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Fishing Reports
Colorado River
April 02, 2008
Posted by Fly Fishing Outfitters
Contact: Brody Henderson
Avon, CO 81620 USA
Phone 1: 800-595-8090
Phone 2: 970-476-FISH
Fax: 970-845-0284
Email: fish@vail.net
URL: http://www.flyfishingoutfitters.net
Current Report
Things are picking up from
Pumphouse to Dotsero.
Nymphing has been decent and
a few fish have been chasing
streamers.
The lower river from
Glenwood Canyon down to Rifle
has had very consistent
fishing.
Fishing has been pretty good.
Heavy midge hatch with the
warmer weather. Nymphing
with stoneflies, red worms,
and large princes, trailing a
flashy midge emerger in the
#18 range. Also sticking a
few fish on streamers. Water
may go off color, but should
remain fishable most days.
Things are beginning to turn
around bewteen State Bridge
and Dotsero. Fair nymphing
and no pressure up there this
time of year.
Catch of the Week
Big rainbows up to 20" eating
pretty much everything!
Special Report
The Colorado Division of
Wildlife manages the fishery
under a two fish limit and
you better be sure one of
those fish is not a rare and
endangered sucker. There are
no restrictions on method or
size. BLM owns most of the
land along the Colorado.
Please respect private
rights and don't walk on
land unless you know
who owns it. The Colorado
River offers
the angler some of the best
Fly Fishing opportunities
found in the state. The
Colorado or Grand River as
it was once known begins in
Rocky Mountain National Park
and heads west towards the
Utah state line. Except for
Lake Granby, Shadow Mountain
and Windy Gap Reservoirs all
found near its origins the
Colorado is a free flowing
river. It's a major stream
with many well known
tributaries like the Blue,
Eagle, Roaring Fork and
Gunnison adding to its
volume. The River begins as
a small brook trout creek,
turns to an average size
stream as it passes through
Middle Park and becomes a
big classic western river
after the Blue enters it
just beyond Kremmling. Here
the river enters Gore
Canyons class V
rapids
until slowing down around
the BLM`s Pump House
recreation area. It is here
that Fly Fishing Outfitters,
Orvis 1997 Outfitter of the
Year begins to float fish
and continues some sixty
miles all the way to Rifle.
The portion of the
Colorado we fish is
characterized by riffles,
long runs, deep pools,
sweeping bends and lots of
undercut banks. The river
except for the Glenwood area
is very remote. Averaging
about 100ft wide, the river
meanders west through semi
desert lands and broad
valleys. The
banks are lined with a
variety of willows and
cottonwoods but scrub cedar
and sagebrush are the
predominant vegetation just
beyond the
rivers edge. The water here
can be waded but is more
conveniently fished from a
boat. Rainbow and Brown
Trout are found here in
numbers averaging 1000/mile.
There are areas where more
fish are found as well as
some with less. Fish average
about 14 inches. Twenty inch
fish are common. Thirty inch
are remote possibilities. The
BLM
offers a guidebook to the
Upper Colorado River
Recreation Area. This
visitor guide provides
information about some
outstanding natural,
cultural, historic features,
and recreation facilities
along the Colorado River
from Kremmling to Glenwood
Canyon.
Its available at the store
in Avon or via mail.
Geology plays an important
part in the make-up of the
Colorado as it leaves
Kremmling. As the river
plunges through Gore Canyon
it meets up thrust basement
rock and the gradient
increases sharply. A
geologic profile shows
Granite Basement Rock
underneath the Lower
Paleozoic, Pennsylvanian
System, Maroon Formation,
Mesozoic Formation and
Mancos Shale Formation. At
Pump House, 11 miles below
Kremmling the river leaves
the igneous rocks for an
environment of sedimentary
rocks, sandstone and
shales. The rocky bottom
slowly gives way to a bottom
comprised of soft sediment.
This increases the suspended
load of particles in the
water and provides the
angler with the famous off
color water this stretch of
the Colorado is known for.
The river begins to cut the
eastern edge of the Flat Top
Wilderness Area around
Burns. It's below here that
enormous geological
upheavals expose colorful
strata while lava flows cap
the surrounding plateaus.
Check out the wind erosion
while you drive on Colorado
River Rd. or try to take
your eyes off your fly for a
second while your floating
to enjoy the scenery.
