spectr17
09-25-2002, 02:42 AM
9/20/2002
CO Division of Wildlife
FALL FISHING IN COLORADO
Enjoy Colorado's fall fishing opportunities.
With fall fast approaching, many sportsmen’s thoughts turn to hunting, but cooler waters and the demise of summer crowds makes fall an excellent time to enjoy Colorado’s fishing opportunities. The following rivers and streams are great places to go for those who may want to take a break from hunting in favor of attempting to catch some trout.
Catch-and-release section of the South Platte River between Elevenmile and Spinney reservoirs
Fishing is reported as being excellent for rainbow trout. RS2, Trico Spinners, Griffith’s Gnats, Mahogany Dunns, size 20 Beadhead Nymphs, size 16 Caddis Larva and Pupa, size 22 Blue Wing Olive nymphs and Pheasant Tail Nymphs all are taking rainbows, depending upon the day. Brown trout action has remained consistently good on Trico Spinners and Copperjohn Nymphs. Cutthroat action has been slow.
Crowds that come to fish this section of the South Platte have thinned since Labor Day, but expect to see a fair amount of anglers on the weekends.
The Platte is running consistently at 200 CFS between the reservoirs. There are caddis, baetis, PMD, trico and hopper hatches taking place.
Location: Southeast of the town of Hartsel.
For more information call Elevenmile State Park at (719) 748-3401.
Frying Pan River
Regulated flows and cooler temperatures have made fishing on the Frying Pan consistently good for the past week. Caddis imitations, size 12 to 18, have been producing. Smaller Caddis flies should be a yellow color and the larger caddis should be more of an olive color to induce the most strikes. The river is running clear at 290 CFS and should stay consistent for some time due to the regulated flow from Ruedi Reservoir.
“Concentrate your efforts along the edges of the heavier runs,” said Tim Heng of the Taylor Creek Fly Shop in Basalt. “The slightly higher flows have kept most fish alongside the really fast runs.”
Location: The Frying Pan River runs through the town of Basalt. There are several stretches of public water between Basalt and Ruedi Reservoir Dam.
For more information, call Taylor Creek Fly Shop at (970) 927-4374.
Roaring Fork River
Fly-Fishermen are reporting good success on the Roaring Fork near Glenwood Springs. Most of the action has been on nymphs, with small Pheasant Tails and Prince Nymphs inducing the most strikes. There have been a few reports of success on Blue Wing Olives on top; it may be worth a try on a cloudy day, according to Heng.
The flow at Glenwood is 470 CFS.
“The fishing seems to be the exact opposite of the Frying Pan,” said Heng. “Better luck is being had in the main runs where the more oxygenated water is.”
Location: South of Glenwood Springs
For more information, call Taylor Creek Fly Shop at (970) 927-4374.
Arkansas River
The Arkansas is producing some great fishing action as of late. Most of the success has been on nymphs. Beadhead Nymphs, Prince Nymphs, Copperjohns and Pheasant Tail Nymphs have been the best recently. Rod Patch, from the Arkansas River Fly Shop, in Salida said that may change soon if cloudy afternoons persist. While there have been reports of some sparse Blue Wing Olive hatches lately, it hasn’t been consistent enough to bring fish to the surface in great numbers.
“We are getting a few fish on Yellow Stimulators and Royal Humphies, but we are hoping to see the Blue Wing Olives start going soon,” said Patch. “The best fishing has been in the faster, knee-deep water.”
The Arkansas is flowing consistently clear at 200 CFS.
Location: The best fishing on the Arkansas has been near Salida. The section below Brown’s Canyon down to Cotopaxi is what is recommended.
For more information, call the Arkansas River Fly Shop at (719) 539-3474.
San Miguel River
Both dry flies and nymphs are working right now on the San Miguel. Baetis, May Flies, Ants and Grasshoppers are instigating strikes on the surface, while small midge and pupa patterns along with Copperjohns are successful toward the bottom.
Recent rains have muddied up the water, but the 80 CFS flow is clearing fast and fishing is expected to remain good.
“The river is easily read right now with pocket water and deeper holes all holding fish,” said John Duncan of Telluride Outside Fly Shop.
Location: West of Telluride.
For more information, call the Telluride Outside Fly Shop at (800) 831-6230.
The Dolores River
Baetis, May Flies, Grasshoppers and Caddis are the flies to use on the Dolores right now. Duncan said that anglers should stick to different shades of yellow when it comes to caddis imitations.
“We are seeing a lot of 12 to 14-inch fish and a few larger ones being caught right now,” said Duncan. “The flow is pretty low, so anglers should concentrate on the three miles of river closest to the dam.”
The flow is 15 CFS.
Location: West of Cortez, follow Highway 666 20 miles to the town of Pleasant View and follow the U.S. Forest Service signs to the river.
For more information call Telluride Outside Fly Shop at (800) 831-6230.
Uncompahgre River
A Green Drake hatch is making the Uncompahgre a good place to fish right now. Large Green Drakes (size 10 and 12), all shades of Caddis, small Baetis imitations and red-bodied hoppers all are working on the Uncompahgre. According to Duncan, the odds of catching bigger fish increase in the top half-mile of the river below the dam. Be aware that there is significant fishing pressure on the weekends.
