 Book Your Guide Trip NowHere it is July and already there are some areas experiencing low water issues that we usually don’t see until mid August. But, that is few and far between at this time, just a few spots at lower elevations. Fortunately for Colorado anglers, there are plenty of options available to chase trout. When all else fails go higher. That being said, weather forecast for the next several days is encouraging, as the potential advent of our summer Monsoon rains may be upon us.
Overall the fishing in the central part of the state continue to impress, as solid hatches can be found on most of our local rivers and those that have had the good fortune to get out already this summer are thrilled for a much more user friendly June in 2012 than last year. There may be a fair bit of weekly changes to many rivers though, as this year will see a lot of creative water management practices in order to fulfill flow commitments. So, don’t hesitate to call us for current stream flows on your favorite river.
Detailed reports on the right side of this page will give more specific information on a particular stretch of river. Make sure to check those out for your river of interest, as they will be able to answer questions pertaining to hatches and flies.
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: Holding steady here in both flow and action. We realize that it seems as if the report for the Blue in town hasn’t changed in weeks and that’s because it has been so consistent. As typical for this tailwater, subsurface feeding is the standard approach. In general the fish seem to be favoring Midge Larva patterns in either black or red, as well as Baetis nymphs in darker colors. Reports have also included fish taking dries at times in town, the result of a steady Midge hatch most afternoons. If you find yourself on the river on a day with out any wind, look for rise forms keying on that emergence. As far as flies, the fish have been focusing their attention on a variety of options, some of this can partially be attributed to the mix of resident and introduced fish. So, definitely start with imitative patterns of the present food options of the Tailwater, ie. Midge and Mysis variations. And as a bonus, now you can go ahead and work in some general searching patterns, in sizes that may not require magnification to tie on. Such as Hare’s Ear and Tungteaser in #16-18 sizes. Crowds continue to be brisk, as is expected this time of year combined with the productive conditions. 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, Stalcup’s Mysis, Candy Cane, Tungteaser, Hare’s Ear, Red or Copper Copper John, Flossy Worm
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Blue River Below Green Mountain
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| Flow: 420 cfs. |
Conditions: Water levels have been up and down over the past couple of days as water managers continue to try and get a handle on meeting downstream water calls. Unfortunately, it is hard to predict from day to day if the river will or will not be float-able. Please honestly assess your rowing ability and water craft performance before deciding to float this stretch. Trespass violations can reflect poorly on all boaters and it could stress landowner relations at a time when they have been improving. Either way, the wade fishing is a solid option although, at this level it is hard for most anglers to cross and that will limit the ability to spread out. 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. With the persistent heat and sun, water temps are warming as the day goes on and there have been some Caddis at times. 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. The road around the north side of the reservoir and across the Dam has reopened so, it is no longer necessary to detour through Heeney. Flies: Larger size Bead Head Nymphs: #10-12 Hare’s ear, Prince, Tungteaser, Tungsten Rubber Leg Yellow Sally, Stubby Stone, Green Drake Nymphs, 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: 352 cfs. |
Conditions: Even with a bump in river levels from the Williams Fork, this should remain low and clear, providing fantastic conditions for anglers during a time of year which usually finds us scrambling for access to good river fishing. Although, keep in mind that if you access the river above Parshall, stream flows will be less than half of those below Parshall. As well, water temperatures can have a measurable difference, leading to entirely different bugs at different times of the day, in only a distance of a mile or so on the river. We are now starting to see the key summer hatches ramp up. Expect to see Yellow Sallies, PMDs and Red Quills hatching daily starting from mid to late morning. There are still Baetis and some midges present as well as the possibility of Caddis. They haven’t been an influential hatch the past few years but, low water seasons can really bring a good emergence of Red Quills to this stretch of river and are often over looked. This part of the state really seems to be a favorite of many anglers and crowds are a real possibility, so keep your options open with the multiple locations to access the river from Hot Sulphur down to Kremmling. Flies: Burk’s Silhouette Dun, AK’s Melon Quill, Lawson’s PMD, Garcia’s Mini Hot, Stimulator, Henry’s Fork Yellow Sally, Para Red Quill,Thorax PMD, BH Pheasant Tail, Mercer’s Poxybiot Nymph, Tungstone, Iron Sally,Graphic Caddis, Buckskin, San Juan Worm, Barr’s Emerger PMD and BWO, Juju Baetis, RS-2, Split Case BWO, Pure Midge Larva, Rojo Midge
