It's tough to beat spending a summer day throwing a 3" long dry fly to rising fish. Current fly fishing conditions are great! One of the most prolific trout fisheries in Colorado is found just upstream … The Arkansas River is loaded with fish, and flows over 150 … The San Juan Mountain Range standing proud and jagged against the skies of southwestern Colorado provides a picturesque backdrop reminiscent of paintings of the Old American West. Fly fishing the Gore Canyon section of the Colorado River can provide fly fisherman some of the best walk-wade fly fishing opportunities for large wild trout in Colorado.Gore Canyon has been famous for river running since1869 when Captain Samuel Adams first tried to navigate the isolated river canyon on what was then the Grand River but is now called the Colorado River. We generally fish the sections from Gore Canyon to the town of Rifle bridge. Try throwing an emerger like an rs2 or a roy's special emerger behind the dry, Recommended Flies:NYMPHS:Red Collar PT 14 or a 20 Incher as a heavy dropper. The Upper Colorado River offers plenty of angling opportunities for fall fishing. Think as small as possible for the midge patterns like size 20-24, DRIES: Renegade, GT Adams, sprout midge, griffiths gnat. What Do They Mean By “Hatch?” A good hatch is … The Upper Colorado is a comparatively large freestone river that originates at the confluence of the Frasier River west of Granby and stretches to the confluence with Troublesome Creek west of … Part of this river has been designated a Gold Medal Trout Stream by the Colorado Wildlife Commission. Colorado River: Upper, Colorado fishing report, rainbow trout fly fishing forecast, fishing season updates, fly shop and fishing guides, and fly-fishing weather. UPPER COLORADO RIVER: The upper stretches of the Colorado River, west of its source in the Rocky Mountain National Park, feature some of Colorado's finest and most popular whitewater trips for rafters, kayakers, families, and large groups. On the lower it seems like the best fishing is around Glenwood with semi-consistant nymphing, streamer fishing and the occassional dry fly hatch. This is a great time to fish this area! This is a great time to fish this area! Streamers can also be a productive method this time of year. Guide's input: Olive Leeches! Some or our favorite winter fly fishing patterns for January on the Upper Colorado River: Black Beauty (Pupa) Size 18-22, Brassie (Larva / Pupa) 18-24, Renegrade Midge Size 18-22, Prince Nymph Size 12-18. The Upper C. flows through exceptional ranchland and is lined with cottonwoods and willows. Doing some "research" for the 2nd edition of "Fly Fishing the Gunnison Country" and let's just say the Upper Gunnison River is fishing lights out right now! There’s also a chance that you’ll hook a native Colorado River Cutthroat. Vail Valley Anglers97 Main Street, Unit E102Edwards, CO 81632 USAinfo@vailvalleyanglers.com, Guided Trip Reservation & Cancellation Policy. The Colorado is generally a wider and slower river with some faster canyon stretches and excellent hatches and beautiful scenery along the river corridor. COLORADO BASIN River Gauge View Detailed Information. Stashed away in the mountains of southern Colorado near the old silver boomtown of Creede runs one of the best-kept secrets in American fly fishing, the upper Rio Grande. Yampa River State Park. Gary and James travel to the town of Parshall, Colorado to take on the upper Colorado River. While the Colorado is fishable year round, the summer time, and it's abundant insect hatches are definitely what attracts many anglers to this river. This freestone river offers ample public access and year round fishing. 2-Hour Walk and Wade Fly Fishing of Upper Colorado River cancellation policy: For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience. Whether you’re looking for a unique date idea, a family outing, or you and some buddies feel like trying your hand at fly fishing for a few hours, AVA’s 2 Hour Wade Fly Fishing Trip is perfect for all of the above. Pumphouse actually gets cold water releases for most of the summer season, so as our oth… The upper sections are frozen over in many spots between Pumphouse and Glenwood, so focusing your efforts on the lower sections of river from Glenwood down is the way to go. Southeastern Colorado. One of Colorado’s gold medal stillwater fisheries, North Delaney is