Colorado River Colorado Fishing Report Today

Reportin’ in as Artificial Lure, bringing you the latest for November 7th, 2025, here on the upper Colorado River corridor and nearby lakes—where the Rockies meet the rod and reel.

The sun crested this morning at 6:38, and she’ll duck behind the canyons about 5:01 tonight, giving us a solid window of daylight angling. Despite the calendar flipping deep into fall, the weather’s stayed seasonably warm but is trending cooler. According to the National Weather Service, we’re looking at clear, dry skies today, highs hovering in the upper 60s to low 70s, and overnight lows dropping into the 30s, especially riverside. A gentle south breeze will keep things pleasant, but layer up if you’re fishing early or staying late—there’s a definite snap in the shadows.

Now, tidal swings don’t impact our stretch of river, but water levels have held steady after a late-October rain event helped bump up flow and clarity just a bit. The U.S. Drought Monitor still marks much of the watershed in moderate to severe drought, so the river’s running clear, cool, and just a touch lower than the historic median as we start November.

On the bite—recent days have brought fair but steady action, with fish activity swinging higher in the low light of dawn and dusk. The Farmers’ Almanac marks today as a “fair” evening for fishing, with a better window shaping up as the new week begins, so get your lures in before sunset if you’re hunting big ones.

Let’s talk catch: Local chatter around Pumphouse to State Bridge and the downstream lakes has trout anglers landing steady numbers of healthy rainbows and browns, mostly in the 10-15 inch class with the occasional football-shaped hen pressing 18 inches. In the slow current seams and below riffles, browns are staging up for late-spawn, making them aggressive. The Connected Lakes area near Grand Junction has kept bassin’ folks happy—recent reports of largemouth, crappie, bluegill, and a handful of channel cats, with the best bass coming at first light on topwater lures.

As for what’s working, fly anglers are scoring with streamers—think olive, black, or white woolly buggers—swung deep early, then switching to nymph rigs midday with small pheasant tails, zebra midges, and eggs. Spin fishers, don’t overlook classic gold Panther Martins or silver-blue Kastmasters, especially in sunlit runs. Those hunting bass in the lakes should toss suspending jerkbaits or soft plastics on drop-shot rigs, per the recent Bass Forecast, and crappie are eager for small jigs or live nightcrawlers. Any topwater action for bass is best right at sunrise.

Two hotspots I’d call can’t-miss: the deep runs just below Radium—especially at the big bend past the bridge, where riffles dump into a long, slow stretch. And for those near Grand Junction, Connected Lakes’ easternmost pond is fishing strong for crappie and bass—just work the weed lines and submerged timber carefully.

Be aware: crowds are light, but autumn’s unpredictable—watch for sudden wind shifts in the

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This is Artificial Lure, bringing you the Colorado River fishing report for Thursday, November 6, 2025, and let me tell ya—the fall bite’s got Colorado anglers talking. Mornings have been crisp with lows in the mid-40s, and afternoons are bouncing into the low to mid-60s—classic November on the river. Sunrise was right at 6:37 AM, and sunset’s coming quick at 5:04 PM. With mostly clear skies and only a gentle northwest breeze, today’s conditions could not be much better for casting a line.

If you’re wondering about the tide, remember: the Colorado River here doesn’t have ocean tides, so our fish react a whole lot more to water temperatures and river flows. With water temps hovering in the low 50s, trout are cruising mid-current seams and the bass are pushing shallower as the sun warms the banks during midday according to the latest regional weather updates and angler chatter.

Reports this week from up and down the river—think stretches between Parshall, State Bridge, and down around Dotsero—show solid activity continuing into early November. Brown trout are the star right now with quite a few 16 to 20-inchers being caught near rocky riffles and the edges of deeper pools. Rainbows are still mixing it up too, particularly on the tailouts. Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s local updates say there’s a consistent afternoon window where fish are sipping midges and small mayflies.

Local anglers have had luck using small streamers in olive or black early, especially swung through shadowy undercut banks. Once the sun’s high, switch to nymphs—think size 20-22 black zebra midges, pheasant tails, or egg patterns. If you’re after browns staging before winter, a gold or copper spoon or a weighted woolly bugger can turn the bigger fish, particularly around woody structure. Ask the locals at Heenan’s in State Bridge and they’ll tell you to tie on a crawfish pattern or toss a jerkbait along riprap when the water’s clearer.

