Colorado River Colorado Fishing Report Today

Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to guy for all things rod and reel on the Colorado River here in Colorado. It's a crisp winter morning on December 26th, 2025, around 8:30 AM—sunrise hit about 7:20 AM, sunset's comin' at 4:50 PM, givin' us a short 9.5-hour window. No tides up here in the mountains, but river flows are steady from recent snowmelt, keepin' things movin' nice.

Weather's cold, highs in the low 40s, lows dippin' to 20s overnight per Snoflo reports, with light winds and partly cloudy skies—bundle up, but that chill's got fish bitin' slow and deliberate. Water temps hoverin' low 40s, perfect for winter patterns.

Fish activity's pickin' up post-Christmas; locals report solid catches of rainbow trout, channel catfish, and largemouth bass. Recent forum chatter on Westernbass.com mentions stripers and big bass in similar western waters, with some 16-pounders from Central Cal, but here on the Colorado, Snoflo says rainbows and cats are key—dozens hooked daily near rocky shores. Bass are schooled in 10-foot flats, feedin' afternoons.

Best lures? Spinnerbaits for bass, Pistol Pete Hi-Country flies (size 2) for trout and steelies—those Colorado originals are killin' it. Chartreuse or pink vibes for low-vis water, per river flow tips. Live bait shines: worms, powerbait for cats and trout; cut fish for stripers.

Hit these hot spots: Glenwood Canyon bends for deep pools with trout stackin' up, and Rifle Gap area for bass huggin' rocky edges—less pressure, big rewards.

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Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to guy for all things rod and reel on the Colorado River here in Colorado. Merry Christmas Eve from the chilly banks – it's December 24th, 2025, and we're lookin' at a short day with sunrise at 7:15 AM and sunset 'round 4:42 PM in these parts, givin' us just 9 hours and 26 minutes of light.

No tides to worry about on this river, but water's flowin' steady – expect cold temps in the 40s, perfect for winter bite. Weather's callin' for partly cloudy skies, highs in the upper 40s, light winds from the west – bundle up, but it's fishable all day.

Fish activity's hot on rainbows right now. Willow Beach National Fish Hatchery reports stocked 1500 rainbow trout at Willow Beach pier on December 18th, and another 1000 at Bullhead City Community Park just yesterday, December 23rd. Limits are comin' quick – folks pullin' strings of 10-12 inchers, some pushin' 2 pounds. Stripers and smallmouth bass are holdin' deeper, with channel cats grabbin' cut bait off the bottom. Guadalupe bass records show 'em up to 3-plus pounds on flies, but they're slimmer picks this cold.

Best lures? Go with small Colorado blade spinnerbaits – 1/2 oz Legends or blade swimbaits with feather hooks for that trout twitch. PowerBait or nightcrawlers on a slip sinker rig for bait – can't beat 'em post-stock.

Hit these hot spots: Willow Beach pier for easy bank rainbows, or Bullhead City Community Park for crowds pullin' limits. Launch early, fish the inflows.

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Hey folks, Artificial Lure here with your Colorado River fishin' report for this crisp winter mornin', December 22, 2025. No tides to worry about up here in the Rockies, but them steady flows from the tailwaters are keepin' things prime despite the chilly temps hoverin' around freezin' in the mornin', warmin' to low 30s by afternoon. Sunrise hit at 7:15 AM, sunset's callin' it at 4:45 PM—plenty of daylight to chase 'em before dark.

Fish activity's solid on the river and nearby spots like the Dream Stream and Blue River tailwaters. Recent reports from the Colorado River Fishin' Report podcast on Spreaker note steady bites on trout, bass, crappie, and cats last week, with anglers pullin' limits of rainbow trout usin' nymph midges and streamers for them trophy browns. Golden Fly Shop echoes that, sayin' winter warmth in the tailwaters has trout thrivin', and they're lovin' zebra midges, perdigons with slotted tungsten beads, and emerald caddis pupas. Further south, Adobe Creek Reservoir—our Blue Lake gem—is stocked heavy with rainbows, largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, and catfish, with limits comin' easy on jigs and spinners.

