Report for December 4.
After a spectacular weekend of weather over the Thanksgiving holiday, it is back to winter this week as a relatively major weather system is moving through the high country. As we post this, it has been snowing most of the day (Tuesday) and that looks to continue maybe through Wednesday night or into Thursday. Even though the snow is heavy at times, there is little to no wind and the temperatures are relatively mild, in the mid-20s.
That will change later in the week, as the forecast is calling for some serious overnight lows around here. In the neighborhood of negative 15 or so. At that point we would expect some of the remaining freestone options available now, to turn toward the icy side and action to really take a hit on those locations. So, unless you are a powder skier, you might want to hit that freestone on Wednesday, before things cool off.
After that, the tailwaters will be the best bet for everyone still looking to fish moving water. Fortunately, there are plenty of options available in that category and the fishing has been rewarding those on the river with some good action. Or if you’re into fishing the hard water, check out North Park. The ice fishing season has kicked off with plenty of success on The Delaney Buttes and Lake John.
Don’t hesitate to call us for current conditions, we’ll do our best to try and interpret changing stream flow readings with you. Or follow us on Twitter @coloradoangler, where we try to post changing conditions as we learn about them.
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 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: 130 cfs. |
| Conditions: Flows remain just about double the seasonal average for this winter staple and that is great news for all you year-round fanatics. At this volume a steady push of Mysis Shrimp are drifting through town and fish have been responding with enthusiasm. In addition to that, there remains some excellent action on bugs, as well. This comes primarily in the form of Midges but, there are still a few scattered Blue Winged Olives to be found on an irregular basis so, keep a keen eye on the water to determine what any rising fish may be keying on. Crowds have been relatively manageable, particularly during the week, with Saturday being the one day where things can get a bit busy. If you are limited to the weekends, we recommend Sunday, as Bronco fans seem to opt for the comforts of the couch to watch them plow through the weak AFC West. Best bet early has been to fish a tandem nymph rig with a combination of Mysis and Midge imitations. Then keep an eye out for noses on the surface taking adults, this can be early for the Midges, between 9 and 10 generally, continuing for 1 to 3 hours. If there is any chance at seeing those few remaining Baetis, it has been early to mid-afternoon. When the surface activity dies back down, return to a nymph rig and finish out the day, as action continues into late afternoon. The darker colored Midge imitations have been most consistent, particularly chocolate and black. And yes, the typical tailwater searching imitations are still working, like Spaghetti and Meatball rigs, they are just not quite as consistent as the Shrimp/Midge stuff. There are a few reports of Kokanee spotted up into town but, this has not been the fullest run of Salmon to say the least.
Town Flies: Spaghetti and Meatballs (San Juan Worm Patterns and Eggs) Candy Cane #20, BTS Mysis #16-22, RS-2 #22-24, STD Baetis #20, Black or Chocolate UV Emerger #22-24, Kingery’s Cap’n Hook #20-22, Pure Midge Larva #20-24, Black Beauty #20-24, Tube Midge Black or Red #20-22, Medallion Midge #22-24, Split case BWO #20, Winter Baetis #20-22, Desert Storm #20-24, Rainbow Warrior #20, #22 BWO Adult, Adult Midge Dark, Brook’s Sprout Midge #22-24, Parachute Adams #24-26, Split Case BWO, Extended Body BWO, Parachute Purple
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Blue River Below Green Mountain
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| Flow: 307 cfs. |
| Conditions: Flows have dropped down to off season levels and should make additional drops over the next few weeks. At this flow, wading is once again the best way to fish the canyon, and crossing should be manageable for strong waders. As is typical of this stretch, standard two fly nymph rigs are going to be the most consistent, with a medium to large fly leading a smaller imitation for the Baetis or Midge pattern as the trailing fly. Try running a larger beaded Pheasant Tail or Tung Teaser followed up with a Juju Baetis, Zebra Midge or Poison Tung. Don’t skimp on the weight either, as the faster pocket water is all about getting the fly down quickly before the short drift is over. Dry fly action is going to be spotty as best but, there may be a chance to find a rising fish in the slack water or foamy seams of an eddy. It would also still be worth bringing along a streamer or two, as this stretch can hold some of the nicest Browns in the state. Still a good option for those looking for some solitude and the chance at some quality fish. As this cold front moves in keep in mind that this stretch is on the southern edge of the Middle Park inversion, which tends to drop temperatures an additional 8-15 degrees colder than those here in Silverthorne, and due to the depth of the canyon, there is often little to no sunshine. If you head this way, be prepared for an arctic chill.
