One of the great things about fishing in the Internet age is being able to access information like stream reports quickly.  That's also one of the bad things about fishing in the Internet age... some of that quick information you get is garbage.

On the one hand, if I want to know what the flow is, and what flies are working on the Yellowstone River right now, it takes all of five minutes to Google up some results and get a gaggle of info.  On the other hand, I'm not always sure how honest and insightful the info is... sometimes it's hard to check those sources.

Here's a website that's worth checking out:  The Orvis River Report website. From what I can tell, the site does a very respectable job of providing current and reliable information on over 130 major trout rivers throughout the country. (An oft-attempted, seldom accomplished holy grail of fly fishing reporting that Orvis' dealer network has the bandwidth to pull off...)  

Check your home water, and tell us if they're on the money or not.

There's nothing worse than the souped-up river fantasy report from a shop trying to hook some quick business... "man the hatch is ON, the fishing is going OFF"... and you get there to find the river blown out by rain, no bugs...  Got me once, lyin' fly shop guy, but your credibility is shot, and you'll never see me buy so much as a spool of tippet from you again.  

That ever happen to you?

Deeter  

Comments (6)

from buckhunter wrote 4 weeks 2 days ago

Wow. Great Website. I usually go the the US Geological site for stream flows but have discovered in recent years that the river gauges sometime freeze, break or are recalibrated which makes guessing water conditions unbearable. I'm through calling local shops because, as you say, it's always fishable to them.

It's getting into steelhead season and the fickel waters of Northern Ohio can go from a trickel to raging if somebody pisses upstream.

I'll save this site for further reference. Hopefully I'll be steelheading for the first time this year on Thursday. Hopefully.

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from fflutterffly wrote 4 weeks 1 day ago

Excellent information except for California they leave off many very popular rivers: The Kings, Kern and Owens, The Merced, Truckee, Yuba and Smith. There are many more waters to be reported when you live in a state as populated by 36,756,000.

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from jamesti wrote 4 weeks 1 day ago

i've found some of the fly shops around the front range in co. are not into helping you unless you are in there to buy a bunch of stuff. they won't get my business.

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from fly_flinger wrote 4 weeks 1 day ago

The reports for Pennsylvania's bigger streams and rivers seem pretty accurate. I didn't check the steelhead and salmon rivers since they are 6 hours away from me but would expect them to be on the money too.
Thanks for the useful link.

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from MLH wrote 4 weeks 23 hours ago

Very nice. For local rivers it seems they get some info from some shared sources (Orvis endorsed lodges and shops). This will be great for getting a clue on new waters.

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from Ken Sperry wrote 4 weeks 22 hours ago

I've found the Orvis reports to be pretty good for my local streams in eastern PA.

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from buckhunter wrote 4 weeks 2 days ago

Wow. Great Website. I usually go the the US Geological site for stream flows but have discovered in recent years that the river gauges sometime freeze, break or are recalibrated which makes guessing water conditions unbearable. I'm through calling local shops because, as you say, it's always fishable to them.

It's getting into steelhead season and the fickel waters of Northern Ohio can go from a trickel to raging if somebody pisses upstream.

I'll save this site for further reference. Hopefully I'll be steelheading for the first time this year on Thursday. Hopefully.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from fflutterffly wrote 4 weeks 1 day ago

Excellent information except for California they leave off many very popular rivers: The Kings, Kern and Owens, The Merced, Truckee, Yuba and Smith. There are many more waters to be reported when you live in a state as populated by 36,756,000.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from jamesti wrote 4 weeks 1 day ago

i've found some of the fly shops around the front range in co. are not into helping you unless you are in there to buy a bunch of stuff. they won't get my business.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from fly_flinger wrote 4 weeks 1 day ago

The reports for Pennsylvania's bigger streams and rivers seem pretty accurate. I didn't check the steelhead and salmon rivers since they are 6 hours away from me but would expect them to be on the money too.
Thanks for the useful link.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from MLH wrote 4 weeks 23 hours ago

Very nice. For local rivers it seems they get some info from some shared sources (Orvis endorsed lodges and shops). This will be great for getting a clue on new waters.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Ken Sperry wrote 4 weeks 22 hours ago

I've found the Orvis reports to be pretty good for my local streams in eastern PA.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

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All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.