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Starting to see a few changes of note here in the high country. Two in particular involving water levels.
First, on the Upper Colorado. Wolford Mountain Reservoir has actually filled and begun spilling over the top into Muddy Creek at Kremmling. This will have a direct impact on the Colorado immediately downstream. Overall this is great news, as prior to this event the flow was continuing to drop and water temperatures were climbing fast. As the flow is coming up, we are seeing some discoloration, of varying degree depending on the day, as some debris and silt is cleaned from the channel. This will be short lived and has not totally shut the fishing down. Once the flow stabilizes at it’s new level, clarity should improve again. As for the water temperatures, they have fallen slightly, but not enough to shut down the bugs or fish. This should mean a continued bonanza of food.
Second, over on the Arkansas, the river has now been returned to “native flows”. Meaning that what is generally flowing into some of the higher drainage reservoirs is being allowed to flow out of them and into the river. We’re not sure how long this will last, but ultimately it is good for the fishing. With this bump in flows the river is still at a great level for wading and allows for more comfortable floating. Again water temps will drop initially, but longterm that should only slow the advancement of the hatches, not shut them down.
Definitely check out the reports for the Arkansas, Colorado and Roaring Fork, as all are seeing some fantastic action. That’s not to say you should ignore the Blue either, particularly in town, where recent successes have been very solid.Fishing at this time remains good to excellent, it just takes a little extra energy before you head out for the day, to make sure conditions haven’t changed adversely on your river of choice. Don’t hesitate to give us a call for the most up to date conditions, the last thing we want to hear is a fishing trip spoiled by bad conditions at a particular river, when there are better options out there that day.
It should be noted that with the warm weather, we are seeing the impact on stream conditions both in clarity and a slight bump in volume. This is not to be confused with “Runoff”. Generally any coloration is short lived (a day or two) and localized in nature, or may come later in the day and clear off overnight. You should be able to work around it and find some water with enough clarity.
Please feel free to call us at The Colorado Angler, at any time to discuss any questions and concerns you may have about the current conditions. There is a lot of information here on this page as well as on our main page at www.TheColoradoAngler.com but, space is limited and we may not have answered all of your questions. We want to make sure you get the information you are looking for. Toll Free 855-CO TROUT (268-7688) or stop by and see us in the Summit Place shopping center in Silverthorne, next to Blue Moon Bakery, Exit 205 on I-70, then south 1 block. Spring Hours: Monday – Saturday 8 am – 6 pm, Sunday 8 am – 5 pm
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Blue River Below Dillon Reservoir
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| Flow: 53 cfs. |
Conditions: Flows continue to remain low and steady. Good clarity coming from the Dam but, expect just a little bit of color as you move north and a little snow melt runs into the main river. We do expect these low flows to continue for some time as snow-pack is lower than average. Action through town has been fairly solid. Although, you need to be flexible in your approach to the river. Not only in what patterns you fish, but also in when and where. Some days the high sun has had a more detrimental effect on success than others. Other days not so much. With that in mind, it doesn’t hurt to come early or stay late, if you are not finding active fish. As far as flies, the fish have been focusing their attention on a combination of Midge patterns along with Mysis imitations, it just varies from day to day as to the amount of concentration. Some days it may be 50-50, Shrimp to Midges, and the next it may only be 20-80. The other variable in the equation is color. We have seen good results on Black, Red, Gray, Olive and Chocolate, you just have to experiment with which color the fish are focused on for a given day. Crowds have been concentrated somewhat between the Hwy and the Dam, as there have been some larger fish holding in that stretch. Some of those are resident Bows, while others appear to be new arrivals. Town Flies: RS-2, Black or Chocolate UV Emerger, Kingery’s Cap’n Hook, Black Pheasant Tail, Flashback Pheasant, Black Beauty, Rojo Midge, Winter Baetis, Desert Storm, Rainbow Warrior, BTS Mysis, Stalcups Mysis, Candy Cane, Tungteaser, Hare’s Ear
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Blue River Below Green Mountain
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| Flow:58cfs. |
