Detailed Reports - Click on a location for details.
Blue River Below Dillon Reservoir
Conditions
Lake Dillon has filled and to releases are now happening. Water temp is increasing and more bugs are beginning to show up around town. Expect inflows in Lake Dillon to match outflows for the near future.
The flow is very nice for wade fishing. Fish are even looking up. Daily hatches of caddis, pmds, and some blue wing olives are around along with the old midge standbys.
As for traffic, that has been day-to-day. With other rivers dropping into wade able flows locally, tailwater traffic is down.
Flies
BTS Shrimp, Tim’s Mysis, Stalcup’s Mysis, Buckskin, Andrew’s 5-0 Midge, Red Neck Midge, Glassy Brassie, Mirage Zebra Midge, Desert Storm, Rainbow Warrior, Black Beauty, Brassie, UV Emerger, Biot Midge, Lil Spanker, Tungsten Psycho May-Black, Rojo Midge, Tube Midge – Black or Red, RS-2 – Black or Dun, WD40 – Black or Chocolate, Zebra Midge, Flossy Worm, Gummy Worm, Sparkle Worm, Jake’s CDC Leech, squirrel leech, Pheasant Tail, Caddis Variant in ginger, Burks silhouette dun, and small parachute adams
Current Water Data
Blue River Below Green Mountain
Conditions
Green Mountain Reservoir is full and outflows should be up for the near future.
Levels are good for both wade fishing and float fishing. Look for green drakes and caddis throughout the day. This is the best time of the year to enjoy the dry fly fishing in the canyon. The drakes should be out for the next few weeks. If you are floating please be ultra sensitive to private property laws.
Flies
Extended Body Para Drake, Furimskys Foam Green Drake, GT Adult Green Drake, Deep Dish Green Drake Nymph, Quill Body Jig in dark olive, Tungsten Split Case Green Drake, Parachute Extended Body BWO, CDC Baetis Dun, Slate Gray No Hackle, Winger Parachute, Parachute Purple. Big bead heads: Hare’s Ear, Tungteaser, Pheasant Tail, Rubberlegs, Psycho Prince, Duracell Jig, Flossy Worm, Sparkle Worm, etc. Sculpzilla, Sex Dungeon, Cheech Leech, Sparkle Minnow etc
Current Water Data
Colorado River Above Kremmling (Parshall)
Conditions
Flows shown are at Windy Gap, so if you are fishing below The confluence of the Williams fork add that flow in. Wading will be very nice in the Parshal area at these flows. Expect afternoon hatches of blue wing olives, with fish rising under cloud cover. Also look for eary midges and sporadic caddis.
The bottom of the river is now available. With many nice dishes and deeper holes Nymph rigs are going to be the best approach in the morning. Look for midges to start with bigger bugs coming through the day.
The Parshal area is great place to find the type of fishing you want to do. The variation in the water available and some waking and hunting will surely find fish looking up or down.
Flies
Caddis Drys, Gulper Special, Twinkling Gulper, Slate No Hackles, Pat’s Rubber Legs, Flashback Hare’s Ear, Miller’s Tactical + One, Flossy Worm, CDC Pheasant Tail, Bead Prince, Psycho Prince, Breadcrust, Hammerhead Nymph, Pheasant Tail #14-18, Redemption BWO, Split Case BWO, Tungsten Micro Mayfly Brown, Tungsten Juju Baetis, Aero Baetis, Root Beer Float, Zebra midge in black, Sparkle Worm, Zirdle, Sculpin patterns.
Current Water Data
Colorado River Pumphouse to Catamount
Conditions
The gauge for this report is the Kremmling gauge that includes The lower Blue, Muddy and Williams Fork.
Flows should stabilized around 1000 and remain there as Green Mountain reservoir begins to drop. While these flows are ideal for float fishing, many spots are available for the wader. Try Gore canyon, or walking around Pumphouse, or even getting out of your boat to walk a few banks.
Clarity is as good as it ever gets, maybe up to 6 feet in areas. Watch the weather as it can change quickly if we get a pattern of afternoon storms. Tricos, Blue Wing Olives, and Hoppers are the daily hatches.
Dry dropper rigs, and nymph rigs are going to be the most productive, streamers and dry flies will also pick up fish under the right conditions.
Leave the light tippet in the car and fish the 3 and 4 for nymphs, or 0 to 2x for streamers.
Flies
Big Dries, Chubby Chernobyl, etc., Pat’s Rubber Legs, Gulper Special, Twinkling Gulper, Indicator Trico Spinner, Psycho Prince, Yeager’s Soft Hackle, Bead Head Pheasant Tail, Duracell, Lil Spanker, Millers Tactical Plus 1, Foam Wing RS2, Tungsten Psycho May, Darth Baetis, Zebra midges, Sculpzilla, Silver Bullet, Sex Dungeon, Cheech Leech, Crystal Bugger
Current Water Data
Colorado River Below Glenwood Springs
Conditions
Flows below Glenwood are around 3500 cfs, fishing is good. Please watch for increasing afternoon temps and fight fish quickly.
Keep an eye on afternoon storms as it easy for this section to muddy up. Nymph rigs, Dry Droppers, and Sreamers are the general go to on this section. Keep an eye out for bigger bugs in the evening lower light hours.