Smallmouth bass catches are slowing down with the cooler temps, but if you’re after them, midday’s best. Toss a green pumpkin tube jig around the sun-warmed rocks and you’ll pull a few—though regulations do require a watchful eye. Recent surveys out of Utah and western Colorado warn about illegal bass introductions—so check regs and respect those endangered species efforts like the razorback sucker and humpback chub, protected as part of the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program.

For live bait, worms and nightcrawlers on the bottom near the confluences are a classic option, especially for young anglers. If you prefer hardware, in-line spinners and small jerkbaits are reliable, especially in the early morning calm or at dusk.

If panfish and cats are your game, hit backwater eddies at dusk—channel catfish are still poking around, and chicken liver or cut bait does the trick. Bluegill are pretty sleepy but can be found suspended over deeper brush with a little patience and a bit of worm.

Now, on to hot spots:

- Around the conflu

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Good morning from the banks of the Colorado River—Artificial Lure here with your up-to-the-minute fishing report for Wednesday, November 5th, 2025. We’re hitting that late-fall stretch where conditions are as changeable as a rainbow trout on a sunny day, but there’s plenty of opportunity if you know where and when to wet a line.

Weather’s the wildcard this week. Last month’s heavy rains gave the whole basin a bit of drought relief, which bumped up streamflows and helped recharge the soils, but according to Peter Goble, Colorado’s assistant state climatologist, over half the watershed is still in a severe drought. Even so, the flow below Shadow Mountain Reservoir is currently running steady at 46 cubic feet per second, which is pegged right at normal for this stretch—a welcome sign with all the low water we’ve seen the past few years. Reservoirs like Powell and Mead are still sitting low, so conservation’s the name of the game, but for now, we’ve got cooperative water on the upper river.

Temperature-wise, we’ve got mornings starting crisp in the high 30s to low 40s, warming up into the 70s or even low 80s by afternoon. Skies are mostly clear after the last bout of rain, but keep an eye out for afternoon wind and the chance of a sneaky high-country shower. Fire risk is up with these dry downslope winds, so be mindful around any open flames.

On the fishing front, the full moon last night kicked up fish activity, especially for those prowling after hours. The best bite today will likely run late morning through early afternoon—think 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.—once the sun takes the chill off and gets the bugs moving.

Here’s what’s hot right now: nymphing and small streamers. The big brown trout have wrapped up their spawn and are moving deep to recover, with rainbows and cutbows shadowing them for stray eggs and active midges. Ideal nymph patterns are:

- Juju Baetis in size 20 for those afternoon seams

- Black Beauty midges in size 22 under 6X tippet

- Egg patterns in pink or peach, size 14, behind active riffles

If you’re itching to throw a streamer, go with a mini black leech in size 12, slow-crawled through those deep bends between 2 and 4 p.m.—but bring your patience and a low profile, especially if the wind’s up, and favor long leaders with subtle presentation.

For the hardware crowd, this is the time for a Rebel Wee Crawfish crankbait in natural craw or the Strike King Colorado blade spinnerbait. Both are stellar for targeting browns and rainbows in these clear fall waters, offering just the right amount of vibration and flash. If the water’s stained, upsize your swimbait or try a soft plastic in white or chartreuse. PowerBait in yellow or rainbow dough still draws the occasional stocker from the deeper holes, especially later in the day.

Bait reminders: live bait is a no-go, but dead or artificial baits are fine where posted—double-check the regs if you’re downstream or near a special use area.

Recent catches have included healthy browns toppi

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Artificial Lure here reporting from the banks of the Colorado River, and folks, it’s shaping up to be a prime fall fishing day up and down the corridor. Sunrise hit about 6:38 AM, with sunset expected around 4:58 PM—plan your casts for the golden windows when those fish wake up and shut down. Weather’s unseasonably warm, running nearly 10 to 15 degrees above the November norm, so it feels more like late September than the start of winter, and we’re blessed with clear skies and light winds, making for smooth casting and relaxed hours on the water according to Western Colorado local reports.

With the dry spell holding strong, water clarity’s excellent, and river levels stable across most stretches—no cold fronts or muddy runoff to speak of, and statewide snowpack sits at 26 percent of average, so the flow’s mellow. No tidal influence on Colorado’s river here, just steady current. These conditions are ideal for both lure and bait anglers.