Conditions: Access Restriction: Due to road work being done on the road across the Dam and it’s approach, the Dam itself is closed to all traffic. For access during construction, anglers will have to take the road around the west side of the reservoir, from the south, in order to get to the access below the Dam. Fishing access will remain open. Fishing Conditions: Another drop in flows has the lower Blue down to bare minimums as filling of the Reservoir has become top priority. We expect this to be the situation until at least mid to late May. Whatever the reason, it does make for great access for wade fishermen, although the fish will be a little more sensitive with the reduction in cover. There is a good mix of patterns working right now from larger Stonefly patterns down to Midge and Baetis imitations. Best bet would be a double nymph rig anchored with a larger offering trailing something smaller, to get an idea on the flavor of the day. Definitely use caution on getting down to and back up from the river. The hill is steep and doesn’t provide a lot of footholds. 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, Big Bear Baetis, Juju Baetis – standard and purple, Barr’s Emerger, Split Case BWO, Jujubee, Poison Tung, UV Emerger. Floaters should note: The take out that has been used for years is no longer available, that property is now private. For boat take out you now need to continue on down the Blue to the access ramp for the Gore Canyon put-in. this is approximately another mile. Please respect private property rights along the river.
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Colorado River Above Kremmling
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| Flow: 238+/- cfs. |
Conditions: Flows here are maintaining, even rising slightly over the past week. This is a result of snow melt along the upper river, as the Williams Fork continues to contribute very little to the overall volume. Still the same, this is one of the most consistent access points anywhere in the state. Action has been fairly solid and mid day temps relatively mild. Tandem nymph rigs continue to offer the most consistent results. Either with a Baetis to Midge combo or a double offering of either. There are still plenty of Midges around and fish have been keying on those imitations, primarily below the surface with all of the sunshine we have been enjoying. But if the clouds roll in, you may experience a nice dry fly event. Blue Winged Olives are also starting to become a viable option as well and will intensify towards the end of April and into May. As runoff along the upper river increases and clarity stains a little, San Juan Worm patterns are also a solid anchor to well presented nymph rig. The stream flow gauge for this site is finally back up and working for the season as ice is but a distant memory. Flies: San Juan Worm, Biot Midge, Barr’s Emerger, Juju Baetis, RS-2, Pheasant Tail, Winter Baetis, WD-40 Andrew’s 5-0, Split Case BWO, Pure Midge Larve,Rojo Midge, Otter Milking Egg
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Colorado River Pumphouse to Dotsero
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| Flow: 468 cfs. |
Conditions: A bit of a turn around here in the last few days in regards to river flows. After seeing levels drop under 300 cfs, volume is once again on the rise as Wolford Mountain on Muddy Creek has filled and spilled, definitely the exception so far this year. Initially expect some color in the water as the rising water will carry with it some sediment and debris but, once the flow stabilizes, we expect the clarity to improve as well. The fishing has been solid overall with a good showing of Blue Wings and even a few Caddis. Last weeks mostly overcast pattern established the Blue Winged Olives as the hatch of the moment, as action was steady on both Nymph and Dry patterns. The BWOs have been hatching mid-day and we would expect that to happen a little earlier as the water temps rise with sunnier conditions. Midges remain a part of the current diet but, in lesser numbers and most productively, early in the day. Kick seine samples are showing good development in Salmonfly nymphs and we are expecting them to be a solid hatch this year, particularly with these lower flows. With that in mind, it is always a good idea to work some larger searching patterns or Stonefly nymphs into the mix. With this extremely low flow, the wade fishing is a very viable option and there have been quite of few wade anglers enjoying the action. Boaters should take note of the very low flows and make an honest assessment of their ability and water craft before descending into Little Gore Canyon. Flies: Bead Pheasant Tails, Jujubaetis, Tungsten Split Case BWO, Barr’s Flashback BWO Emerger, RS-2, Tungsten Hares Ear, Two Bit Hooker, Stubby Stone, Twenty Incher, Kaufman Stone, Jimmy Legs, Psycho Prince,
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Colorado Below Glenwood Springs
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| Flow 2780 cfs. |
