Looking for crystal balls here

[Mike O]

Anyone care to hazard a guess about when the best time to travel/fish the west outside CA will be this next summer? We will be taking at least 2 and maybe 3 weeks

We will be going to NV, ID, MT, WY, CO, UT, and maybe SD. We will also hit at least NE and AZ, but prolly won't fish them.

What's your trick knee or whatever say about the weather next year ( he says while it is pouring here in Woodland, CA)?

I just gotta live in my future for a while.

[Scott V]

I see another long winter that stays around late like it did last year. Tons of snow and massive amounts of water so rivers will once again be flowing high much later in the year than normal.

[Fly Guy Dave]

No trick knee or farmer's almanac juju from me, but I'd wager that even in a wet (ish) year going back that way in mid-July, you'd be OK in most cases. I went to SE MT this last summer in mid July as was told by some respected sources that I should wait until at least early to mid August. Bah! I couldn't stand to wait any longer, so I went anyhow. Yeah, the water was higher than normal on rivers like the Madison and Rock Creek, but they still fished really well and it was well worth the trip. Some places, like the Green in UT, the big lost in ID, the Beaverhead in MT and even parts of the Madison are all tailwaters, so a big runoff is less of a factor there.

I monitor a bunch of websites from an assortment of guides and fly shops back that way to get a good idea how things are shaping up before I go, bearing in mind that some shops and guides make things seem "absolutely epic" all of the time, so their info is taken with a healthy dose of skepticism.

--F.G. Dave

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

July and August?

Most fishing shoul be good in July.

It is really hot and nasty here in August so it is nice to be gone then.

[Dave E.]

While I'd agree with the July & August time frame for the sake of river flows. Based on our travels to fish the southwest, my advice would be to start with the AZ leg of your trip first and in early July, working your way north.
The S.W. monsoon season starts in July, typically running through Sept. It's not a deal breaker for us, but it can make for some soggy tourista' activities, etc.

B.T.W. Mesa Verde N.P. in S.W. CO is a lifetime must.

Dave