| Blue River Below Dillon Reservoir |
Flow: 1220 cfs. |
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| Conditions: Flows have jumped and fishing is tenuous. Nymphing continues to provide the most consistent action with an increase in food coming from the higher flow out of the dam. While on cloudy days midges are hatching mid-day, with some good fish feeding on top, however, getting a good drift can be a challenge. Flies: Charlie’s Mysis, BTS Mysis, Stalcup’s Mysis, Medallion midge 20-24, UV Emerger black 20-24, Kingery’s Capt’n Hook 20, Garcia’s Rojo Midge Red or Black 20. |
| Blue River Below Green Mountain |
Flow: 1200 cfs. |
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| Conditions: Water level up over a thousand again, pretty much making the wading a dangerous proposition. Floating is about your only option here and even then is tougher to get the flies to the fish at these levels. Reports have indicated some success. Best option is going to be nymph fishing. Make sure to use enough weight and a good deep set up. Please respect private property rights along the river. Flies: Larger size Bead Head Nymphs: #10-12 Hare’s ear, Prince, Tungteaser, Tungsten Rubber Leg Yellow Sally, Stubby Stone, San Juan Flash Worm and Red Hot Worm. |
| Colorado River Above Kremmling |
Flow: 3229 cfs. |
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| Conditions: Very high, off color and out of the banks in most spots. Best to wait for the flow to recede. |
| Colorado River Pumphouse to Dotsero |
Flow: 5650 cfs. |
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| Off color and high water. There is some slim hope of catching a brief window of clarity combined with the right spot on the river to get a fish to eat. Look for the water temp to come up a little bit for that to be a better chance. Flies: (if you must) Big Stone fly patterns: Kaufman stones, Bitch Creek, Berry’s Super Stone Salmon, Tungsten 20 incher. As well as try a Baetis nymph or two: Barr’s Emerger, Juju Baetis, Mercer’s Gidget. And throw in a caddis for good measure: Morrish’s Super Pupa Bright Green, Buckskin Caddis. |
| Colorado Below Glenwood Springs |
Flow 11300 cfs. |
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| Big and dirty, good for a boat ride. Don’t miss the stop at Dairy Queen, river-right, just past the bridge in West Glenwood. Or for an entertaining side trip, check out the surfers on the stationary wade just above the West Glenwood bridge. The closest thing to Pipeline the mainland has seen. |
| Arkansas River Above Buena Vista |
Flow: 210-766 cfs. |
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| Conditions: Water levels have climbed slightly, but not too high to offer great wade fishing opportunities. Continues to fish steady on Blue Winged Olive patterns both sub-surface and on top. Hatches of Baetis lasting from 1 hour on sunny days to 3 hours or more on cloudy afternoons and have provided good action with dries. Nymphing with searching patterns is also producing steady results. Flies: Bead Pheasant Tail, Hot Wire Prince, Juju Baetis, Barr’s Emerger, Tungsten Split Case BWO, Winter Baetis Nymph, Sparkle Baetis BWO, Parachute Extended Body BWO, Para Winger BWO. |
| Arkansas River Below Buena Vista |
Flow: 756 cfs. |
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| Conditions: Water level has risen over the last week, but has leveled out for the time being. The Brown’s Canyon stretch offers good fishing conditions with the best hatch being the Blue Winged Olives. Clarity varies from 2 to 3.5 feet. The hatch is emerging anywhere from 11:15 am to 2 pm, based on water temps and weather conditions. Further downstream, the Caddis have been inconsistent to say the least. There have been some great days in certain spots, but the action to the dry flies has not been as widespread and steady as anglers hope for. Luck has played as big of a part in fly casters success as any factor. Flies: Bead Head Pheasant Tail, Tungstone Golden, Juju Baetis, Barr’s Emerger, Split case BWO, Chartreuse Hot Wire Caddis, Thin Skin Caddis Pupa, Nitro Caddis Pupa-Olive or Tan, Parachute Extended Body BWO, Sparkle Baetis Olive/Gray, Peacock Caddis, Spotlight Caddis Olive, Elk Hair Caddis. |
| Roaring Fork River at Glenwood Springs |
Flow: 2450 cfs. |