Best lures right now? Go with Joe's Flies Trout Special Super Striker spinner—that 1/4 oz brass with the mirror-polished Colorado blade flashes like crazy for trout on slow retrieves. For bait, worms or chicken gizzards rigged on a jig are killin' it across species. Strike King Bait Selector backs small swimbaits and nymphs for winter conditions.

Hit these hot spots: the Dream Stream tailwater for big browns on streamers, or Blue Lake near the southern stretches for mixed bags—camp, hike, and boat while you're at it.

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Hey folks, Artificial Lure here with your Colorado River fishing report for Sunday morning, December 21st. Winter's got us in stealth mode on the river—warm, dry temps persist across the state, running 8-10°F above average per Colorado Climate Center reports, with highs pushin' 50s today and light winds after recent gusts topped 100 mph. No tides here in the high desert, but flows are steady: 1520 cfs below Grand Valley Diversion near Palisade and 1470 cfs near Cameo, per Snoflo data—perfect for wading without the usual ice jams.

Sunrise hit at 7:15 AM, sunset around 4:45 PM, givin' ya about 9.5 hours of light. Fish are active in these chilly shallows despite low snowpack at 54-63% of normal; browns and rainbows are key players right now, with bass, crappie, catfish, and even some trophy trout showin' in tailwaters. Recent reports from Spreaker's Colorado River updates note solid catches of winter browns, rainbows, trout, bass, crappie, and cats on Dec 15-20, especially nymphin' midges and streamers in the Dream Stream stretches.

Go stealth—fish are spooky. Best lures: small nymph midges, woolly buggers, and streamers for trout; topwater for bass if ya hit warmer pockets. Live bait? Nightcrawlers crush it for panfish and cats, straight from Snoflo tips at Connected Lakes nearby.

Hot spots: Hit the tailwaters below Grand Valley Dam for browns—deep runs holdin' big boys. Or Corn Lake in Colorado River State Park near Fruita; it's stacked with easy access and mixed bags.

Bundle up, stay low, and tight lines!

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Artificial Lure here with your Colorado River fishing rundown from a local’s angle.

We don’t worry about tides up here in the high country, but we are watching the weather hard. Front Range forecasters and WeatherNation are calling for continued unseasonably warm, dry conditions with strong winds and elevated fire danger along the foothills. That means clear skies, bright sun, and a steady west wind pushing through the Colorado River corridor in Colorado. Layer up for a chilly morning, but expect it to feel almost like April by mid‑day. Sunrise is right around 7:20, with sunset close to 4:45, so your prime light window is short.

According to statewide river and drought updates from Colorado water and snowpack watchers, flows on Western Slope rivers are running on the low side for December, but still perfectly fishable. Low, clear water and bright sky make this a stealth game: long leaders, light tippet, and keep your shadow off the run.

Fish activity has been best late morning into early afternoon once the water bumps a degree or two. Think 10 a.m. to about 2 p.m. Trout are sliding into the softer seams, tailouts, and deeper mid‑river buckets. Reports from guides working similar tailwaters like Elevenmile and the Dream Stream say it’s still very much a midge and tiny mayfly show, and the upper Colorado has been fishing the same way: fewer bugs, but fish looking hard for what’s there.

Recent catches on the Colorado around Pumphouse, Radium, and down toward State Bridge have been mostly **browns** in the 12–17 inch class with a few healthy **rainbows** mixed in and the odd whitefish when you’re dredging deep. Numbers aren’t summer‑crazy, but a half‑dozen good fish in a short winter window is realistic if you stay dialed.

Best producers right now:

- **Nymphs:** tiny **midges** (black, chocolate, cream, 20–24), **baetis** nymphs and emergers (18–22), and small **pheasant tails**. Add a soft hackle midge or RS2 up high when you see noses.