Flies
Pat’s Rubber Legs, Tungteaser, CDC BH Pheasant Tail, Bead Prince, Duracell Jig, Tungsten Pheasant Tail, Deep Dish Green Drake, Bead Hares Ear, Yeager’s BH Soft Hackle J, Zebra Midges, San Juan Worm patterns, Lil Spanker, Tung Psycho May, Big Spanker, Rainbow Warrior, Magic Fly, RS-2, Bead Eggs, Otter Egg, Flossy Worm, Sex Dungeon, Heisenberg Streamers, Sculpzilla, Silver Bullet.
Current Water Data
Arkansas River Above Buena Vista
Conditions
Wade fishing on the upper river is in great shape.
Fish are looking up for bugs on the surface. Attractor dries, smaller hoppers and caddis have been getting fish. Drakes are hatching in the area around Hayden Meadows!
Nymphing has been good on a mix of beaded searching patterns, Caddis larva, Baetis nymphs and smaller stones. Look for any slower deeper bends where fish can lay up and still feed on passing nymphs.
I find some of the best dry action in the faster riffles during the Drake hatch. You should plan on covering a little bit of water to find those favorable lies so, don’t get too married to a spot, keep moving.
Flies
GT Adult Green Drake, Colorado Green Drake, Pat’s Rubber Legs, Red Collar Leggy PT, Duracell, Copper John, BH Pheasant Tail, BH Hare’s Ear, Lil Spanker, Hot Wire Prince, Psycho Prince, Yeager’s Soft Hackle J, Iron Sally, Hammerhead Jig, Tungsten Psycho May, Tungsten Micro Mayfly, Beaded Biot Midge, Flossy Worm, Silver Bullet, Sparkle Minnow.
Current Water Data
Arkansas River Salida Area
Conditions
Flows are around 700 cfs, and have been dropping.
Although we are seeing occasional spikes in flow. Nymphing has been productive on a mix of beaded searching patterns, Caddis larva, Baetis nymphs and smaller stones. Golden stones and yellow sallies are starting to move around so be ready with some of those patterns as well. Softer water is where you will want to focus your efforts. Up against the banks, the inside of turns, pools behind boulders and deeper riffles are the types of structures to look for. Cover water and don’t be afraid to toss a streamer up against the bank as well. Fish will rise to well placed dry flys, however the drift is a quick one.
Flies
Elk Hair Caddis, Simulators, Purple parachutes, Pat’s Rubber Legs, Red Collar Leggy PT, Duracell, Copper John, BH Pheasant Tail, BH Hare’s Ear, Lil Spanker, Hot Wire Prince, Psycho Prince, Yeager’s Soft Hackle J, Iron Sally, Hammerhead Jig, Tungsten Psycho May, Tungsten Micro Mayfly, Beaded Biot Midge, Flossy Worm, Silver Bullet, Sparkle Minnow.
Current Water Data
Roaring Fork River at Glenwood Springs
Conditions
The Roaring Fork is in great shape around Glenwood Springs. Get in and ge.
Caddis, Tricos, all over, Golden Stones and Drakes up river, waning PMDS and Yellow Sallies
Nymphing will offer the best results, whether as part of a tandem nymph set up, or underneath a big bushy attractor as part of a dry-dropper. Focus on the edge water where fish can get a break from the heavier flows mid-river. Caddis remain a viable hatch, so be prepared to encounter them. Other nymphs to have on hand are Baetis, Stoneflies, Drakes, San Juans and beaded searching patterns. With flows being up, wade fishing will be challenging and you will likely need to cover a decent amount of water to find fish.
Flies
GT Adult Green Drake, Colorado Green Drake, Big beaded searching nymphs, BH Pheasant Tail, Duracell Jig, Chartreuse Copper John, Yeager’s Soft Hackle J,San Juan Worm, Pat’s Rubber legs
Current Water Data
Williams Fork River Below Dam
Conditions
Flows are around 100, and are ideal for accessing the entire stretch.
Midges, Baetis, Caddis will likely be found. Nymph imitations to match the hatch along with smaller searching patterns such as Pheasant Tails and Tactical nymphs are going to be your best bets for finding fish.
If you encounter afternoon clouds look close for fish rising to Blue Wing Olives.
Flies
Gulper Special, Darth Baetis, Slate No Hackle, Breadcrust, Duracell Jig, Perdigon Nymphs, Poison Tung, 5-0 Midge, Pure Midge Larva, Flashback Pheasant Tail, RS-2, Foam Wing RS-2, Buckskin, Tungsten Psycho Mayfly, Barr’s Emerger, Miller’s Tactical Plus One
Current Water Data
Eagle River
Conditions
Flows have steadily receded and are sliding right into the wade zone. Good hatches have been found on the entire length of the river. Caddis, PMD’s, Tricos, and Yellow Sallys are coming off mid day.
Look for any sheltered lies off of the main current that you can find. Dries may pull a few fish along the seams and pockets with Yellow Sallys, PMDs, and attractor patterns but, nymphs are going to be the more consistent approach. Stoneflies, Caddis pupa, beaded searching nymphs and the odd San Juan pattern to start and if you land a fish or two, maybe do a stomach pump to see if there are any other options that you have overlooked.
Watch afternoon water temps on hot days, and fight fish quickly as temps rise. Stop fishing when temps get into the mid to high sixties.
Flies
Duracell Jig, Tungsten Psycho May, RS-2, Juju Baetis, Darth Baetis, Aero Baetis, Perdigon Nymph, Miller’s Tactical Plus one, Pat’s Rubber Legs, Psycho Prince, Bead Head Pheasant Tail, Yeager’s Soft Hackle J, Sparkle Worm, Glister Grub, Huevos