known … The Colorado offers more remote stretches of water and a slower pace to the day with an opportunity to view wildlife and unique geology along the way. If you are nymphing and find a fish then definitely work that water and change up your depth and flies before moving on. Populations of strong, wild trout add to the lure of the river, so different in reality from the picture normally conjured by the words “Rio Grande.” Fishing was a little slower near pump but fished lights out as usual from the canyon mouth below pumphouse to … Come late June, PMDs and Caddis certainly do their part in getting the trout interested, but it is the Stoneflies- particularly Salmonflies- that really get both the fish and fisherman excited. The Upper Colorado River is a recreational hotspot and here are some of the activities you can enjoy: Fishing The water is so easily accessed at the Upper Colorado that fly-fishermen love it here. We are seeing Caddis, Stoneflies, PMD's, Drakes, Beatis and more. STREAMERS:  This is a good time to go big or go home and fish those articulated streamers. The Upper Colorado is one of Colorado’s dream winter destinations. SPAWNING ALERT:  Brown trout are done spawning on the Colorado and it's tributaries but still be mindful of redds. Flows below Windy Gap are at 391 cfs. Try Mighty Midges, Rainbow Warriors, Desert Storms, Black Beauties and more. Trout are susceptible frostbite and their gills can freeze. This section is Gold Metal wateryear-roundand US Hwy 40 follows the Colorado for this section. REGULATIONS: Blue River- Fly/lure only, all trout must be released. AVA is a Licensed River Outfitter – Issued by Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Go fly fishing here, and you’ll likely catch a variety of brown and rainbow trout. Flows below Williams Fork Reservoir are at 84.7 cfs and flows at Parshall are at 388 cfs. The incredible variety of fishing experience to be had on the river always provides a new challenge or a different setting in which to cast a fly. This section of River stretches from Windy Gap Reservoir (west of Granby) west to the confluence with Troublesome Creek (east of Kremmling). Being a freestone you may want to give this section an extra minute to get going in the morning. Where to Fish the Upper Colorado River - Minturn Anglers Another great day on the upper Colorado from Pumphouse to Rancho Del Rio with Mike Connerley of San Diego, CA. All right reserved. Guide Tip:  Have a dry fly ready for the ocassional mid day hatch on warmer days. With that, there are great full-day fishing opportunities in the upper Colorado River section. Below Glenwood I would describe it as inconsistant but you can still find sporadic streamer eats if you commit. The water can exceed 4,000 (cfs) some years for a few weeks and still fishes well, albeit rowing conditions at high water are dangerous. Try large Stoneflies, Mayfly patterns, Caddis Patterns, worms, eggs dropped below. The Upper Colorado River has several large dams on its tributaries above the Pumphouse launch. Colorado River (Upper) – Hot Sulpher Springs to Krembling. The river floats best between 800 and 1200 cubic feet per second (cfs) but will fish well at only 400 to 600 cfs. In the fall around Oct.-Nov. when the water cools off again, Brown & Brooke trout begin their spawn all dictated by the patterns of the sun. Our great state's namesake river rarely disappoints and offers anglers the chance to catch large Rainbow and Brown trout. The Upper Colorado is one of the few rivers that fishes year-round, with a number of trout species including brown, rainbow, and cutthroat greenback trout. If you’re a fly fishing fanatic, this time of year is sure to amaze you, especially if you go during one of the fall hatches on the Upper Colorado River near Kremmling. Colder temps have moved in and the fishing has definitely started becoming a little less consistent on the Colorado. Eggs, all colors of zebra midge, foam back emergers, rainbow warriors(we have a new pink bead one that is awesome for winter), demon midge, neon nightmare. Try large Stoneflies, Mayfly patterns, Caddis Patterns, worms, eggs dropped below. KEEP EM WET: We tend to associate keeping fish wet with warm temps and that is good, however, the same goes for Keeping Em Wet in the freezing winter temps too. Flows: 175-400 c.f.s. Colorado Fly Fishing There is no better surrounding vista