- **Attractor and junk:** small **worms**, **eggs**, and tan/orange **scuds** are still turning bigger fish in the deeper slots.

- **Streamers:** on overcast spells or if wind chops the surface, throw thin-profile **olive or black leeches** and small **bugger‑style streamers**. Strip slow with long pauses; most eats come right as you start to move it again.

- **Bait (where legal):** drifted **nightcrawlers**, **salmon eggs**, or a small pinch of **PowerBait** near the bottom will find stocked bows in slower edges and eddies.

Think 5X–6X tippet, indicators set just above bottom, and a bit of split shot to tick the rocks. Shorten your rig and lose weight if you’re hanging up too much; these fish are spooky, not glued to the floor.

A couple of hot spots to circle:

- **Pumphouse to Radium:** Classic winter water. Focus on the deep bends and mid‑river shelves just downstream of obvious riffles. Walk a bit from the main put‑ins to dodge pressure.

- **State Bridge to Rancho / Catamount area:** Lower traffic in winter

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Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Colorado River fishing report from a local’s perspective.

The Colorado isn’t tidal up here, so no need to play the moon—this is all about flows, water temps, and that midday winter window. Snoflo’s gauges show the river running winter-low but very fishable: around 1,400 cfs near Cameo and ticking up closer to 2,700 cfs at the Colorado–Utah line, with clear to lightly stained water. Mornings are cold, afternoons bump into the 30s and low 40s, and we’ve had a drier, milder early winter than normal, as CU Boulder researchers have been pointing out, which has kept ice shelves limited on the main stem.

Sunrise is right around 7:20 a.m., sunset a touch before 4:50 p.m., but the real bite window is late morning through mid‑afternoon. The December fly report from Rise Beyond Fly Fishing says 11 to 3 is prime on the whole corridor, and that matches what folks are seeing: slow first thing, then a nice midge-and-baetis push once the sun gets on the water.

From Kremmling down through Glenwood Springs and on to Grand Junction, it’s classic winter freestone mode. Guides are reporting solid numbers of browns and rainbows, mostly 12–18 inches, with a few bigger browns in the mix, plus the odd whitefish when you’re down deep. Nymphing has been king, with streamer eaters still showing up on the warmer afternoons; Kirks Flyshop notes the Colorado is “still fishing well even with the cold weather,” with consistent nymphing and surprisingly good streamer action.

Best bugs and rigs right now:

- Tiny **midge larva** and pupa, sizes 18–22, red, cream, black.

- **Baetis nymphs** and emergers like Juju Baetis, RS2, and Blue Poison Tung in 18–20.

- **Scuds** and small **leeches** (10–14) start to shine as you get down toward Grand Junction.

- Workhorse patterns like Hares Ears, Pheasant Tails, Copper Ribbed RS2, Thin Mints, Woolly Buggers, Pats Rubber Legs, and Dungeons are all producing according to the latest fly shop reports.

Think long leaders, 5X to the lead fly, 6X to the midge dropper, just enough weight to tick bottom in the softer inside bends and winter troughs. Indicator rigs and light Euro setups both get it done if you keep your drifts dead clean. Streamers in olive, black, or brown swung slow along the soft edges will move fish when the sun’s high and the wind lays down.

Couple of local hot spots to circle:

- **Pumphouse to Radium** near Kremmling: deep inside bends and long winter seams, classic cold‑weather structure with light crowds.

- **Grizzly Creek and Two Rivers Park** around Glenwood Springs: reliable mid‑river shelves and canyon slots that have been pumping out steady trout on midges and baetis.

- Down low, around **Connected Lakes and the Colorado near the state line**, the river’s broader and a touch warmer, with longer feeding windows and more action on scuds, leeches, and small streamers.

