Report for May 14.
We are having a technical issue with our fly rating system for each river section and can not edit them at the moment. The information in the text however, is current. We hope to have this issue fixed shortly. Sorry for the confusion.
Sure it can be a bit of a downer for us to wake up after Mother’s Day weekend to see upwards of 2 feet of snow scattered around the central mountains but, we like to think of the positive. This cold snap has stalled the onset of full on run-off. While there are already some areas feeling the impact of the melting of our near record snow fall this season, other areas have continued to remain fish-able. And with the return of overnight lows in the 30 degree range we are seeing a temporary reprieve to other rivers. (Think Roaring Fork above Carbondale)
The forecast for the next few days looks as if things should hold relatively stable at least through the weekend, while still offering comfortable fishing conditions. If you are wanting to get another day or two in on your favorite freestone river before it gets shut down for the big melt, there are good options out there. The Arkansas, upper Roaring Fork and Eagle River above Wolcott just to name a few.
The tailwaters in the high country are a great option during the run-off season. With the dams pumping water to make room, the fish below are able to move freely and confidently. The pressure is lowered on them because they can hide, chase bugs, and in the big slow moving pockets they can relax. Tailwaters, as appealing they are right now, are not the only options. Lake fishing has been productive as well. Lake Granby has been fishing well for lake trout. And if you have never caught one on the fly your missing out. Williams Fork reservoir is another place where you can get the chance to catch Macs, and while your there look for pike. Although pike season is still a ways away, we have had some reports of pike caught just last week. North park area with lakes such as Lake John, North and East Delaney, have been quite productive for rainbow, cutthroat, and brown trout.
This time of year is very fluid, with daily changes due to weather and melt. Don’t hesitate to call us for current conditions as well, 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: 988 cfs. |
Conditions: Some pretty big water at the moment. Sure it’s a Tailwater and relatively clear but, there are limited lies for trout to be holding in that are accessible. The few spots that you can get a fly into have actually produced some great results, for hook ups that is, landing fish in this torrent has been another story entirely. The key to fishing in town right now will be to find a sheltered lie in the river that you can access and adjust to the extreme conditions appropriately. Most notably by bumping up the weight on your nymph rig. Significantly. Not only do you need to add weight for the sheer volume of water but, most of these drifts are going to be very short and you will want to get it down quickly. In most cases somewhere in the neighborhood of 4 to 6 BB shot or 2 to 4 AAA. Then, leave the delicate, winter weight tippet in the car and bring out the heavy stuff, 2 or 3x has been working well for anglers lately. This will give you a chance at steering any fish you hook out of the heavy water and towards the bank. Definitely bring along your favorite Mysis patterns in larger sizes, 16 and up, along with San Juan Worms and Egg Patterns. It’s also a good time to try dead drifting streamer patterns, sometimes a big meaty meal can be hard to pass up as it drifts on by a trout burning up twice it’s normal calories just to stay put.Town Flies: Candy Cane, Stalcup’s Mysis, Kingery’s Mysis, BTS Mysis, Flossy Worm, San Juan Worm, San Juan Flash Worm, Otter Soft Milking Egg, RS-2, STD Baetis, Black or Chocolate UV Emerger, Kingery’s Cap’n Hook, Pure Midge Larva, Black Beauty, Tube Midge Black or Red, Winter Baetis, Two Bit Hooker, Rainbow Warrior,Split Case BWO, Wooly Bugger Black or Olive
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Blue River Below Green Mountain
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| Flow: 1250 cfs. |
Conditions: Flows continue to climb to make room for the snow melt to come. At this level, wade fishing in the canyon is getting very limited, as edge water becomes heavier and tougher to access along vegetated banks. Floating is still an option but, getting fairly swift and necessitating the need for a lot of additional weight. Nymphing will provide the more consistent action, fished with a tandem set-up starting with a larger imitation for a Stonefly, big Mayfly or beaded searching pattern followed up with a San Juan Worm or Egg Pattern. And streamer patterns are always in vogue through the canyon. With the flow getting higher, it may be worth using a sink tip line to help get those down and keep ’em in the strike zone longer.