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| The water level has risen over the last week and a half, with the clarity all but gone. There is a potential for a brief window, as in a couple of hours at most, to open up the day after a cool snap, but for all practical purposes, this one may be done for now. Look further up stream above the confluence with the Crystal for a better chance at that window. Check back on The Roaring Fork as the spring goes on, this is a great river right after run off. |
| Platte South River, Middle Fork |
Flow: 40=+/- cfs. |
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| Water is nice and low, clarity offers good visibility. Tomahawk has been fishing well for numbers, just not seeing any fish of larger stature but, a good option right now for those that want to fish moving water without the risk of being swept away. Flies: Hare’s ear, Red or Copper flavored Copper John, Buckskin caddis, STD Baetis, Tungsten Psycho. |
| South Platte, Dream Stream |
Flow: 149 cfs. |
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| Finally, the flows have bumped up to a great fishing level. We look for the fishing to start to pick up now that the flows allow for more habitat and comfort for the fish. Midges are the most consistent offering but the Baetis nymphs are also a good source of forage. Most of the spawning is wrapping up, but please be aware of fresh Redds and avoid disturbing them or the fish on them. Flies: Jujubee zebra 20-22, UV Emerger 20-24, Black Beauty 22-24, RS-2 Black or Dun 20-24. |
| Williams Fork River Below Dam |
Flow 616 cfs. |
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| Conditions: The river has jumped up from the low winter flow that lasted until just a few days ago. Unfishable volume, out of its banks and into the grass. It may be some time before this stretch is fishable again. |
| Antero Reservoir |
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| Conditions: Weather has been the factor here as well. The ice is off and fishing can be good, it just has been at the mercy of the wind and occasional snow shower. Please exercise caution when venturing out onto this impoundment. It is not uncommon for winds to blow 20mph with gusts to 40 at this time of year. The Division of Wildlife will once again be doing inspections for invasive species at the boat ramp. Allow for a little extra time before launching any trailered boats. Chironomids have been the best bet, with additional action on standard searching nymphs. As for the Flies: Bead Head Hare’s Ear and Pheasant Tails 12-16, Copper John Chartreuse or Red 14-16, Jumbo Juju all colors 12-16, Yankee Buzzer 12-16, Zebra Midge 20. |
| Spinney Mountain Reservoir |
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| Conditions: This lake is also fishing well, when not impacted by the spring winds that have been ranging from light to very gusty at times. Fishing along the banks is still producing some nice fish along the Dam, although the number of those “Spawners” is dwindling. Activity is picking up in the lake from boats with a mix of subsurface patterns fished primarily under a static nymph rig with an indicator, but some fish are being taken with a slow retrieve. Flies: Jumbo Juju all colors 12-16, Hare’s Ear 12-16, Yankee Buzzer, Otters Egg Patterns, Black Midge Biot 20. |
| Delaney Buttes Lakes |
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| Conditions: Action has been good on the East and South Lakes as they have been open for a few weeks. Look for a few bank cruisers to still be around taking the normal spawning offerings. As the fish disperse back out into the body of the lake we are seeing fish active on a variety of flies. As with ALL of these lake options, try to mix it up in your selection until you hit on something that the fish appear to be keying on. A good method is to fish a nymph rig under and indicator with 2 or even 3 different patterns. Present the fish with something to imitate the Callibaetis nymphs, as well as a Chironomid and maybe even a Damsel nymph. Once the action picks up, you can determine if there is preference for a particular bug and then offer other imitations of that insect. Ice out has just finally fully occurred on the North lake in the past week and reports for that lake have been inconsistent, but we expect it to offer its usual opportunities for trophy Brown Trout. Flies: Jumbo Juju 12-16, Yankee Buzzer 12-16, Mercer’s Poxyback Callibaetis, CDC Callibaetis nymph, Wilcox’s Rapunzel, Bead Head Aggravator Olive. |