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Colorado River Pumphouse to Dotsero
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| Flow: 900 cfs. |
Conditions: Another boost in flows here is giving this stretch a shot in the arm. Water temps are coming down and holding in a very good range and some of the moss that had exploded with the warmer clear water is being flushed through although, not all of that is gone so, expect to do some maintenance on your nymph rigs. There continue to be good numbers of Yellow Sally Stoneflies and PMDs in this stretch of river, while the Caddis are slightly less in number than they have been, they are still an option. As is to be expected with high sun, fish are inconsistent in their enthusiasm for dries and best results have been nymphing. However, there are a plenty of emerging insects right now and when conditions allow, the opportunity for dries is there. Typically this is a very popular location with anglers, as it offers plenty of public access. With this spring’s low flow, the wade fishing has been a very viable option and there have been quite a few wade anglers enjoying the action. For anglers that don’t mind a physical hike and want to separate themselves from the crowds, a little bit of sweat equity can pay off big dividends by hiking up into the depths of Gore Canyon. With low flows on many other popular rivers, the Colorado is one of the few with good levels for boating. And accordingly, the river is absorbing the traffic of some other rivers with less than adequate flows. Expect above average traffic from the “splash and giggle” set, particularly from Pumphouse to Radium. That being said you may want to look at one of the many sections below Radium. Flies: Bead Pheasant Tails, Juju Baetis, 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, Tungstone,
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Colorado Below Glenwood Springs
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| Flow 1960 cfs. |
Conditions: River conditions have really stabilized with regards to clarity, that being said, action is starting to really pick up from Glenwood Canyon on down stream. Best results have been on medium to larger searching and Stonefly nymphs with a well presented mix of searching nymphs and Yellow Sally or PMD patterns behind that. Still seeing some Caddis along 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. As well as Yellow Sally and Pale Morning Duns. Flies: Pat’s Rubber Legs, Tungteaser, Bead Prince, Twenty Incher, Hunchback Green Drake nymph, Tungsten Pheasant Tail, Foam Caddis, Spotlight Caddis Emerger, Elk Hair Caddis, Stimulator, Nitro Caddis, Zebra Midge, Rojo Midge, Poison Tung, Juju Baetis, STD Baetis
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Arkansas River Above Buena Vista
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| Flow: 232 cfs. |
Conditions: The upper river is really providing some fantastic wade fishing at the moment. Good hatches of Yellow Sallies, PMDs, Caddis and scattered locations of Green Drakes offer great diversity for anglers from Buena Vista all the way up to Leadville. With stable river levels and clear water, conditions are producing some great action at a time when some lower elevation rivers are starting to experience higher than desired water temps. Fish have spread out in the river and are available in multiple types of water at different times of the day. Early on in the day focus on the holding water of pools and runs, as well as the adjacent seams. As the days warms, make sure to work into riffles where fish will be looking for drifting nymphs. By mid to late morning there are decent amounts of insects emerging and fish are definitely looking to the surface for a meal. The rise may slow for a time in the afternoon, but then by early evening we have been seeing another flurry of dry fly action. This is a great time of the year to avoid crowds on this part of the river as there are ample public access points to spread out on. If you encounter too many anglers at a particular location, simply head down river to the next access point. Flow is at Granite. Flies: Bead Pheasant Tail, Hot Wire Prince, Copper John, Iron Sally, Burk’s Silhouette Sulphur, Melon Quill, Neely’s Green Drake, Hairwing Green Drake, Potter’s Pearl and Elk, Garcia’s Mini Hot, Hippie Stomper, Stimulator, Parachute Adams, Winger Parachute, Para Extended Body BWO
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Arkansas River Below Buena Vista
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| Flow: 371 cfs. |
Conditions: Water levels remain at a very agreeable flow for wade anglers, while still providing an opportunity for the skilled boater on most stretches. While the majority of the action has been on subsurface flies, particularly on days with high sun, we continue to bring fish to the surface on a variety of Stonefly and Terrestrial patterns presented as the anchor of a dry dropper rig. With the lower flow, a dry dropper set up allows for productive nymphing, while still presenting the chance at some fantastic surface strikes. Flow reading is at Nathrop. Flies: Bead Head Pheasant Tail # 14-16, Tungstone Golden #12-16, Tungsten Yellow Sally, Iron Sally, Chartreuse Copper John #12-16, Chartreuse Hot Wire Caddis, Hot Wire Prince, Parachute Extended Body BWO, Juju Baetis, Split Case BWO, Zebra Midge, Garcia’s Rojo Midge, RS-2 and Poison Tung