Midday is your friend. Sleep in, let the frost burn off, and be in position when that 11 a.m. switch flips

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Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to guy for all things rod and reel on the Colorado River here in Colorado. It's Wednesday, December 17th, 2025, and we're kickin' off winter right with clear, low flows makin' for some prime trout action. River Whisper via Rise Beyond Fly Fishing reports the Colorado near Cameo at 1470 cfs, low and gin-clear, perfect for sight-fishin' those browns and rainbows holdin' in deeper pools.

No tides up here in the Rockies, but weather's chillin'—expect highs in the low 40s, partly cloudy with light winds from the northwest, per local forecasts. Sunrise at 7:15 AM, sunset 'round 4:45 PM, so hit the water early before the bite slows. Fish activity's solid despite the cold; recent reports from Bear Creek near Morrison (tributary vibes) show trout risin' on nymphs, and Snoflo logs steady catches of rainbow trout, browns, plus some pike and smallmouth bass lower down. Anglers pulled limits yesterday—dozens of 14-18 inch 'bows on flies, a few fat browns to 20 inches.

Best lures? Go subtle: small pheasant tail nymphs or midges size 18-22 for trout, per Rise Beyond guides. Spinnerbaits in white/chartreuse with Colorado blades work magic on bass in eddies, inspired by delta tactics but scaled down. Live bait? Nightcrawlers or worms for panfish and cats, though Black Canyon rules say lures only in the park—no bait there.

Hot spots: Try the stretch below Fruita at Colorado River State Park—easy access, good riffles holdin' trout. Or hit near Palisade with 1520 cfs flows; target seams and undercut banks for aggressive browns.

Bundle up, check regs, and watch for snakes on warmer banks—plenty slitherin' along the shores.

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Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to guy for all things fishin' on the Colorado River right here in western Colorado. It's December 15, 2025, and we're lookin' at a good mornin' for bitin' fish accordin' to the Farmers' Almanac fishin' calendar—prime time before the afternoon slows down.

No tides on this river, but flows are steady and fishable: Colorado River near Cameo at 1470 cfs, below Grand Valley Diversion near Palisade at 1520 cfs, and pushin' 2700 cfs near the Utah line per Snoflo reports. Water's chilly around 33-35°F like nearby spots, perfect for holdin' fish deep.

Weather's cooperative—mostly sunny with highs near 52°F and light winds 5 mph west, straight from Beaver Creek's forecast. Sunrise kicked off around 7:15 AM, sunset 'bout 4:45 PM, givin' ya a solid 9+ hours of daylight. No major hazards per NWS Grand Junction outlooks.

Fish activity's pickin' up in the cold; anglers hittin' Connected Lakes off the river nabbin' largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, and catfish. Recent catches include shore-bound trout up to 6.6 lbs on nightcrawlers from 11 Mile reports nearby—big rewards for patient folks. Bass lovin' topwater baits, while nightcrawlers rule for panfish and cats.

Best lures? Heavy spoons like the vintage Allcock Colorado for pike or bass in current seams. For trout, small midges 22-26 or blue-winged olive nymphs per Taylor Creek Fly Shops on nearby waters. Live bait shines: nightcrawlers hands down, or sculpins/mysis imitations.

Hot spots: Hit the stretches near Cameo for steady flows and structure—drop lines deep. Or Connected Lakes State Wildlife Area for easy access to bass and crappie, with trails if ya need a break.

Bundle up, test that ice if ya venture shallow, and stay safe out there.

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Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to guy for all things rod and reel on the mighty Colorado River here in Colorado. It's Sunday morning, December 14th, and we're lookin' at a prime winter fishin' window before the cold really bites down.

Weather's playin' nice today—KOAA News5 says highs pushin' 60s around Canon City and Glenwood areas, with gusty downslope winds easin' off by afternoon. Cooler nights droppin' water temps, per Fly Fishing Outfitters' latest from December 13th, makin' fish active all day. No tides up here in the mountains, but flows at Kremmling are steady around 438 CFS—perfect for wadin' or floatin'. Sunrise hit about 7:15 AM, sunset 'round 4:45 PM, givin' ya a solid 9+ hours of light.

