Trout Fishing Report For Colorado’s Rivers

Fly Fishing in Colorado is Golden! In Colorado, you will be able to catch over 30 species of warm and cold-water fish.  Dvorak has the best rivers: 6,000 miles of streams, 14,000 miles counting all headwater streams, and more than 2,000 lakes and reservoirs.” Over 145 miles on the Arkansas River of pure  Gold Medal rivers.

Fishing on the Arkansas River: We see winter conditions coming into play.  January warmth has motivated more activity in our resident trout population, and we’ve had some good reports this week of those getting out on their favorite winter run.  Fish are in classic winter mode, stacking up in several winter pools.  The upper river near Buena Vista is fishable in many areas, but anglers will probably find better success heading down toward Salida.  Expect the best fishing now, late morning till 3:00 pm.  Wade fishing access is excellent at current levels as the river is approachable. Anglers should be careful in shaded river areas where edge and shelf ice develop.

Nymphing is your best tactic now, with slight surface activity (besides midges) and cooler water temperatures.  Expect fish congregating in their typical winter areas: deeper runs and pools with moderate depth and slow, consistent current.  Your time will likely be spent outside a hatch scenario; pairing midge larvae/pupae or Baetis nymph in #18-22 with a giant stonefly or attractor nymph can be a great way to probe prime holding lies for active fish.

However, last week, we had some excellent midge hatches that offered some fun, late-season, technical dry fly fishing, so be prepared.  The spring molt of immature golden stonefly nymphs will begin in February, so now is an excellent time to stock up.

Adjusting weight and depth is usually more beneficial than changing flies; fish aren’t likely to move very far to intercept food, so the more you dial your drift to the appropriate depth, the more successful you’ll be.  Expect takes to be subtle in the cold water; any hint of a strike should be investigated immediately!

The weather outlook for the next few months looks cold but wadeable. With temperatures reaching the mid-30s to 40s during the day, fishing on the Arkansas River will remain good for a few weeks before the open flows take over during the spring (late April to May). So, get your time in mid-day for great winter fishing.

Please email Info@DvorakExpeditions.com with any questions. We’ll then direct you to one of our custom fishing guides for more details.