Information is provided by Colorado Parks & Wildlife employees and local fishing enthusiasts. Fishing conditions change on a constant basis, therefore, much can change from the time this report is produced.
Metro Denver Area
Aurora Reservoir
The water temperature is 71 degrees. The trout fishing from shore remains fair to good. Most of the trout are being caught from the dam using PowerBait casted out 40 to 50 yards from a slip rig. Boat anglers are reporting fair to good success on trout trolling with pop gear, crawlers, and silver bright colored spoons and spinners. The walleye fishing is fair to good trolling with bottom bouncers and jigs tipped with crawlers and leeches. The perch fishing from boats and shore is good using jigs and worms.
Quincy Reservoir
The water temperature is 72 degrees and the water level is low. The aquatic vegetation is heavy along the shoreline. Boat rentals are closed due to the low water levels. The trout fishing has been slow. The bass fishing is rated as slow to fair. We have received reports that soft plastics, spinner baits, and top water lures are working during early mornings and evenings. The perch fishing is slow to fair using jigs.
Northeast Colorado
Antero Reservoir
The reservoir is full and the water is clear with visibility 10 feet in depth. Angler are reporting seeing more weed beds throughout the reservoir, which has made the fishing better, but has also caused lost fish. Fly anglers using leeches and damsel flies are having the most success fishing in 15 to 20 feet of water and the spin anglers are having luck using spoons and spinners. The trout are averaging from 16 to 22 inches, with many larger fish being caught. The afternoon and evening fishing has been difficult with the daily thunderstorms. Anglers are experiencing the best fishing during the morning hours.
Dream Stream
The river is flowing around 360 cubic feet per second and the fishing is rated as good. Recent heavy rainfall in the South Park area has the water levels on the Dream Stream at about normal historic values. The city of Aurora will likely match incoming flows for their releases below the dam. Currently nymphing is your best bet with the higher flows. Effective patterns include No. 14 San Juan Worms, No. 14 Scuds, No. 10 Pine Squirrel Leech, No. 18 Mercury Flashback Pheasant Tails, No. 18 Buckskins, caddis larva, No. 18 Barr’s Emerger (PMD) and No. 16 Barr’s Graphic Caddis. Anglers can expect to see excellent hatches of pale morning duns, caddis, and tricos. The slower pools, back channels, and tail outs are providing some good surface activity. Flies of choice are: No. 16 Elk Hair Caddis, Nos. 14-16 Yellow Stimulators, No. 16 Mathew’s Sparkle Dun (PMD), No. 10 Amy’s Ant, and No. 24 Stalcup’s Trico. The crowds have been heavy.
Eleven Mile Canyon
The river is flowing at 350 cubic feet per second. Water levels have gone up over the past week and the fishing has been excellent. Anglers are having luck using large nymphs including Pat’s Rubberlegs, prince nymphs, and caddis emergers. The fish are starting to feed on the surface more and anglers are catching fish using elk hair caddis, yellow sallies, and Chernobyl’s. Use weight to get your flies to the bottom of the river where a majority of the fish are holding. The river changes depth from deep holes to shallow riffles, so moving your indicator to adjust to the water depth is a must at each new location you fish.
Eleven Mile Reservoir
The trout fishing is rated as very good. The fishing action is best early in the day and tends to drop off significantly after 10 a.m. Boat anglers trolling the reservoir are still doing well on Needlefish, Kastmasters, Krocodiles and Tasmanian Devils. Color of the day changes frequently, so if you are not catching fish, change your rig or check that you are not dragging a weed. Those who are drifting bait with long leaders out of their boats are doing great on the West end. Jigging is also starting to pick up. If it is calm, you can pick your favorite spot, drop a tube or Marabou down and just do the vertical ice fishing technique off the bottom. Shore anglers are doing well at night and sundown. PowerBait in green, chartreuse, salmon, peach, and garlic work well. Do not forget the crawler and marshmallow on your second rod. The kokanee salmon fishing is rated as fair. Action is sporadic. The fish are biting early and late in the day. The kokanee are showing up sporadically off Rocking Chair. North Shore to Duck is still the best. Troll deep and slow.
Spinney Mountain Reservoir
The fishing is rated as good. The pike fishing has produced of action for anglers as of recently. Effective lures include, Rapalas, Zonkers, Daredevils and Tasmanian Devils. The trout are hitting on many different flies including Callibaetis, Midges, and Hares Ears. Spin anglers are catching the trout on Tasmanian Devils and Needlefish.
Southeast Colorado
Arkansas River Headwaters
The upper river is in excellent shape and the fishing here has been productive lately. Flows have risen due to rain this week, but conditions are still within the ideal range for the wade anglers. Visibility is good on the upper river. We are seeing good caddis and golden/yellow sally stonefly activity mixed with drakes through Hayden Meadows down to Granite. Chalk Creek was dumping cloudy water into the river at Nathrop this week, but we are hoping this slowly clears throughout the week. Conditions are good upstream of the confluence and fish are still holding in sheltered, slower water poised for vulnerable terrestrial and aquatic insects in pocket water and slow riffles.
Clear Creek Reservoir
Trout angling from shore and boat remains fair at Clear Creek Reservoir. The best trout angling has been in the morning. Almost all of the trout landed were between 8 to 12 inches in length. Fly anglers enjoyed the most success with olive colored Woolly Buggers. Trolling cowbells and worms at 1.5 mph remains the best method to land trout. A few tiger musky were caught on Pink Tasmanian Devil lures. The reservoir is closed to trailer motorized watercrafts on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The boating hours are from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Lake Pueblo
The water temperature is 76 degrees and the water clarity is 4 feet in depth. The algae blooms are getting thick, so always check your lures for weeds. Anglers are reporting that the shad and baitfish are everywhere and the fishing has become more difficult with the greater availability of food. The north ramp and eastern side of the reservoir are the best areas to fish.