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, and Morrish’s iron sally.
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: 1220 cfs. @ Parshall |
Conditions: We have already seen some pretty big water levels here for early spring. With peak run-off still a month off, that may be a sign of things to come. Fluctuations with that flow have made this a difficult spot to forecast with swings up and down of 500 cfs over a couple of days. Clarity has also been problematic, as well. With melting snow and rising water levels additional sediment is to be expected and can come and go with the volume. Due to the inconsistency in conditions we would say that planning a trip here would be risky at best but, if you are passing through and you get one of those rare days where water levels have dropped and clarity risen, then by all means give it a shot. We would start with a tandem nymph rig using a mix of Stonefly and beaded searching nymphs in front of Baetis or San Juan Worm imitations. Or switch up to streamers in an effort to cover some water and induce a strike. Just upstream from the Breeze Unit, the confluence of the Williams Fork will be adding cleaner water from it’s tailwater and results closer to that may be more productive with increased visibility.
Flies: Two Bit Hooker, Hot Wire Prince, Beaded Hares Ear, Iron Sally, Copper John, Heavy Metal Worm, Flossy Worm, Buckskin, Kaufman Stone Nymph, I.E.D, Pat’s Rubber Legs, Slumpbuster, LE Marabou Streamer.
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Colorado River Pumphouse to Dotsero
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| Flow: 3360 cfs. |
Conditions: Conditions and action have definitely taken a hit with regards to consistency here. Flows are currently running about 3 times their seasonal volume and visibility is little to none at times. This has combined to make things tough over the past week or so. The good news though is that water temps have been relatively stable in their daily swings, fluctuating between 40-46 most days. As a result there have been good numbers of adult insects present, with Baetis, Midges and even a few early Caddis flying around. However, with the poor clarity, there has been very little surface activity. Some of the most consistent action has been on nymph patterns, with that in mind try a double fly rig under an indicator. Start with a larger beaded searching nymph or Stonefly imitation for the lead fly, then drop a smaller offering in either a Midge or Baetis pattern. And with conditions being what they are for clarity, streamer fishing has also led to some success as well. This is a substantial amount of water but, by no means is it too much water. You just have to adjust to the conditions and fish some different spots than you would at 1,000 cfs. As for the Salmonflies, our best guess is forecasting them to come off slightly behind schedule. The general rule is they are a Memorial Day hatch, give or take depending on water levels, so look for them first or second week of June. Water temps at the moment seem to be trending up, aside from these interruptions of snow.
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, 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 7760 cfs. |
Conditions: Big and dirty. For the most part run-off hitting the lower part of the river already. With as many smaller drainages that drain into this river, clarity at this time of year is problematic. Which is unfortunate considering the major Caddis hatch that emerges from the river each spring from Glenwood Springs down. Even with the quick moving cold snaps passing through clarity won’t see much improvement. I wouldn’t make a special trip just to fish it but, if you are passing through and there is a window of opportunity in the conditions, give it a go. Generally speaking a good rule of thumb is: green is good brown is down. Even if it is only a foot or so of visibility, if there is an overall greenish hue to the river it should be good to go. But, when that color shifts to brown it tends to turn off. If you get there and conditions are right, nymph rigs under indicators have been the most productive. Beaded searching nymphs and Stonefly imitations along with Blue Winged Olive and Midge imitations for the current hatches of both of these early Spring staples that are emerging below town at the moment. Mix it up with a variety of nymph and emerging patterns for both hatches. As well, keep an eye out for scattered pods of risers feeding on those adults, as that can provide a nice change from watching an indicator for an hour or so.