Conditions: River flow has once again started to rise. With the prolonged warm spell, conditions here are now day to day. Still seeing some very productive days when clarity allows, but with the warm temperatures all the way up the Colorado and Eagle, snow melt is bringing visibility down to near zero on others. That being said, action is starting to really pick up from Glenwood Canyon on down stream, when it is not too dirty for flies to be seen. Best results have been on medium to larger searching and Stonefly nymphs with a well presented mix of Midge patterns behind that. Hatches of Midges and Blue Winged Olives have given way to a thick Caddis hatch throughout the lower river, with adult bugs present all day and hatching mid-day to early evening depending on location. Dry flies are certainly a good option, with some stretches producing great action on emerging, crippled and adult Caddis. Flies: Pat’s Rubber Legs, Tungteaser, Bead Prince, Twenty Incher, Tungsten Pheasant Tail, Foam Caddis, Spotlight Caddis Emerger, Elk Hair Caddis, Stimulator, Nitro Caddis, Zebra Midge, Rojo Midge, Poison Tung, Jujubaetis, STD Baetis
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Arkansas River Above Buena Vista
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| Flow: 298 cfs. |
Conditions: River levels have jumped below Twin Lakes, but the river still offers a good wade fishing option. The hatches at this level are not yet to the point of the river below Buena Vista, but then again neither are the crowds.Conditions along the upper river will continue to improve daily as water temperatures slowly rise and clarity remains very good. Still a little early for widespread success, particularly in the Hayden Meadows/Kobe area, but if these weather conditions persist, the fish counts will start to climb up there as well. Things will be a little more active as you work down below Balltown, Granite and beyond. Focus your efforts on the deeper, gentler runs and pools that will offer trout an energy conserving lie for this time of year and as the temperatures warm up later in the day, look for fish to venture into feeding lanes. Midges and Caddis Larve will be the primary available food sources, but there are still some fish that will take smaller searching nymphs. Flow is at Granite. Flies: Bead Pheasant Tail, Hot Wire Prince, Rojo Midges, 5-0 Midge, UV Emerger, Poison Tung, Rainbow Warrior, Mercury Midge
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Arkansas River Below Buena Vista
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| Flow: 432 cfs. |
Conditions: Solid fishing on a variety of Midge patterns early in the day. As the day, and water temps warm, Baetis nymphs have been solid through mid day from the Brown’s Canyon area on down. With the warming temperatures, Caddis are now starting to make their way up the river. Currently, that is still down below Salida in Big Horn Sheep Canyon, but there will be opportunities up to Salida as at times. With the additional water in the river and some cloud cover, water temps will stabilize and continue to offer multiple choices for food. Be flexible and not afraid to move or switch tactics if you are not having success. Don’t force the Caddis if it is not happening. Make sure to carry a good assortment of Blue Wing, and even some Midge, patterns on the river with you. Truth be told, the Baetis hatch is often far more consistent and productive than the more well attended Caddis. Some action can also be had on Stone fly nymphs as a lead fly in your nymph set up. Flow reading is at Salida. Flies: Bead Head Pheasant Tail # 14-16, Tungstone Golden #12-16, Chartreuse Copper John #12-16, Chartreuse Hot Wire Caddis, Hot Wire Prince, Spotlight Caddis, Foam Caddis, Parachute Extended Body BWO, Winger Parachute, Juju Baetis, Split Case BWO, Zebra Midge, Garcia’s Rojo Midge, RS-2, Caddis Candy and Poison Tung
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Roaring Fork River at Glenwood Springs
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| Flow: 928 cfs. |
Conditions: The river has really seen the impact of the heat in the valley. With snow melt up the Crystal, the river has really taken a hit in the clarity department. This will ebb and flow over the course of the day and may offer some windows of opportunity, but conditions have deteriorated for the most part. With the forecast calling for a couple days of clouds and unsettled weather, the chance is there for it to improve for some good action. Keep an eye on the flow and look for it to have leveled off and made a noticeable drop. When that does, fish have been active for some time now on Midge and Blue Winged Olive nymphs as well as a good compliment of searching nymphs such as the Prince or Tungteaser. In more recent days as water temperatures have risen, an emergence of Caddis has started on the lower river and is offering some great opportunities for rising fish as well. If you are in the area and it is dirty, simply move upstream above the cloudy water, hopefully just at Carbondale, or jump onto the Frying Pan at Basalt. Take advantage of these mild conditions and finish up the day with a soak in the hot springs. Flies: Elk Hair Caddis, Potter’s Pearl and Elk, Stimulators, RS-2, STD Baetis, Tungteaser, Twenty Incher, Bead Prince, Copper John#16-18, Juju Baetis, Barr’s Emerger, San Juan Worm patterns, Parachute Extended Body BWO, Winger Parachute.