for fly fishing than that of the Dolores River. There are three sections of river as it pertains to the state of Colorado, the Upper, Middle and Lower. ACCESS #1: HWY 9 Fishing Access. The Dolores River is best known for its tailwater fishery below McPhee Reservoir, but in its upper reaches the river has an ample supply of mountain fishing to offer. We are seeing Caddis, Stoneflies, PMD's, Drakes, Beatis and more. With winter on the approach, remember to try to keep the fish wet, continue to limit photos and leave the fish in the water. Sex Dungeons, Wedgeheads, Heisenburgs in all colors should do the trick. All Rights Reserved. The river is in mid-Spring form, with most of the ice off and rainbows getting frisky for the spawn. ICY!!!!!!! The river is accessible all year. As the spring gives way to summer the focus shifts from Glenwood Springs and Dotsero, upstream to State Bridge and just below Gore Canyon and the Pumphouse boat launch. Two branches, the main Dolores and the West Dolores, drain the high country below Mount Wilson and Lizard Head Pass in … Air temperatures are consistent over night, quite chilly! The Upper Colorado Locally referred to as the Upper C., the stretch between Byers Canyon and Kremmling offers exceptional walk-and-wade access great for fly fishing lessons. The Colorado River originates in Rocky Mountain National Park. Website Design & Development by unleaded.digital, Weather @COLORADO BASIN - Updated December 25, 2020 - 1:01pm by OpenWeather, Staff Picked Trout Flies - Upper Colorado. Discover and book 2-Hour Walk and Wade Fly Fishing of Upper Colorado River on Tripadvisor. These tributaries can have an effect on the river flow, clarity and temperature. Colorado River- 2 trout limit, non-native fish regulation. The upper section- between Windy Gap Reservoir and Kremmling- sees abundant bug life and has earned a Gold Metal rating due to it's thriving fish population. Activities. Fly Fishing. Arkansas River. There are some ice flows coming from the Fork on most days until mid to late morning. With the changing color of the fall leaves trout begin to feast as winter draws near. They are being pretty darn picky with the dry so make sure you go small and have some emergers to throw behind your dry. The South Canyon ramp is also closed for the winter and should reopen May 15th. Learn fly fishing basics Float fish and test your luck on the Upper Colorado river Have lunch whenever you get hungry Continue float fishing down the river all the way to camp Enjoy hanging out and fishing around camp Dig into a delicious dinner Enjoy drinks, smores, and good times around the campfire The Upper Colorado is renown for it’s rafting and fly fishing, with opportunities to fish from the shore or the boat. You can also fish the headwaters of the Colorado River in Rocky Mountain National Park above Granby. https://www.vailvalleyanglers.com/colorado-river-fly-fishing-report Nymphs and Streamers will consistently put fish in the net here as well throughout the year. With that, there are great full-day fishing opportunities in the upper Colorado River section. Ramp Closures:On the lower Colorado, Grizzly Creek boat ramp and the whole rest area continues to be closued due to the Grizzly Creek Fire. The sections below Glenwood Springs are the first to be available in the early season for float fishing. What to Expect When Fly Fishing on the Colorado River Through here, the cottonwood and willow lined banks offer a dry fly paradise. CPW Largest Brown Trout on Upper Colorado River – Fly Fishing Colorado The Colorado River may be the most productive and diverse fishery in the state, with a healthy population of wild browns and rainbows all the way from the headwaters in the mountains near Grand Lake all the way through western Colorado, downstream of Rifle. © Vail Valley Anglers 2020. Please be respectful of the fishery and don't fish around redds to help protect the future of this amazing resource. Sign Up For the Latest News, Sales And Deals, © 2020 Trouts Fly Fishing. 5 Star Fatty Day! Current Conditions: With the cold nights that we have seen recently, the Upper Colorado is done for a while due to ice dams in numerous areas from Pumphouse all the way to Dotsero. Fall is one of the most scenic times of year in Colorado. Respect private property at all times! North Delaney Butte Lake. 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