North Gateway Park
The bass fishing has been rated as fair to good for anglers using top water lures. Most of the catfish are being caught at night on various baits. The pan fish are biting sporadically, but overall the fishing has been slow.
Northwest Colorado
Delaney Buttes
All the lakes have been fishing well recently. The fish are still targeting chironomids, but they are starting to go after the caddis and damsel flies. Look for the best insect hatches to occur near the weed beds. Depth has been the most important factor for catching fish. In the coming weeks, expect the feeding activity to increase on the surface when the trout will begin to target the caddis and damsel adults. Mini leeches are also a great option when all other options are not producing any bites.
Frying Pan River
The river is flowing at 230 cfs and the water clarity is clear. The recent rains have created some excellent dry fly fishing due to the afternoon clouds and rain. Anglers have seen better mayfly hatches on cloudy afternoons, while clear and hot days have been producing better caddis hatches. Other hatches include green drakes, midges, and crane flies. Anglers who approach the river with caution and avoid spooking the fish are having the most success.
North Platte River
The river is flowing around 500 cfs near the canyon. The valley section of the North Platte has been fishing well for anglers using all methods. The brown trout are biting streamers consistently and they are being caught near the banks and deep holes. The dry fly fishing has been great for anglers using PMD and caddis patterns. The floating season is over through the canyon section, but now wade anglers will have more accessibility. The fish are being found in the pocket water behind large structures and in deeper water.
Roaring Fork River
The river is flowing around 1,400 cfs and the levels are dropping every day. The water clarity seems to improve later in the day depending on rainfall. The green drakes are the dominant hatch on the river and the fish are targeting them subsurface and on the water surface. The river is still high for ideal wading conditions, so be careful when entering the water. The caddis, PMD, and BWO hatches are still strong. Be sure to use plenty of weight when nymph fishing the deep holes. Streamers are producing a lot of strikes for anglers using buggers and leeches.
Stagecoach Reservoir
The water temperature is 72 degrees and the reservoir is full. The algae blooms are growing and the water is becoming a little murky. The pike fishing is rated as good for anglers using top water lures. Anglers using lures that rattle and make noise are experiencing more bites. The best fishing has been near the banks and grass beds throughout the reservoir.
State Forest State Park
The rainbow trout are still biting well at North Michigan Reservoir. Worms have been the bait of choice for most anglers, but PowerBait and salmon eggs are also working. Some anglers are catching a few brown and brook trout out of the reservoir. The fishing at Ranger Lakes has slowed down in the past week but some anglers are catching fish on PowerBait.
Southwest Colorado
Animas River
The river is flowing at 950 cfs through Durango. Recent rains have caused the river to go up and the fish are feeding on big bugs. Deep nymph rigs are working the best in the morning and evening for anglers using caddis, PMD, and tricos. Look for the PMD to hatch in the morning and the caddis to hatch in the evening. Hopper dropper rigs have been effective for catching fish throughout the day.
Gunnison River Black Canyon
The flows through the canyon are 950 cfs and the water levels have remained steady. The river is in great floating condition and anglers are catching fish throughout the canyon. The PMD and caddis hatches are getting thick. The fish are focusing on terrestrial patterns on the surface and many anglers are catching fish on streamers throughout the day. Stoneflies, worms, and caddis pupa are working well on a deep nymph rig.
Rio Grande River at Wagon Wheel Gap
The river is flowing at 630 cfs at Wagon Wheel Gap. Water levels have been on the rise with all the recent rain and we are expecting the rain to continue, but expect the river to fluctuate in the coming weeks. The PMD and caddis hatches have been the most consistent, but the fish are starting to target hoppers and drakes on the surface. Large drake nymphs are also starting to work well. Chubby’s and stimulators have been very effective dry flies.
Taylor Park Reservoir
The fishing at Taylor Park Reservoir has picked up as of recently. The lake trout are holding deep around 100 feet down. Anglers using a downrigger with lures like Apex, Rapalas, or Flatfish are productive. The fishing for rainbow trout has been productive for boat anglers trolling with cowbells and night crawlers with lead line. The pike are hot right now. Several smaller pike were caught with sucker meat and recently a 39 inch pike was caught with a size 5 Copper Mepps Aglia with a tail. The reservoir has been recently stocked, so shore fishing is good for small rainbow trout.
Uncompaghre River
The river has held a steady flow of 420 cfs over the past week which is the ideal water level for this time of year. Midges and BWO are hatching throughout the river, but the fish are targeting the larger PMD and caddis nymphs and adults. Anglers are having luck using larger patterns such as eggs, leeches, and San Juan worms.
Statewide
Rivers and Creeks
Summer fishing conditions have arrived and anglers are taking advantage of the manageable water flows. It is officially dry fly season and the fish are actively feeding on the surface. It is also mosquito and horsefly season, so do not forget your bug spray. Large dry flies such as Elk Hair Caddis, Yellow Sallies, and Renegades are working well throughout the state. The fish are still biting on large nymphs such as San Juan Worms, Stoneflies, and Prince Nymphs, but be prepared to transition into smaller nymphs once the water temperatures rise. Anglers should start using smaller leaders and tippets since the water clarity will continue to improve into autumn. Rainfall will be the only factor that changes water conditions throughout the summer. As summer continues, it is important to focus on fishing during early mornings and late evenings, since the fish will become lethargic during the heat of the day.