Fish activity saw a nice uptick: locals have been pulling in healthy numbers of rainbow and brown trout—most rainbows running 12 to 16 inches, with a few solid browns in the 18-inch class showing up near deeper pools. Reports say the bite was best in the early hours and late afternoon. Flatwater spots like Corn Lake have produced largemouth bass, catfish, crappie, and bluegill. Bass are aggressive on warm afternoons, hitting spinnerbaits and squarebill crankbaits tight to riprap and submerged timber. Catfish, meanwhile, prefer worms worked slow in deeper holes; crappie were stacking in thick duckweed and taking small Minnow-style soft baits.

The lure of choice right now for trout is either a Panther Martin spinner or small jerkbait, but fly anglers are doing well with beadhead nymphs—think Pheasant Tail and Prince, with small streamers like Woolly Buggers moving the bigger fish. For bass, Wired2Fish recommends 3/8 to 1/2 ounce tandem Colorado/willow leaf spinnerbaits and late season squarebill crankbaits in craw or shad patterns, with the ever-reliable buzzbait still getting bites on top in slow stretches.

Best live bait remains earthworms and small minnows—those work for everything from bass to catfish and crappie. Locals at Corn Lake and near Grand Junction keep things simple, dropping worms or minnows for steady action, especially from shore.

If you’re hunting hotspots, here’s two to check out:

- The stretch between Parachute and Rifle: River’s deep, plenty of holding water for both trout and the occasional walleye, plus decent pull-outs for boats and bank anglers alike.

- Corn Lake at Colorado River State Park: Shore fishing’s hot for bass, crappie, and bluegill, with good access and lots of reports of steady catches.

The bite’s lively, the weather’s perfect, and the fish are cooperating better than a lot of years past. Warm spells like this keep late-season fishing rolling strong—expect a bit of afternoon lull, but if you time it right for dawn and dusk, you’ll be rewarded. Watch for slight breezes pic

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Artificial Lure here with your Colorado River fishing report for Monday, November 3, 2025. Conditions on the upper stretches are autumn-perfect—a crisp sunrise at 7:35 AM and sunset rolling in at 6:07 PM, with cooling temps expected to stay low through the week. After a brief cold snap, today’s forecast brings mostly clear skies and daytime highs near 54°F. Winds should stay below 10 mph, making for smooth casts and easy drifts.

No tidal action affects flow here, but don’t ignore the water releases upstream—recent reports mention streamflows holding steady, and active snowmelt earlier in fall has primed the aquatic ecosystem for above-average fish activity. According to Coyote Gulch’s November update, local species include the **Colorado River cutthroat trout**, roundtail chub, flannelmouth sucker, and bluehead sucker. Anglers pulling close to the headwaters are seeing healthy populations, with cutthroat numbers up, especially where deep pools and shaded banks offer cover.

The lower Colorado near Grand Junction, per Rise Beyond Fly Fishing, continues to produce strong bites. Trout are chasing streamers, woolly buggers, and sculpin patterns—dark colors, especially olive and black, are drawing aggressive strikes in the colder morning water. Midges and BWOs are the ticket for mid-day hatches. For those drifting bait rigs, nightcrawlers and smaller minnows fished deep have landed a mix of hefty rainbow, brown, and cutthroat trout. Reports from local fly shops indicate a few anglers hooked up with roundtail chubs and even a couple of bluehead suckers on small nymphs.

Bass and walleye catches have slowed compared to early fall, but persistent anglers are still bringing in smallmouth using crankbaits and soft plastics in sun-warmed shallows. Pueblo Reservoir’s update last weekend confirmed bass are feeding in the early mornings; similar patterns hold for edge water along the Colorado, especially where rocky structure and weed beds meet open channels.

Recent catches? Local guide chatter tells of half a dozen cutthroat landed per morning, averaging 12–16 inches, with rainbows and browns in the mix. Roundtail chubs are less frequent but worth targeting with slow presentations—try using a small white streamer or nymph under an indicator.

Hot spots this week:

- **Gore Canyon** for experienced waders after big trout, with the best action just above the confluence with the Eagle.

- **Parshall stretch** (near Kremmling) is producing solid catches of cutthroat and rainbows. Drift below the bridge, focusing on undercut banks and deep runs.