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Roaring Fork River at Glenwood Springs
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| Flow: 593 cfs. |
Conditions: Flows are dropping to mid summer levels which offers some great wade access on a normally larger river. The Drakes have moved up river to the Basalt area, but there are Caddis, Sallies, Golden Stones and PMDs throughout the corridor. Don’t miss out on some great fishing in the public access areas above Basalt and up to Aspen. With below average water levels, float traffic has also been below average and that will make for some good results for wade anglers. Look for mid to late morning surface activity followed again in the late afternoon to evening. Flies: Elk Hair Caddis, Potter’s Pearl and Elk, Stimulators, H & D Para Green Drake, Para Wulff Green Drake, Hairwing Green Drake, Burk’s Para Sulfur, RS-2, STD Baetis, Tungteaser, Twenty Incher, Iron Sally, Tungstone, Hunch Back Green Drake, CDC Green Drake Emerger, Bead Prince, Copper John#12-18, Juju Baetis, Barr’s Emerger, San Juan Worm patterns
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South Platte River, Middle Fork
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| Flow: 30 cfs. |
Conditions: Summer is here and action is steady, providing some good fishing for wade anglers. Flows are slightly lower than expected for this time of year so, covering some ground will help to keep an angler into active fish. Hopper dropper is the standard rig and will offer plenty of depth with these low flows for nymph presentation. However, Caddis continue to produce solid results and there PMDs in good numbers as well as a few Green Drakes. Take advantage of this window of surface activity and work a variety of Hopper, Ant and other Terrestrials along with the aquatic insects that are present. Flies: Potters Pearl and Elk, Spotlight Caddis, Stream Bank Hopper, Hippie Stomper, Stimulator, Colorado Green Drake, Pink Cahill, Fatboy McKnight, Mercer’s Tungsten Micro Mayfly, Red or Green Copper John,Tungsten Pheasant Tail, Bead Head Hare’s Ear, IED, Hot Wire Prince, STD Baetis, Tungsten Psycho
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South Platte, Dream Stream
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| Flow 99 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 243 cfs. |
Conditions: Finally, flows have risen back up to not only a better level for fishing but, also an overall healthier volume for trout. However, that being said, the flows are not totally stable. We have seen some fluctuation in volume from 150 to 250 cfs. These are not daily changes, but we expect this to continue for the near future as water managers continue to shuffle their resources for meeting downstream demands. At any rate, these are great flows for wade fishermen. Look for trout to be spread out in all water types feeding on insects in various stages of life. Typical of this time of year, hatches of Red Quills, PMDs, Sallies and a few Caddis are emerging. Flies: San Juan Worms, Flash Back Pheasant Tails, Poxybiot Nymph, Mercers PMD Emerger, Barr’s PMD Emerger, Buckskin, AK’s Para Quill, Melon Quill, Burk’s Silhouette, Garcia’s Mini Hot.
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Antero Reservoir
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Conditions: Providing some good to decent action, depending on the day and the wind. Not seeing the consistent day in, day out, hot action for big fish but, there are some nice fish being caught amongst the 13-15 inchers that seem to be the majority of action. Like just about every fishery in the state, things here are ahead of schedule with regards to insects and temperatures. Look for fish to be feeding on a good mix of Chironomid, Calibaetis and even Damsel fly imitations. Flies: Yankee Buzzer, Jumbo Juju, Tak’s Chironomid, Garcia’s Rojo Grande Midge, Rapunzel Damsel, Poxyback Calibaetis Nymph, Hare’s Ear, Copper John
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Spinney Mountain Reservoir
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Conditions: Reports have been overall pretty good, particularly near the boat ramp and Dam. As we mentioned above, things everywhere are ahead of schedule. So, look for an assortment of the Chironomid and Calibaetis imitations to be working, as well as some Damsel and Streamer patterns. This lake has been the better quality producer in South Park so far this year and we think that should continue for the season.Flies: Garcia’s Rojo Grande, Jumbo Juju, Skinny Nelson, Zebra Midge, Hare’s Ear, CDC Calibaetis Nymph, Rapunzel Damsel Nymph, Hale Bopp Leech, Ruby Eye Leech
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Delaney Buttes Lakes
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Conditions: Reports have been pretty solid overall, with all three lakes offering opportunities. 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. Reports off the East lake have been off the charts for boaters. Flies: Egg Patterns, Bead Pheasant Tail, Bead Hare’s Ear, Copper John, Jumbo Juju, Zebra Midge
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