Elevation is about 7000ft.
at Pump House declining to
below 6000ft. in Glenwood.
It is a semi-arid region and
generally receives less than
7 inches of rain per year.
Lots of dinosaur bones and
sharks teeth can be found
around the river basin!
It was the Ute Indians that
first inhabited the Colorado
River Basin from Kremmling
to Rifle. The old Indian
lore still lingers, just ask
any guide about Chief
Yarmoney and the fur trapper
story. You may even see
arrowheads while wading the
river. It was on an 1843
expedition that Colonel John
C. Fremont first documented
information from trappers
and Indians. He wrote; no
trappers have been found
bold enough to undertake a
voyage which has so certain
a prospect of a fatal
termination. Both Samuel
Adams and John Wesley Powell
should have heeded the
advice of Colonel Fremont
before departing on their
1869 voyage down the
Colorado. The expeditions
did succeed in gathering
some geological data but all
boats sank shortly after
their departure. In the
early 1900's railroad tycoon
David Moffet and President
Theodore Roosevelt kept the
Colorado in this area from a
dam. It was in 1921 that the
Colorado State Legislature
deemed it proper to change
the name of the river from
Grand to Colorado, hence the
many references to landmarks
with the name Grand (Grand
Lake, Grand Mesa, Grand
Canyon,
etc.The Beaver dominates
WILIDLIFE but you will not
see many, they are nocturnal.
This past summer
I observed more then a dozen
River Otter. Coyotes,
Raccoon, Foxes, Deer and Elk
can be scene along the river
occasionally. BIRDS-include
several species of Ducks,
Geese, Bald Eagles, Golden
Eagles, Turkey Vultures, Red
Tailed Hawks, Water Ouzels,
Peregrine Falcons, Blue
Herons, Ospreys, Snipes, and
Kingfishers.
The Colorado is generally a
big river and wind can be
challenging sometimes. Nine
foot, five or six weight
rods are most common. Weight
forward floating lines are
used for most fishing.
Sinking and sink tips are
best for streamer casting.
Conditions do exist
occasionally where an
experienced angler can use a
small 2-4 weight with dries
and have great success!
.
The resorts of Beaver
Creek and Vail abound with
lodging opportunities. Call
us here at Fly Fishing
Outfitters (800)595-8090 for
booking information and
advice.
Float fishing the Colorado
is the best way to enjoy the
remote areas and canyons
that wade fisherman
can't reach. Opportunities
for great streamer fishing
from the boat are possible.
Dry fly fishing from a boat
with
large attractors this time
of year is deadly. Fly
Fishing Outfitters offers
several private ranch access
points in and out of the
river. These stretches of
river are secluded and do
not see many anglers.
One-Week Fishing Forecast
Things getting better onn the
upper river from Pumphouse to
Dotsero.
Glenwood to Rifle will fish
well for the next several
weeks until the big push of
water and mud comes..
Two-Week Fishing Forecast
Fishing will be pretty good
for the next several weeks,
water may go off color on
warmer days.
Rainbows will become more
active as the spawn nears.
Hatch Info
Thick midge hatch, also some
BWOS.
Baitfish Report
Small fish are an
important food source for
the large trout of the
lower Colorado. There is
also an
abundance of crayfish in the
lower river which provide
large chunks of protein.
Hot Fly Patterns
San Juan Worm,20 incher,
Copper John,
Princes,Mercer's Micromayfly,
,Soft
hackle Pheasant
tails,Crystal Midge,Desert
Storm,Sparkle RS-2,Miracle
nymph,Zebra midge
Parachute
Adams,Griffiths Gnat for
sippers. Streamers taking
a few
nice fish-Black,Vanilla
Bugger,Double Bunnies,Yellow
Yummy,Olive and Brown Buggers
#2-6.
River Flows
Kremmling - 554 cfs
Dotsero 790- cfs Glenwood -
1800
cfs
Meet our Guides
Meet Our
Guides
Water Temperature
hi 30's to to mid 40's
Fly-fishing Schools
Fly
Fishing Outfitters Orvis
Endorsed Fly Fishing
Schools
Sale Information
Fly Tying Classes all winter
call for info.
Special Events
Guided trips available daily.
Call 1-800-595-8090.
 This fishing report brought to you by Fly Fishing Outfitters.
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