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Well it looks as if our weather forecast is finally calling for a big change to the constant sunshine that we have been enjoying for the last month. Low pressure, clouds, cooler temps and yes even rain and snow are all a possibility over the next few days. And we couldn’t be happier. We see nothing but upside to this change.
With this cloud cover we are anticipating a good opportunity at dry flies on many of our local fisheries. Not only Midges but, look for Baetis to be a factor on the Colorado, Arkansas and Roaring Fork Rivers. Considering that there have been sporadic pockets of rising fish on odd days under the sun, the potential of an all out hatch is quite strong.
Many river levels continue to remain low as water managers are actively in a “hold for storage” mode at most mountain reservoirs. 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.
Take a look to the right side of the page at the detailed reports for the Arkansas and Colorado as well as the Roaring Fork for additional hot flashes of fishing resurgence for spring.
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. Winter Hours: Monday – Friday 8:30am-5pm, Saturday 8 am-5 pm, Sunday 8 am-4 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
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Blue River Below Green Mountain
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| Flow:72cfs. |
Conditions: River levels have dropped here again, to a sub 100 level, which is rare for this stretch. This was initially reported as needed for doing seasonal maintenance on the facility at the dam, but that has rolled into the “start of fill”. Meaning that The Bureau of Reclamation is now in the process of capturing as much water as possible for storage. It looks like the low flows in the canyon are here for the next several weeks. Whatever the reason, it makes for some great access for wade fishermen. 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: 171+/- cfs. |
Conditions: A significant drop in river flows here is result of corresponding reductions in the Williams Fork tailwater. Again, it looks as if water managers are actively working to capture as much snow-melt in every drainage in the high country. 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, 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: 317 cfs. |
Conditions: The past couple of days have seen inconsistency in river levels, the result of a combination of the drop in flows on the Blue as well as the cooler start to the week as a cold front went through. Expect more of the same as temperatures will generally be mild, but with an occasional passing weather system. Starting to see signs of a coming spring, not only with improving conditions and access, but also with the return of river enthusiasts. Weekend traffic has been brisk the last couple of weeks from both rafters and anglers looking to take advantage of this early season window. Action is starting to shows signs of life as well, with mild to good reports coming in. Results have been best on nymph rigs focusing on runs and deeper pockets. Midges remain a big part of the current diet but, Blue Winged Olives are now emerging as water temperatures have risen to favorable levels. However, it is always a good idea to work some larger searching patterns or Stonefly nymphs into the mix. 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 2290 cfs. |
Conditions: 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 been solid and providing a good source of food for winter weary trout. Cloudy days have been seeing pockets of rising fish in scattered locations, as well as a few shady spots on those bright sunny days. Flies: Pat’s Rubber Legs, Tungteaser, Bead Prince, Twenty Incher, Tungsten Pheasant Tail, Zebra Midge, Rojo Midge, RS-2 #20-22, Poison Tung, Parachute Adams #20-24, Trailing Shuck Midge, Morgans Para Midge, Stalcups Winger Parachute
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Arkansas River Above Buena Vista
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| Flow: 162 cfs. |
Conditions: Conditions along the upper river 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: 226 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. Best bet would be to focus your attention from Stone Bridge down through Salida and into Big Horn Sheep Canyon. Although with the prolonged warm weather and low flows, the conditions improve daily further upriver. Crowds have also come early to the river below Salida, so for the angler longing for solitude, it may be worth a trip into the depths of Brown’s Canyon. With such great weather, it shouldn’t be long before the Blue Wings start to emerge in that stretch as well. Truth be told, this 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, Zebra Midge, Jujubee, Garcia’s Rojo Midge, RS-2 in #22-24, Caddis Candy and Poison Tung
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Roaring Fork River at Glenwood Springs
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| Flow: 788 cfs. |
Conditions: Another good spring option for anglers looking to take advantage of the great conditions. Look for fish to be taking Midge and Blue Winged Olive nymphs. As well as a good compliment of searching nymphs such as the Prince or Tungteaser. Mild conditions have expanded the normal spring range from the lower river through Glenwood all the way up to and above Basalt. Midges have been the hatching insect of late, but the Blue Wings have started to emerge in lesser amounts and will continue to increase in numbers as the days pass. There have been some days with poor conditions, as the Crystal River in Carbondale has been off color on occasion. If that is the case, simply move upstream above the cloudy water, 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: Otter Egg, Flash Tail Mini Egg, 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. Still a bit early for consistent action, although you may find a fish or two looking to eat, there are better options out there. Flies: Otter Egg, Red Copper John, 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: Water is open in large chunks, with mixed reports coming in from returning anglers. Look for consistency to improve as water temps start to climb now that the ice has receded. We will continue to monitor the lake as it emerges from winter.
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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 a couple of 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 has just completed it’s ice off and wade anglers are doing well for those bank cruisers
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