Flies: Mr Peacock Ice, Pat’s Rubber Legs, Tungteaser, Bead Prince, Twenty Incher, Tungsten Pheasant Tail, Bead Prince, Bead Hares Ear, Tungstone, Barr’s Emerger, Zebra Midge, Juju Baetis, Poison Tung, Winter Baetis, brightly colored San Juan worm, Sculpzilla, Space Invader, Silver Bullet
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Arkansas River Above Buena Vista
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| Flow: 595 cfs. @ Granite |
Conditions: Conditions remain good, albeit with slightly higher than seasonal flows. Water temps have started to rise to temperatures producing some Midge hatches, with the Baetis just down stream. Over night temps in the upper part of the corridor are still on the cold side, providing for better action in the afternoon after water temps have had a chance to rise a little. That being said, if you are in the upper part of the valley, concentrate your efforts on the stretch from the confluence with Lake Creek down to Granite or drop on down closer to Buena Vista where a greater amount of sun hits the water, bringing temperatures up slightly to spur some insect activity. Look for pools and tail outs early in the day to be holding fish with less energy spent and then as afternoon water temps climb, activity should pick up as food becomes more prevalent.
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: 800 cfs. @ Salida |
Conditions: The Blue Winged Olives continue to be the most consistent emergence in the area just below Salida up into Brown’s Canyon. With a roller coaster weather pattern this Spring, the much anticipated Caddis hatch has been slowed or interrupted just when it seems to be on the cusp of blowing up. This past week Baetis were present every day with good results and finally on Saturday we saw some good emergence of Caddis and subsequent solid dry fly action, only to have the latest storm roll in and deposit 4 inches of snow in Salida. As can be the case with the Caddis hatch, weather instability has made the emergence hit or miss. Fortunately, the fishing on the Arkansas has been productive in spite of this lack of consistency with the Caddis. Early in the day nymphing has been consistent with a good mix of Stonefly, Baetis, Midge and beaded searching nymphs. As the day moves into early to mid-afternoon, Baetis hatches have been fairly consistent, with some days offering decent dry fly action, particularly when the wind is light and clouds are present. Afternoons have also been productive for streamer junkies most days, as well. Look for fish to holding in slightly off current lies where there is a break from the main flow: edge water, larger pockets and inside of eddy lines.
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, Split Case BWO, Loop Wing BWO Emerger, Juju Baetis, Zebra Midge, Poison Tung, Tube Midge, Black Beauty Emerger, 5-0 Midge, Para Extended Body BWO, Winger Parachute, CDC Baetis Dun, Gulper Special, Para Wulff BWO
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Roaring Fork River at Glenwood Springs
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| Flow: 1260 cfs. |
Conditions: The cold snap has reduced snow melt and river flows substantially over the past few days. We don’t expect that to last much longer as warm weather is moving back in for the later part of the week. But with a quick break in run-off there might be a few opportunities in the valley. There has been some cleaner water, particularly above Carbondale and the confluence with the Crystal. Clear water from the Frying Pan offers some good chances in the Basalt area. Tandem nymph rigs should do the trick with a mix of Baetis imitations working well behind a variety of top flies. That can range from a beaded searching nymph to a medium to large Stonefly imitation, as well as your favorite Egg pattern, which have been very productive lately.
Flies: Twenty Incher, Tungteaser, Stubby stones, Beaded Pheasant Tail, Standard Pheasant Tail, Pat’s Rubber Legs, Tungstone, Copper Johns, Hares Ear, Mr. Peacock, CDC Prince, Split Case BWO, Barr’s BWO Emerger, RS 2, Tungsten Psycho May, Hot Wire Prince, Two Bit Hooker, STD Baetis and a variety of Eggs.
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South Platte River, Middle Fork
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| Flow: 50-60 cfs. |
Conditions: Plenty of open water options throughout South Park. Still waiting for water temps to climb a little more to spur some steady insect activity but, our up and down weather has slowed typical spring warming. Flows are at a very good level for wading as well as fishing. A simple dry dropper set up should reach all but the deepest bends in the river. For the top fly, keep it simple with a foam hopper or attractor pattern buoyant enough to hold up two droppers. Underneath that hang a beaded searching nymph such as a Copper John or Hot Wire Prince or even a small Stonefly imitation. And follow it all up with a smaller Baetis or Midge pattern. Action has been a little sluggish the past couple of weeks but we expect that to change quickly as daytime temperatures help bring up those water temperatures. There is generally a good window of activity here in between the time when water temps move into the high 40s and when run-off hits. Keep an eye on this one.