Fish are keyed in on the chill—big browns, rainbows, and some cutthroats up to 20+ inches are chasin' hard. Recent reports from Fly Fishing Outfitters note solid grabs on streamers and weighted nymphs; anglers pullin' multiples per float, especially pre-spawn browns holdin' deep. Midge and blue-winged olive hatches are pickin' up too, with late caddis in pockets.

Best lures right now? Go streamers like Dungeon (olive/black/purple #2-4), Woolly Buggers (#8-12), or Mongrel Meat (#2)—swing 'em deep on 6-7wt rods. For nymphs, Pat’s Rubber Legs #8-12, black Copper Johns #14-18, or Jig Leeches #12-16. Dries if ya see risers: Parachute Adams #16-20 or Olive Elk Hair Caddis #16-18. Live bait? Worms or salmon eggs shine for stocked rainbows, but check regs—some spots artificials only.

Hit these hot spots: the stretch from Pumphouse to Rancho del Rio (call 'em at 970-653-4431 for shuttles)—trout stackin' in riffles. Or lower section Grizzly Creek to Rifle—boat-only gold for streamer-huntin' hogs.

Bundle up, watch for fog overnight, and get after 'em safe.

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Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Colorado River fishing report from a local’s eye.

The big river through western Colorado is running low and clear, classic mid‑December conditions. USGS gauges on the upper Colorado show below‑average winter flows and chilly water, so think slower seams and deeper winter holes. With the long warm stretch across much of Colorado lately, overnight temps are cold but days have been mild, which keeps a bit of midday bug activity going.

No tide talk here—this is a freestone Western river—but light levels matter. Sunrise is right around 7:20 a.m., sunset just after 4:45 p.m., so your prime bite has been late morning through mid‑afternoon when the sun warms those softer runs. Mornings have been frosty with light wind and clear skies, afternoons topping out in the 30s and low 40s under high sun.

Recent reports from Colorado fly shops and anglers on the Glenwood and Kremmling stretches say trout fishing is “good” for this time of year: fewer fish than summer, but solid quality. Browns and rainbows from 12–18 inches have been the main players, with the odd bigger brown pushing 20 if you commit to the deep stuff. Most of the action is subsurface: fish are podded up, not spread out, so once you find one, work that lane thoroughly.

Best winter producers right now:

- For fly anglers: small **midge** and **BWO nymphs** (18–22) under an indicator or tight‑line rig, paired with a lead fly like a small stonefly, leech, or worm pattern. Think zebra midges, RS2s, two‑bit hookers, and black or olive leeches.

- For spin anglers: **tiny marabou jigs**, 1/8‑oz spoons, and small suspending jerkbaits in natural trout colors. In the slower back‑eddies, a simple nightcrawler or salmon egg drifted on light line is still putting fish in the net.

Big picture on fish activity: with low sun and cold water, expect short feeding windows. If you see midges lifting off between 11 and 2, that’s your cue—trout will slide just a touch higher in the column, and you might even get a few on small griffith’s gnats or parachute BWOs in the softer edges.

A couple of local hot spots to put on your list:

- **Between Pumphouse and Radium**: Classic winter water with plenty of deep bends and shelf lines. Hit the inside corners with nymph rigs and run them slow and deep.

- **Glenwood Canyon to South Canyon**: Where the river warms a bit and benefits from that Shoshone flow protection work you’ve been reading about, keeping decent winter habitat for trout and those endangered natives downstream. Focus on soft seams behind big structure and along the railroad bank.

On gear, downsize everything: lighter tippet (5X–6X for flies, 4–6 lb fluoro for spin), smaller offerings, and more weight than you think to get down. Fluorocarbon leaders make a difference in this clear water. Work methodically; winter fish won’t move far, but they’ll eat if you put it right on their nose.

That’s the word from the Colorado River today. Thanks for tuning in, and

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