, and some surprisingly technical dry-fly water.

  • 7 shops nearby
  • freestone
  • Late June–November (clears earlier than neighboring rivers
  • Wyoming
  • 6 key hatches
See fly shops ↓

The best time to fly fish the Salt River is Late June–November (clears earlier than neighboring rivers. Key hatches include Salmonfly, Golden Stonefly, Pale Morning Dun, Caddis. 7 fly shops near the Salt River can outfit your trip.

Fly shops near the Salt River

Shops and guides that fish the Salt River. See all 37 Wyoming shops →

Feathered Hook Outfitters & Fly ShopWyoming Fishing CompanyTeton TroutfittersFish The Fly Guide ServiceReel Deal AnglersTeton Fly FishingGrand Teton Fly Fishing
7 fly shops shown

Species on this water

Trout

Nearby towns

AftonDanielJackson

Rivers nearby

Snake RiverNew Fork RiverFirehole RiverNorth Platte River
Hatches & seasons

When & what to fish on the Salt River

River typefreestone
Best seasonLate June–November (clears earlier than neighboring rivers; fall peak for brown trout Oct–Nov)
AccessThe Salt River winds through mostly private ranchland in Star Valley; drift boat floating is the primary way to cover good water. Wyoming Game & Fish has purchased public easement access areas at several points along the corridor, well-signed from Highway 89 between Afton and Alpine.
Key hatches
  • Salmonfly (late June–early July)
  • Golden Stonefly (July)
  • Pale Morning Dun (June–July)
  • Caddis (July–August)
  • Terrestrials / Hoppers (August–September)
  • Blue-winged Olive / Baetis (Sept–Nov)
From The Fly Bench

Tie the flies that work on the Salt River

Step-by-step tying recipes & videos for these patterns.

Browse all 880+ patterns at The Fly Bench
Gear up

Gear up on the Salt River

Everything you need before the next trip — rods, lines, leaders, and fly-tying materials.

Shop the gear Flies that work

The flies that work on the Salt River

Find the most effective patterns for where you're fishing — and learn to tie them yourself, step by step.

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Updated June 2026