Flies: Big bead heads: Hare’s Ear, Tungteaser, Pheasant Tail, Stubby Stone, Twenty Incher, Rubberlegs, Psycho Prince, Mr Peacock Ice, Flossy Worm, Split Case BWO, Barr’s BWO, Juju Baetis, Zebra Midge, Poison Tung, Winter Baetis, Black Beauty, Rojo Midge, Otter Egg
Floaters should note: The river volume on this stretch of water can change on an infrequent schedule and often. It is important to know the flow before you launch and make an honest assessment of your ability and watercraft capability. Please respect private property rights along the river.
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Colorado River Above Kremmling (Parshall)
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| Flow: 225+/- cfs. @ Parshall |
Conditions: Stream flows have been relatively consistent over the past several weeks now, as Winter releases from the Willie’s have stabilized. The “Middle Park” valley is know for it’s cold temperature inversion in the Winter so, be prepared with an extra layer and be patient for things to heat up on the river. Mid-day tends to be the most productive, with subsurface flies providing the majority of results. That being said, watch for subtle rise forms to take emerging Midges when the wind isn’t to strong. The spawn should be fairly well wrapped up but, still watch where you wade so as not to disturb any eggs left in the gravel. With the post-spawn comes the need to try and regain some calories before the full weight of Winter hits and streamers can still produce some fish that dead drifting nymphs may not entice. Mix up your retrieval with a varying speed and angle of retrieve with regards to the current. ie: fast and across, or on the swing, dead drift, even rip it straight down the current as fast as possible. You never know what will set them off for a strike.
Flies: BLM Black, Two Bit Hooker, Zebra Midge, RS2, Poxybiot Nymph, Pheasant Tail, WD-40, Split Case BWO, Juju Baetis, Baetis Big Bear, Para Extended Body BWO, CDC Baetis Dun, Winger Parachute, Pure Midge Larva, Tidbit Midge, Medallion Midge, Poison Tung, UV Emerger, Slumpbuster, LE Marabou Streamer.
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Colorado River Pumphouse to Dotsero
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| Flow: 590 cfs. |
| Conditions: While things are slowing down here as the water temperatures continue to drop, there are still some bright spots from day to day. It won’t be long before that is done, as this cold snap could very well shut it down until spring. However, until that happens, you might as well keep this one on the radar. Both wade and float anglers report inconsistent results, with one day producing some relatively solid action, then the next being almost devoid of action. Weather doesn’t seem to spark any result either way as we have had trips on snowy days, as well as sunny and warm days, produce both heavy and light action. The key is just to get out there if you want to get one more day in on this great freestone before the ice starts to cover much of it for the next couple of months. Results have also varied with method from day to day as well, with some days being stronger on nymphs and others on Streamers. And on those days where the wind has been calm, fish can be found in places rising in foam lines. The spawn is pretty much done for the Fall and the beds are starting to get a slight sediment on them so, please keep an eye out for those areas which fish may have spawned on and avoid walking through them.
Flies: Tungteaser, Rubberlegs, Beaded Pheasant Tails, Beaded Hares Ears, Tungsten Prince, RS2’s, Split Case BWO, Barr’s Emerger, Juju Baetis, Blue Ribbon Emerger, Two Bit Hooker, Gidget Olive, Parachute Extended Body BWO, Para Adams, Para Wulff BWO, CDC Rusty Spinner, Profile Rusty Spinner, Miscellaneous Streamers: Sculpzilla, Silver Bullet, Space Invader, Beldar, Bead Head Buggers in Black or White
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Colorado Below Glenwood Springs
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| Flow 1680 cfs. |
Conditions: Finally, we are starting to see an improvement in clarity on the lower river. While the clear inflow from the Roaring Fork is a big part of the increasing visibility, the clarity actually improves the farther down you travel below town, as the sediment seems to settle out with some extra distance. That being said, there is some decent action starting in Glenwood, and that gains some momentum as you move towards New Castle and beyond. Best bet would be to fish a full nymph rig under an indicator with a mix of larger beaded searching nymphs and Baetis imitations. You may find some pockets of rising fish in the afternoon rising to adult Blue Wings but, that has not been as wide spread as the daily emergence just upstream on the Roaring Fork. Being late in the Fall, there is still some action on streamers as well, and that varies from day to day with regards to intensity. Definitely one of the big attractions to this stretch of river at this time of year, aside from some of the stoutest rainbows anywhere in the Colorado River, is being so far west and at a lower elevation than the popular stretch below Gore Canyon, it is a little bit more comfortable weather.