Location: Northwest of Ridgeway and south of Montrose.
For more information, call Telluride Outside Fly Shop at (800) 831-6230.
Colorado River
The section of the Colorado accessible from Trail Ridge Road offers a little of everything when it comes to fishing conditions. Deep oxbows, thin gravel runs and boulder drops make up the terrain on the river in this section. Rainbows, browns and cutthroats have been caught consistently in this section for the past several days.
“Ten to 14-inch fish are the norm,” said Giles Alkire, owner of Alkier’s Sporting Goods in Greeley. “I wouldn’t think they were lying if someone told me they caught a 3-pounder, especially if they said it was near the confluence of Ohahu Creek.”
The Lulu City trail makes a nice access point to the river. Large black Halfbacks, Hellgrammites and StoneFlies are the flies of choice in this section. Royal Wulffs and Humphies also provide action in this section.
The flow is 110 CFS.
Location: Stay on Highway 34 or Trail Ridge Road through Estes Park until you hit the river.
For more information, call Alkire’s Sporting Goods at (970) 352-9501.
Poudre River
The narrows of the Poudre and the quality water section from Pingree Park Road to below the fish hatchery are both producing some good fishing right now. The average fish ranges from 10-to 14-inches, with the occasional lunker.
“There is plenty of water to fish,” said Alkire. “Fish are generally tucked under the banks. Sight fishing will help an angler be successful.”
The Poudre is mostly thin gravel runs broken up by deep holes. The flow currently ranges between 45 and 50 CFS.
Flies to use include Beadhead Prince, Zug Bug and Flash-A-Bou Olive nymphs. Elk Hair Caddis, Tarchers, Quill Gordon, Humpy (red or royal) and Float-N-Fool are working on top.
Location: Take Highway 14 west out of Fort Collins.
For more information contact, Alkier’s Sporting Goods at (970) 352-9501.
Big Thompson River
Fishing is fair on the Big Thompson. The flow is 33 CFS. Humpies, Float-N-Fool and light yellow Elk Hair Caddis are working on top, while Beadhead Prince and Flash-A-Bou Olive nymphs are working under the surface.
“The average fish is a 10-to 14-inch brown, but again, there are some bigger fish caught on a regular basis,” said Alkier. “People who fish the narrows should know that there are very few access points in and out. It can be a dangerous place to be during a storm.”
Location: Take Highway 34 to the narrows, or further up to the quality water section from Waltonia to Knoel’s Draw.
For more information, call Alkier’s Sporting Goods at (970) 352-9501.
CO Division of Wildlife
FALL FISHING IN COLORADO
Enjoy Colorado's fall fishing opportunities.
With fall fast approaching, many sportsmen’s thoughts turn to hunting, but cooler waters and the demise of summer crowds makes fall an excellent time to enjoy Colorado’s fishing opportunities. The following rivers and streams are great places to go for those who may want to take a break from hunting in favor of attempting to catch some trout.
Catch-and-release section of the South Platte River between Elevenmile and Spinney reservoirs
Fishing is reported as being excellent for rainbow trout. RS2, Trico Spinners, Griffith’s Gnats, Mahogany Dunns, size 20 Beadhead Nymphs, size 16 Caddis Larva and Pupa, size 22 Blue Wing Olive nymphs and Pheasant Tail Nymphs all are taking rainbows, depending upon the day. Brown trout action has remained consistently good on Trico Spinners and Copperjohn Nymphs. Cutthroat action has been slow.
Crowds that come to fish this section of the South Platte have thinned since Labor Day, but expect to see a fair amount of anglers on the weekends.
The Platte is running consistently at 200 CFS between the reservoirs. There are caddis, baetis, PMD, trico and hopper hatches taking place.
Location: Southeast of the town of Hartsel.
For more information call Elevenmile State Park at (719) 748-3401.
Frying Pan River
Regulated flows and cooler temperatures have made fishing on the Frying Pan consistently good for the past week. Caddis imitations, size 12 to 18, have been producing. Smaller Caddis flies should be a yellow color and the larger caddis should be more of an olive color to induce the most strikes. The river is running clear at 290 CFS and should stay consistent for some time due to the regulated flow from Ruedi Reservoir.
“Concentrate your efforts along the edges of the heavier runs,” said Tim Heng of the Taylor Creek Fly Shop in Basalt. “The slightly higher flows have kept most fish alongside the really fast runs.”
Location: The Frying Pan River runs through the town of Basalt. There are several stretches of public water between Basalt and Ruedi Reservoir Dam.
For more information, call Taylor Creek Fly Shop at (970) 927-4374.
Roaring Fork River
Fly-Fishermen are reporting good success on the Roaring Fork near Glenwood Springs. Most of the action has been on nymphs, with small Pheasant Tails and Prince Nymphs inducing the most strikes. There have been a few reports of success on Blue Wing Olives on top; it may be worth a try on a cloudy day, according to Heng.
The flow at Glenwood is 470 CFS.
“The fishing seems to be the exact opposite of the Frying Pan,” said Heng. “Better luck is being had in the main runs where the more oxygenated water is.”
