ACCESS #1: HWY 9 Fishing Access. 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 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. 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. You can also fish the headwaters of the Colorado River in Rocky Mountain National Park above Granby. Try Mighty Midges, Rainbow Warriors, Desert Storms, Black Beauties and more. Go fly fishing here, and you’ll likely catch a variety of brown and rainbow trout. Current fly fishing conditions are great! We are seeing Caddis, Stoneflies, PMD's, Drakes, Beatis and more. Arkansas River. Streamers can also be a productive method this time of year. AVA is a Licensed River Outfitter – Issued by Colorado Parks and Wildlife. 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. 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 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. It's tough to beat spending a summer day throwing a 3" long dry fly to rising fish. Our great state's namesake river rarely disappoints and offers anglers the chance to catch large Rainbow and Brown trout. 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. On the lower it seems like the best fishing is around Glenwood with semi-consistant nymphing, streamer fishing and the occassional dry fly hatch. We are seeing Caddis, Stoneflies, PMD's, Drakes, Beatis and more. These tributaries can have an effect on the river flow, clarity and temperature. CPW Largest Brown Trout on Upper Colorado River – Fly Fishing Colorado Two branches, the main Dolores and the West Dolores, drain the high country below Mount Wilson and Lizard Head Pass in … SPAWNING ALERT:  Brown trout are done spawning on the Colorado and it's tributaries but still be mindful of redds. The Williams Fork tailwater provides year-round fly fishing, The section below the Williams Fork and Colorado River confluence is open most of the winter but cannot be drifted. All Rights Reserved. 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. Flows: 175-400 c.f.s. REGULATIONS: Blue River- Fly/lure only, all trout must be released. 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. The Colorado River originates in Rocky Mountain National Park. 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. With that, there are great full-day fishing opportunities in the upper Colorado River section. Activities. 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. 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. Fall is one of the most scenic times of year in Colorado. Being a freestone you may want to give this section an extra minute to get going in the morning. 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. 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. The river is accessible all year. What to Expect When Fly Fishing on the Colorado River Through here, the cottonwood and willow lined banks offer a dry fly paradise. https://www.vailvalleyanglers.com/colorado-river-fly-fishing-report Yampa River State Park. We generally fish the sections from Gore Canyon to the town of Rifle bridge. There are some ice flows coming from the Fork on most days until mid to late morning. 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 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. The Upper Colorado is one of Colorado’s dream winter destinations. Southeastern Colorado. Fly Fishing. 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. Colorado Fly Fishing There is no better surrounding vista for fly fishing than that of the Dolores River. 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. If you are nymphing and find a fish then definitely work that water and change up your depth and flies before moving on. Below Glenwood I would describe it as inconsistant but you can still find sporadic streamer eats if you commit. The river is in mid-Spring form, with most of the ice off and rainbows getting frisky for the spawn. Air temperatures are consistent over night, quite chilly! 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. 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. 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. Sign Up For the Latest News, Sales And Deals, © 2020 Trouts Fly Fishing. This section is Gold Metal wateryear-roundand US Hwy 40 follows the Colorado for this section. This section of River stretches from Windy Gap Reservoir (west of Granby) west to the confluence with Troublesome Creek (east of Kremmling). The river floats best between 800 and 1200 cubic feet per second (cfs) but will fish well at only 400 to 600 cfs. Sex Dungeons, Wedgeheads, Heisenburgs in all colors should do the trick. STREAMERS:  This is a good time to go big or go home and fish those articulated streamers. This is a great time to fish this area! Discover and book 2-Hour Walk and Wade Fly Fishing of Upper Colorado River on Tripadvisor. Pumphouse actually gets cold water releases for most of the summer season, so as our oth… 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! Colorado River (Upper) – Hot Sulpher Springs to Krembling. ICY!!!!!!! This is a great time to fish this area! Colorado River: Upper, Colorado fishing report, rainbow trout fly fishing forecast, fishing season updates, fly shop and fishing guides, and fly-fishing weather. 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. Guide's input: Olive Leeches! 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.” 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. Think as small as possible for the midge patterns like size 20-24, DRIES: Renegade, GT Adams, sprout midge, griffiths gnat. The Upper C. flows through exceptional ranchland and is lined with cottonwoods and willows. Guide Tip:  Have a dry fly ready for the ocassional mid day hatch on warmer days. One of Colorado’s gold medal stillwater fisheries, North Delaney is known … The Arkansas River is loaded with fish, and flows over 150 … Try large Stoneflies, Mayfly patterns, Caddis Patterns, worms, eggs dropped below. 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 … The South Canyon ramp is also closed for the winter and should reopen May 15th. One of the most prolific trout fisheries in Colorado is found just upstream … The sections below Glenwood Springs are the first to be available in the early season for float fishing. The Colorado is generally a wider and slower river with some faster canyon stretches and excellent hatches and beautiful scenery along the river corridor. Website Design & Development by unleaded.digital, Weather @COLORADO BASIN - Updated December 25, 2020 - 1:01pm by OpenWeather, Staff Picked Trout Flies - Upper Colorado. The Upper Colorado River has several large dams on its tributaries above the Pumphouse launch. There’s also a chance that you’ll hook a native Colorado River Cutthroat. Flows below Williams Fork Reservoir are at 84.7 cfs and flows at Parshall are at 388 cfs. North Delaney Butte Lake. Gary and James travel to the town of Parshall, Colorado to take on the upper Colorado River. Respect private property at all times! COLORADO BASIN River Gauge View Detailed Information. Part of this river has been designated a Gold Medal Trout Stream by the Colorado Wildlife Commission. Nymphs and Streamers will consistently put fish in the net here as well throughout the year. 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. What Do They Mean By “Hatch?” A good hatch is … 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. 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