Flies: Mr Peacock Ice, Pat’s Rubber Legs, Tungteaser, Bead Prince, Twenty Incher, Hunchback Green Drake nymph, Tungsten Pheasant Tail, Bead Prince, Bead Hares Ear, Tungstone, Barr’s Emerger, Zebra Midge, Juju Baetis, Sculpzilla, Space Invader, Silver Bullet
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Arkansas River Above Buena Vista
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| Flow: 99 cfs. @ Granite |
Conditions: It definitely won’t be long before this stretch is locked under an icy cover. Winter is starting to creep into the far upper section of the river, with overnight lows dropping below freezing most nights. As this happens, expect the fishing action to slow overall, with the best action being in the middle part of the day. Look for fish to congregate in the slower deeper runs early and very late in the day, then move into the head of those runs and bottom of riffles during the middle of the day to feed on drifting insects. Throughout the day, nymphing will be the most consistent method with a tandem set-up using a mix of Baetis and Midge imitations trailing behind a beaded Stonefly or searching nymph. As the day warms in the early to mid-afternoon, look for fsih to possibly be rising for emerging pockets of Baetis and even a few Midges scattered around. And you may want to give it a try just below where the two tailwater tributaries enter the channel at Ball Town and below Granite.
Flies: Beaded Hares Ear, Hot Wire Prince, Beaded Pheasant Tail, Copper John, Hot Wire Caddis, Tung Z Wing Caddis, Tungteaser, CDC Hares Ear, Twenty Incher, Mr Peacock, RS-2, Zebra Midge, White Streamers
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Arkansas River Salida Area
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| Flow: 318 cfs. @ Salida |
Conditions: Stable flows and clarity are providing for a consistent pattern of action on the stretch from Stone Bridge down through Salida and into Big Horn Sheep Canyon. As is typical for this time of year best results are late morning to late afternoon, once the day has a chance to warm up water temps. Early in the day expect to find fish hanging in the deeper parts of runs and skirting the faster currents. As the day moves into the middle of the day those fish will move towards the head of runs and into the bottom of riffles as they look to feed on Baetis nymphs adrift in the current. Also typical for this time of year, with a river this full of Brown Trout, expect to see some good action on streamer patterns, as well. Mix up your retrieve style until you find a rate that induces some steady activity. Current flows are ideal for wade anglers and still offer enough volume to get a boat down most stretches below Big Bend. It is also important to note, there are still a good number of fish on the spawn, particularly as you move down stream. Please try to avoid fishing to fish actively on the beds trying to spawn, as well as wading through any beds so as to not disturb the eggs before the gestation period can complete.
Worth Noting: This is now the second year of a two year program to re-establish Pteronarcys Californica to the Arkansas. Over the past 2 years CPW has transplanted about 70 thousand Salmonfly nymphs from the Colorado River to the Arkansas and distributed them just above and below Salida. We are keeping an optimistic eye on the river here to see if this insect will take hold and produce a revived population.
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, Pat’s Rubber Legs #8, Para Extended Body BWO, Hippie Stomper.
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Roaring Fork River at Glenwood Springs
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| Flow: 527 cfs. |
Conditions: The river is in great shape from top to bottom and options are plentiful up and down stream. A waning emergence of Blue Winged Olives is giving way to some Midge activity and there are some stretches with rising fish to work. Overall the nymphing is the most consistent throughout the day but, with the hatch popping most days in the early afternoon, you can time your day just right to be in the right spot when the bugs are hatching. Early on, fish a mix of beaded searching nymphs and Baetis or Midge imitations fished in tandem under an indicator, that has been solid from 11 am through late afternoon. The float fishing below Carbondale has been relatively deserted and productive, but don’t overlook the river upstream from there, particularly all the way up to Aspen. For those of you that are less familiar with this stretch of the river, now is the time to check it out. A much smaller river, as you are above the Crystal and Frying Pan Rivers, this is a wade fishers delight characterized with a lot of pocket water broken up with the occasional deep run. Perfect for throwing dry-dropper rigs because you don’t need the same depth as the lower river. Keep your eye on the water while moving upstream so not to spook the suspended fish. Sight fishing can be quite effective in this area. By watching the water above as well as below the larger boulders you can spot more of those active feeders.