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 82 cfs. |
Conditions: For the most part the spawn is over, once again returning the river to sight fishing for more solitary fish with the occasional lake fish still hanging out feeding. Traffic has been day to day with regards to crowds but, as run-off creeps into other parts of the state, any tailwater with a reasonable flow and clean water will soon be very popular. When that does happen, if you can be flexible, plan your trip for mid-week. There are still some reports of Egg Patterns catching a few opportunistic fish. However, most of the action has returned to the typical tailwater assortment of small Midge and Baetis imitations with a little bit of variety mixed in via the occasional Caddis Larva, San Juan Worm or Scud. 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. 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, Buckskin, Desert Storm Chartreuse, Tube Midge, Midge Biot, UV Emerger, Poison Tung, Zebra Midge Black/Silver, Barr’s Emerger BWO, 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 335 cfs. |
Conditions: The pre-runoff purge has started from the reservoir and flows are climbing into the range of tough wading. But, there are still plenty of decent lies in the river to find holding and feeding fish. Action has been good where you can find that happening. With the bigger water, tandem nymph rigs have been the most productive. The benefit to this flow is that larger searching patterns and San Juan Worms will be effective in combination with the normal staple of Mayfly and Midge imitations. Make sure to add extra weight to your set up with the added water. And you can do the same with tippet size, 4x should work well to hang on to most hook ups in the swifter water, you can always drop down to 5x if you feel your not getting enough strikes.
Flies: Caddis Larva, Buckskin, Heavy Metal Worm, Flossy Worm, Pat’s Rubber Legs, Little Brown Bug, Two Bit Hooker, Flash Back Pheasant Tail, 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
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Antero Reservoir
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Conditions: Ice is off but, water appears to be a couple of feet low. Action has been fair to slow with water temps still being a little cool. This should start to heat up once we get some steady sunny days and the water temps can rise enough to spark the Chironomids. Until then use a mix of Chironomid, Calibaetis and smaller Midge nymph imitations in a static indicator rig. Vary your depth initially with a two fly rig to see if there is any particular level where trout are feeding. Also worth trying would be slow retrieving streamers that imitate Damsels, Leeches or Crayfish. If the wind picks up later in the day, try suspending any of those streamers under an indicator and let the waves jig them up and down. That is unless the wind really kicks up, then get off the lake and fish another day. Daily access is at the South Ramp, with the North ramp only being open Friday – Sunday.
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, Diamond Lake Special, Wooly Bugger – Black, Olive or Brown, Hale Bopp Leech
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Spinney Mountain Reservoir
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| Conditions: Ice is off a couple of weeks now and fishing is hit or miss as can be typical this early. The wind has been fairly consistent though. At this time of year we recommend a mix of Chironomid, Calibaetis and small Midge nymph imitations fished under an indicator as a static nymph rig. Mix up the depth at various points with your flies in order to pin point any particular level the trout may favor for feeding. For those of you that can’t focus that long on an indicator, try a slow retrieve with streamer patterns that imitate Leeches, Damsel Fly nymphs or Crayfish. And this time of year always offers the chance at cruisers along the dam picking up Egg patterns.
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, Diamond Lake Special, Wooly Bugger – Black, Olive or Brown, Hale Bopp Leech
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Delaney Buttes Lakes
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Conditions: All three lakes are open, with mixed results. None of them are on fire but, action has been good enough to warrant a return trip or two for “The Kid”. The North lake has produced some of the nicer fish, particularly if you are not averse to fishing at night. With shore anglers doing as well, if not better than boaters. East and South have been producing slightly more action, with a smaller size on average. Streamers have been as productive as anything but, we always like to give it a try with our favorite lake nymphs under an indicator, as well. While you are up that way, don’t overlook the large impoundment just to the east, Lake John. Action over there has been slightly more consistent, with average fish running 18-20 inches.
Flies: Egg Patterns, Bead Pheasant Tail, Bead Hare’s Ear, Copper John, Jumbo Juju, Hares Ear, Zebra Midge, Tak’s Chironomid, Hale Bopp Leech, LE Leech, Wooly Bugger in Black, Olive or Brown, Sculpzilla
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