Flat Creek
Fly fishing in Wyoming · Advanced · Best seasons: Summer, Fall
Target Species
Cutthroat Trout
About This Water
Spring creek through Jackson with trophy cutthroat. Technical fishing with strict regulations.
Fishing Recommendations
Welcome to one of the most rewarding, yet humbling, fly fishing experiences in the American West. As a guide, I often tell clients that if you can catch a fish on Flat Creek, you can catch a fish anywhere in the world.
Located just north of the town of Jackson, Wyoming, within the National Elk Refuge, this is "PhD water." It is a classic spring-creek-style fishery that demands stealth, precision, and patience.
🎣 Location Overview
Flat Creek is a serpentine, slow-moving meadow stream that winds through the golden grasslands of the National Elk Refuge. What makes it special is its juxtaposition: you are fishing in a wide-open, silent valley with the jagged Teton Range towering in the background, all while being only minutes from downtown Jackson.
The water is crystal clear, cold, and characterized by deep undercut banks, tight meanders, and thick beds of aquatic vegetation (macrophytes). It lacks the heavy rapids of the nearby Snake River; instead, it offers glass-like glides where a single misplaced ripple can spook every fish in the pool. Anglers love it because it is the ultimate test of "stalk and hunt" fly fishing.
🐟 Target Species & Behavior
The star of the show here is the Snake River Fine-Spotted Cutthroat Trout.
- Behavior: These fish are notorious for being "lookers." They will often rise slowly to a fly, drift with it for six feet, and then refuse it at the last second.
- Holding Spots: They hug the undercut banks and hover near the edges of weed beds. In the heat of the day, they tuck deep under the banks. When a hatch is on, they move into the shallow "tails" of pools or sit in the tiny "buckets" between weed patches.
- Feeding: They are highly opportunistic but very selective about presentation. They feed heavily on terrestrial insects (grasshoppers, ants, beetles) in the summer and tiny mayflies in the fall.
📅 Best Times to Fish
Flat Creek has a very specific and limited season compared to other Wyoming waters.
- Optimal Seasons: The season traditionally opens August 1st and runs through October 31st.
- Summer (August): This is prime "Hopper" season. The banks are crawling with grasshoppers.
- Fall (September - October): The focus shifts to Baetis (Blue Winged Olives) and Mahogany Duns. The crowds thin out, and the bulls (elk) begin bugling on the refuge, providing an incredible soundtrack.
- Time of Day:
- Morning: Focus on nymphing or small midges.
- Mid-Day (11 AM - 3 PM): This is the window for terrestrials and major mayfly hatches.
- Evening: Spinner falls can be productive, but the light gets tricky for spotting rises.
🪰 Recommended Flies & Techniques
Top Fly Patterns
- Terrestrials: Dave’s Hopper, Parachute Hopper (Tan/Pink, size 10-14), Morrish Hopper, and Black Ants (size 16-18) are essential.
- Dry Flies: Parachute Adams (size 18-22), CDC BWO, and the "Sparkle Dun" for Baetis emergences.
- Nymphs: Pheasant Tail (unweighted or lightly weighted, size 18-20), Zebra Midge (Red or Black, size 20), and the "RS2" in gray.
- Crane Flies: A large orange or tan Crane Fly imitation can be a "secret weapon" here in late summer.
Techniques & Presentation
- The "Reach Cast": This is non-negotiable. You must be able to cast across the current and mend in the air to ensure the fly reaches the fish before the leader does.
- The Stealth Approach: Approach the bank on your knees. If you stand tall on the high banks, your silhouette against the sky will send the Cutthroats darting for cover.
- Long Leaders: Use 12 to 15-foot leaders tapered down to 5X or 6X fluorocarbon.
💡 Pro Tips & Local Knowledge
- Observe Before Casting: Spend 10 minutes just watching a pool. These fish have "feeding lanes" only inches wide. If you blind-cast, you risk lining a fish you didn't see.
- The "Twitch": While a dead drift is usually best, during hopper season, a tiny, subtle twitch of the fly can trigger an aggressive strike from a fish under an undercut bank.
- Mind the Vegetation: When you hook a fish, they will immediately dive into the thick weeds. You have to put immediate upward pressure on them to keep their heads up, or you will lose them in the "salad."
- The "Town Stretch": While the Refuge is famous, don't overlook the section that runs through the town of Jackson. It is managed differently but can hold surprisingly large fish.
⚠️ Important Information
- Access: Access is via the National Elk Refuge road. There are designated parking areas and footpaths. Do not drive off-road.
- Regulations:
- Catch and Release only for Cutthroat Trout.
- Artificial Flies and Lures only.
- A Wyoming Fishing License is required, along with a Conservation Stamp.
- Safety: This is grizzly bear and moose country. Even though you are near town, carry bear spray and keep a sharp eye out when walking through tall willows.
- Season Dates: Always check the current Wyoming Game & Fish Department (WGFD) regulations, as opening dates can sometimes shift based on environmental factors.
Flat Creek isn't about high fish counts; it’s about the quality of the hunt. Approach it with respect, move slowly, and enjoy the challenge of one of the world's finest spring creeks. Tight lines!
Bug Hatches & Matching Flies
| Hatch | Type | Peak months | Time of day | Hook sizes | Matching flies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pale Morning Dun (PMD) Ephemerella excrucians | mayfly | July, August | Late Morning/Early Afternoon | #16-18 | Last Chance Limp Critter #16-18, Sparkle Dun #16-18, Pheasant Tail #16-18 |
| Trico Tricorythodes | mayfly | August, September | Early Morning | #20-24 | Trico Spinner (Poly Wing) #20-24, Drowned Trico #22-24 |
| Blue Winged Olive (BWO) Baetis | mayfly | May, September, October | Mid-day | #18-22 | RS2 #18-22, Parachute Adams #18-22, BWO CDC Dun #20-22 |
| Grasshoppers Orthoptera | terrestrial | August, September | Late Morning/Afternoon | #8-12 | Parachute Hopper #10-12, Rainy's Grand Hopper #8-10, Morrish Hopper #10-12 |
| Spotted Sedge Hydropsyche | caddis | July, August | Evening | #14-16 | Elk Hair Caddis #14-16, LaFontaine's Deep Sparkle Pupa #14-16 |
| Crane Fly Tipulidae | terrestrial | August, September | Afternoon | #10-14 | Crane Fly Adult #10-12, Killer Bug #12-14 |
| Black Ants Formicidae | terrestrial | July, August | Afternoon | #16-20 | Cinnamon or Black Ant #16-20, Carpenter Ant #14-16 |
| Midges Chironomidae | midge | May, August, September | Morning | #20-26 | Zebra Midge #20-22, Griffith's Gnat #20-24 |
| Callibaetis Callibaetis | mayfly | July, August | Late Morning | #14-16 | Callibaetis Spinner #14-16, Hares Ear #14-16 |