Location: South of Glenwood Springs
For more information, call Taylor Creek Fly Shop at (970) 927-4374.
Arkansas River
The Arkansas is producing some great fishing action as of late. Most of the success has been on nymphs. Beadhead Nymphs, Prince Nymphs, Copperjohns and Pheasant Tail Nymphs have been the best recently. Rod Patch, from the Arkansas River Fly Shop, in Salida said that may change soon if cloudy afternoons persist. While there have been reports of some sparse Blue Wing Olive hatches lately, it hasn’t been consistent enough to bring fish to the surface in great numbers.
“We are getting a few fish on Yellow Stimulators and Royal Humphies, but we are hoping to see the Blue Wing Olives start going soon,” said Patch. “The best fishing has been in the faster, knee-deep water.”
The Arkansas is flowing consistently clear at 200 CFS.
Location: The best fishing on the Arkansas has been near Salida. The section below Brown’s Canyon down to Cotopaxi is what is recommended.
For more information, call the Arkansas River Fly Shop at (719) 539-3474.
San Miguel River
Both dry flies and nymphs are working right now on the San Miguel. Baetis, May Flies, Ants and Grasshoppers are instigating strikes on the surface, while small midge and pupa patterns along with Copperjohns are successful toward the bottom.
Recent rains have muddied up the water, but the 80 CFS flow is clearing fast and fishing is expected to remain good.
“The river is easily read right now with pocket water and deeper holes all holding fish,” said John Duncan of Telluride Outside Fly Shop.
Location: West of Telluride.
For more information, call the Telluride Outside Fly Shop at (800) 831-6230.
The Dolores River
Baetis, May Flies, Grasshoppers and Caddis are the flies to use on the Dolores right now. Duncan said that anglers should stick to different shades of yellow when it comes to caddis imitations.
“We are seeing a lot of 12 to 14-inch fish and a few larger ones being caught right now,” said Duncan. “The flow is pretty low, so anglers should concentrate on the three miles of river closest to the dam.”
The flow is 15 CFS.
Location: West of Cortez, follow Highway 666 20 miles to the town of Pleasant View and follow the U.S. Forest Service signs to the river.
For more information call Telluride Outside Fly Shop at (800) 831-6230.
Uncompahgre River
A Green Drake hatch is making the Uncompahgre a good place to fish right now. Large Green Drakes (size 10 and 12), all shades of Caddis, small Baetis imitations and red-bodied hoppers all are working on the Uncompahgre. According to Duncan, the odds of catching bigger fish increase in the top half-mile of the river below the dam. Be aware that there is significant fishing pressure on the weekends.
Location: Northwest of Ridgeway and south of Montrose.
For more information, call Telluride Outside Fly Shop at (800) 831-6230.
Colorado River
The section of the Colorado accessible from Trail Ridge Road offers a little of everything when it comes to fishing conditions. Deep oxbows, thin gravel runs and boulder drops make up the terrain on the river in this section. Rainbows, browns and cutthroats have been caught consistently in this section for the past several days.
“Ten to 14-inch fish are the norm,” said Giles Alkire, owner of Alkier’s Sporting Goods in Greeley. “I wouldn’t think they were lying if someone told me they caught a 3-pounder, especially if they said it was near the confluence of Ohahu Creek.”
The Lulu City trail makes a nice access point to the river. Large black Halfbacks, Hellgrammites and StoneFlies are the flies of choice in this section. Royal Wulffs and Humphies also provide action in this section.
The flow is 110 CFS.
Location: Stay on Highway 34 or Trail Ridge Road through Estes Park until you hit the river.
For more information, call Alkire’s Sporting Goods at (970) 352-9501.
Poudre River
The narrows of the Poudre and the quality water section from Pingree Park Road to below the fish hatchery are both producing some good fishing right now. The average fish ranges from 10-to 14-inches, with the occasional lunker.
“There is plenty of water to fish,” said Alkire. “Fish are generally tucked under the banks. Sight fishing will help an angler be successful.”
The Poudre is mostly thin gravel runs broken up by deep holes. The flow currently ranges between 45 and 50 CFS.
Flies to use include Beadhead Prince, Zug Bug and Flash-A-Bou Olive nymphs. Elk Hair Caddis, Tarchers, Quill Gordon, Humpy (red or royal) and Float-N-Fool are working on top.
Location: Take Highway 14 west out of Fort Collins.
For more information contact, Alkier’s Sporting Goods at (970) 352-9501.
Big Thompson River
Fishing is fair on the Big Thompson. The flow is 33 CFS. Humpies, Float-N-Fool and light yellow Elk Hair Caddis are working on top, while Beadhead Prince and Flash-A-Bou Olive nymphs are working under the surface.
“The average fish is a 10-to 14-inch brown, but again, there are some bigger fish caught on a regular basis,” said Alkier. “People who fish the narrows should know that there are very few access points in and out. It can be a dangerous place to be during a storm.”
Location: Take Highway 34 to the narrows, or further up to the quality water section from Waltonia to Knoel’s Draw.
For more information, call Alkier’s Sporting Goods at (970) 352-9501.