ASK GAME & FISH

“Mark, what is a blue ribbon stream, and where are Wyoming’s located?”

A blue ribbon stream is a designation given to trout fisheries that are extremely high-quality for anglers and wildlife enthusiasts. Blue ribbon streams in Wyoming are those with greater than 600 pounds of trout per mile. These represent the top 3-5 percent of rivers or streams in the state for trout production.

Waters on the list include:

North Platte River - Colorado line to Casper
Bighorn River - near Thermopolis
Shoshone River - near Cody
Snake River - Jackson Lake to Idaho
Middle Fork Powder River - near Kaycee
Encampment River - near Riverside
Wind River - near Dubois
Sand Creek - near Sundance
Salt River - near Alpine
New Fork River - near Pinedale

In these waters, you can plan to catch a variety of trout species, including: rainbow, brown, cutthroat and the occasional brook trout. The blue ribbon streams are all great fishing destinations to plan a trip to this spring or summer, and you can buy your license online.