- **Grand Valley** in the lower river for chunkier browns and roundtail chub, with best results at dawn and dusk.

Best lures and bait right now:

- **Streamers:** black/olive woolly buggers, sculpins, white Zonkers.

- **Nymphs:** zebra midges, copper johns, and small stoneflies.

- **Spin fishers:** use inline spinners, jerkbaits, and craw-pattern crankbaits.

- For bait: salmon eggs, worms, or small live minnows.

A remin

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Artificial Lure here with your Colorado River fishing report for Sunday, November 2nd, 2025.

First light hit at 7:33 this morning and sunset’s coming up at 6:02 this evening—so you’ve got a prime late-morning to mid-afternoon window. The bite isn’t all-day, but this time of year, those midday hours are the bullseye when water temps inch up and fish get active.

Weather-wise, according to Durango Weather Guy and the National Weather Service, it’s another mild, dry day, highs swinging into the upper 50s and low 60s near Kremmling, with plenty of sun and barely a breeze. Water temps on the lower stretches have been running in the upper 50s to low 60s—plenty for trout, but cool enough to put them deeper and make them a little lazier. Stable flows and clear water reported by USGS keep conditions technical, so stealth matters out there.

Drought conditions remain pretty darn persistent, says Western Water and the U.S. Drought Monitor, but there’s been enough flow for decent action and some respectable pockets are holding good fish.

As for the fishing—according to recent updates from Rise Beyond Fly Fishing and Fly Fishing Outfitters, November might just be the sneak ace of the year on the upper and middle Colorado. Trout don’t hibernate, they just slow down. Post-spawn browns are hungry and late-season rainbows are eating, especially on midges and blue-winged olives (BWOs). Anglers landing browns and rainbows in the 14-to-20-inch range aren’t rare, with a few big surprises thrown in thanks to the lack of crowds.

Midges, baetis, and the occasional sculpin are what’s for dinner. Your best producers right now: RS2s in gray (#22), Mercury Black Beauties, and WD-40s brown (#22-24). Don’t overlook a CDC Midge or a Parachute BWO if you catch a hatch under cloudy skies. For streamer fans, swing an olive Slumpbuster or go bigger with a gold or black Mini Leech. Nymph rigs with light split shot—let 'em ride the bottom slow. Fish are moving slow but feeding with purpose.

Spin and bait anglers: small inline spinners like Panther Martins in gold or black, and 1/8 oz jigheads tipped with a floating worm or a minnow pattern soft plastic get reliable grabs. In lakes or slower backwaters, a classic nightcrawler floated just off bottom can coax a sluggish brown or cutbow.

Hot spots? Pair your gloves with hand warmers and head to these:

- The “Fraser Confluence” just outside Granby—deep bends and logjams here hold brown trout still recovering from the spawn but feeding steady mid-day.

- Pumphouse-Bond stretch below Kremmling: with clear water and less pressure, swing streamers on the soft inside bends.

- For the fly crowd, don’t ignore side channels and slow tailouts near State Bridge—look for risers when the afternoon sun gets high.

Reports out of the lower river near Grand Junction, from Rise Beyond Fly Fishing, tell of steady but not lights-out nymph action with a consistent mix of rainbows and browns, most caught midday on small midge patterns.

Fishing is mos

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Artificial Lure here with your Colorado River fishing update for November 1st, 2025, bringing the genuine scoop from the water’s edge.

The fall bite along the Colorado River and its nearby lakes is heating up as the weather cools. Sunrise this morning hit at about 7:28 AM, with sunset set for 6:04 PM—plenty of daylight for anglers who want to maximize those prime feeding windows. According to the Farmers’ Almanac, today’s a “Best Morning” to be on the water, so those hitting the banks early are in for good odds.

Weather-wise, expect crisp autumn air in the low 40s at dawn, warming into the low 60s by midday, with light winds and patchy cloud cover—fantastic for fish activity and a comfortable day outside. No meaningful tidal fluctuation affects the inland stretches here, but moon phase and barometric shifts make this morning especially promising.

Recent action along the river, in lakes like Willow Beach and up near Grand Junction’s Connected Lakes, has been lively. The Arizona Game and Fish Department notes that the post-storm runoff has muddied up the main current just enough to get trout and bass out from cover, making them less wary. Largemouth and smallmouth bass are active in shallow coves early, moving deeper by mid-morning. Anglers have been reporting solid numbers of rainbow and brown trout, with some Gila trout mixed in where stockings have hit recently.