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South Platte River, Middle Fork
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| Flow: 22+/- cfs. |
Conditions: River is once again opening up with all the warm weather in the high country. Starting to pick up a bit of action as well. Reports coming in indicate decent success for anglers. Best approach would be with a mix of searching nymphs and egg patterns. Flies: Otter Egg, Red Copper John,Tungsten Pheasant Tail, IED, Hot Wire Prince, STD Baetis, Tungsten Psycho
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South Platte, Dream Stream
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| Flow 104 cfs. |
Conditions: Reports coming in from the Platte have been improving. The first signs of some larger fish moving in from Eleven-mile have been producing a few nice. There also seems to be a couple of pockets of “Stocker Madness”, with cookie cutter 10-12 inch fish all over a dead drift nymph rig. And being that it’s the Platte in Spring, there are a lot of anglers out there. So if a little solitude is what your after, you may want to think twice. The best approach right now is a double nymph rig pairing either a Baetis pattern or maybe an egg as your lead fly and trailing that with a Midge pattern. Flies: Juju Baetis, Barr’s Emerger BWO, Split Case BWO, RS-2, Otter Egg, San Juan Worm, Red Copper John, Jujubee, Barr’s Pure Midge Larva, UV Emerger, Desert Storm
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Williams Fork River Below Dam
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| Flow 16 cfs. |
Conditions: If the current flow is legit and we think it is, please think about looking else where. The stress of extreme low flows on trout is enough with out a bunch of us thrashing the water to a froth. When it does come back up to reasonable flows, we expect solid, low water temperatures. Flies: San Juan Worms, Flash Back Pheasant Tails, Miracle Nymph, Otters Egg, Garcia’s Rojo Midge. Baetis nymphs: Jujubaetis, Big Bear Baetis, Barr’s Emerger, Andrew’s 5-0 Midge, Split Case BWO, RS-2. Dries: Para Winger, CDC Baetis Dun, Lawson’s No Hackle, Gulpher Special, Brook’s Sprout Midge, Trailing Shuck Midge.
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Antero Reservoir
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Conditions: The lake is open as well as the rest of the South Park impoundments and providing fair action for the shore and tube angler. It will not open for trailer launched boats until May 3rd. Until then foot and hand launched only.
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Spinney Mountain Reservoir
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Conditions: Well the day has come and the park is open. Reports for the first couple of days have been overall pretty good, particularly near the boat ramp and Dam. Small streamers seemed to do the trick initially and fly casters along the Dam always start out the year with an assortment of egg patterns. Keep checking back as the days go on, we will try to keep the information as current as possible.
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Delaney Buttes Lakes
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Conditions: Open for several weeks now, reports have been pretty solid overall. The North lake opened first, with some moderate to good results on streamers, Egg patterns and a mix of Midges. The South lake was right behind in thawing and wade anglers are doing well for those bank cruisers
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