Flies: Twenty Incher, Tungteaser, Stubby stones, Beaded Pheasant Tail, Standard Pheasant Tail, Pat’s Rubber Legs, Tungstone, Big Copper Johns, Hares Ear, Mr. Peacock, CDC Prince, Split Case BWO, Barr’s BWO Emerger, Tungsten Psycho May, Hot Wire Prince, Two Bit Hooker, STD Baetis
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South Platte River, Middle Fork
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| Flow: ??? cfs. |
Conditions: Flows are hard to come by at this time of year, as the gauges are no longer functioning. Our guess is that it would be in the 20 to 30 cfs range and getting pretty cold, with the advent of ice just around the corner. While you certainly may still find a day or two in the right spot to find some activity, it will not be anything close to consistent. Low water and the end of any spawn activity are going to put this into the dormant category very soon. If you happen to be driving through and are curious, then give it a shot with the usual searching nymph patterns along with Midge and Baetis imitations. On a positive note, you should have the place to yourselves.
Flies: Chartreuse Copper John, Rainbow Warrior, Egg Patterns, Hot Wire Prince, Beaded Flash Prince, Tungteaser, Tung Psycho May, Zebra Midge, Poison Tung, Rainbow Warrior, Autumn Splendor, Slumpbuster, Sparkle Bugger
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South Platte, Dream Stream
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| Flow 50 cfs. |
Conditions: Flows have managed to drop to lower than desired for healthy levels at a critical time of year for trout. If you go, please be aware of spawning fish and resist the urge to harass trout on spawning beds. Sight fishing will still produce the best results, as there just aren’t that many spots on this stretch for blind casting to a pile of fish in a deep run. There are still some decent results for anglers looking to target some of the larger Kokanee in the state, as well. Crowds have been relatively light, with other fall diversions reducing traffic here to manageable levels. When sight nymphing make sure to use an adequate amount of weight to get down to fish that are holding along the bottom and try to go with out an indicator or at least refrain from using an overly bight color if possible. The fish in this Tailwater seem to be as sensitive to indicators as any spot in the state. With that in mind, try and minimize your wading as much as possible and cast form the bank where you can reach. A deliberate, stealthy approach is going to be your best bet here.
Flies: Black Copper John #22, Juju Baetis, Zebra Midge Black/Silver, Trico Spinner patterns, Drown Trico, Buckskin Caddis, CDC Caddis Emerger, Caddis Candy, Caddis Larva, Barr’s Emerger BWO, Juju Baetis, RS2, Poxybiot Nymph, Egg Patterns, Pure Midge Larva, Cap’n Hook
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Williams Fork River Below Dam
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| Flow 65 cfs. |
Conditions: Getting down to a relatively low flow even for this smaller stature tailwater. That is going to make the fishing a little more technical as fish will not be too wide spread, rather they will be holed up in the few deeper holding areas, and feeling a little bit pressured on top of that. Lighter tippet and a stealthy approach will make a difference in angler success. Nymph fishing should remain the most productive method but, not necessarily deep nymphing, as we have had some recent success on midge emerger patterns fished higher in the column. So mix up your depth and weight amounts as you cover the river. Along with the midge type stuff also look for action on Caddis, Stonefly and Baetis nymphs along with some San Juan Worm imitations. Although the spawn is pretty much wrapped up, it may still be worth your effort to throw a few streamers along the way, as Browns from the Colorado may still be holding in here post spawn before dropping back down stream.
Flies: Caddis Larva, Flash Back Pheasant Tail, Hatching Midge, Split Case BWO, Tungsten Psycho May BWO, Pure Midge Larva, Rainbow Warrior, Rojo Midge, Biot mayfly Emerger, #20-22 Green Copper John, Zebra Midge, RS2’s, 5-0 Midge, UV Emerger, BWO dries.
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Antero Reservoir
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Conditions: Waiting for the ice to come. Day to day ice is on the lake but, daytime temps and wind have kept it from stabilizing. With this cold front moving in that should start to set up the ice for the rest of the winter.
Flies: Yankee Buzzer, Jumbo Juju, Tak’s Chironomid, Garcia’s Rojo Grande Midge, Rapunzel Damsel, Gaviglio’s Calibaetis Nymph, Poxyback Calibaetis Nymph, Hare’s Ear, Copper John
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Spinney Mountain Reservoir
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| Conditions: The Park has closed for the season. There is no access to the lake until the spring thaw clears the lake of ice.
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Delaney Buttes Lakes
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Conditions: Our sources say that the ice is on and safe, with some moderate action to report. Just to the East on Lake John, things look to be very active.
Flies: Egg Patterns, Bead Pheasant Tail, Bead Hare’s Ear, Copper John, Jumbo Juju, Zebra Midge, Tak’s Chironomid, Hale Bopp Leech
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