On the hardware front, go-to artificial lures right now are small crankbaits with a rolling action and a bright belly—think the Rebel Deep Wee Crawfish or similar 1/8 to 1/4 oz. models. For bass, try a green pumpkin or crawfish-soft plastic on a light jig head, or a chartreuse spinnerbait if the water’s got color. Trout are eager for 1/8 oz. Kastmasters and little marabou jigs, with silver, gold, or copper the best bets. Fly anglers, this is a strong time for size 10 bead-head Simi Seal Leeches, Prince Nymphs, or a classic Elk Hair Caddis in the riffles during late morning.

Live bait, while popular in some Colorado lakes for cats and panfish, is out for many stretches of the river basin—so check local regulations. Where allowed, nightcrawlers and PowerBait remain staples for stocked rainbows and can outfish lures on slower afternoons.

Recent catches show a mix of species:

- Willow Beach produced several rainbow trout up to 16 inches after the most recent stocking, with PowerBait and nightcrawlers doing damage.

- Striped bass anglers are picking up both slot and schoolie sizes trolling shad-pattern swimbaits and using plugs.

- Up in the Connected Lakes area, largemouth bass are smashing topwater and shallow crankbaits in the mornings, with bluegill and catfish hitting worms along the drops.

For hot spots this weekend:

- Willow Beach remains a sure bet right after trout stockings—work the seams below inflows for hungry holdovers.

- The East Verde and West Clear Creek tributaries are fishing well for both stocked and wild trout, with undercut banks and boulders the ticket.

- For dive

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Artificial Lure here with your boots-on-the-bank fishing report for Thursday, October 30, 2025, along the mighty Colorado River in Colorado.

We started the morning with a brisk chill—just under 35°F at sunrise, which hit at 7:27 AM. Sunset’s coming at 6:04 PM, so you’re working with about 10.5 hours of daylight. With light winds early, skies expected mostly clear, and daytime highs touching the low 60s, it’s an ideal fall trifecta: stable weather, little wind, and dropping water temps—perfect conditions for river trout and some late-bite bass action.

The Colorado River’s flows are steady and clarity is up, thanks to cooling overnight lows and little recent rain. That’s got trout—browns, rainbows, and the occasional cutthroat—feeding more aggressively from dawn to late morning and again in the golden hour just before dusk. With water temps falling into the mid-40s by sunrise, the bite’s best once the sun’s warmed things just enough, usually from 9:00 to 11:30 AM and again 4:15 to dusk.

Local anglers in the past 48 hours are reporting solid action near Parshall, especially below riffle systems where browns have started stacking up for the spawn. Rainbows are chasing midges and small baetis below Glenwood, while in the slower tailouts, expect cutts to slip up for a well-presented nymph. Fish size ranges from 12-16” for most browns and rainbows, with a few outliers topping 18” caught in deeper bends after sunset, according to guides at Rise Beyond Fly Fishing.

Prime baits this week—when drift-fished—are egg patterns, small tan or orange globules, and classic bead-head hare’s ear nymphs. For the fly crowd: blue-wing olive (BWO) emergers in size 18-22, zebra midges, and RS2s have all produced, as well as olive leech patterns on a slow swing just off the bottom. Local fly shops, like Angler’s Covey, note that if you’re spin-fishing, a small gold Panther Martin or a 1/8-ounce brown trout spoon does the trick, especially through pocket water. For bait, fresh nightcrawlers and natural salmon eggs are tops with the bank crowd.

On the bass side, below the big lakes—think closer to Horsethief Canyon—the smallmouth action is slowing, but crankbaits and spinnerbaits fished around rocky shoals will fool aggressive late-season fish, especially as the sun warms the rocks by midday, as reported by Moabing.

Hot spots this week are:

- **Pumphouse Recreation Area:** Big browns moving up and persistent rainbows feeding behind them. Drift eggs and midges.

- **State Bridge:** Deep runs are holding hefty fish—egg patterns down low and BWO nymphs in mid-columns.

- **Dotsero Access:** Productive for both spin and fly, especially on small flashy spinners and natural colors.

For those looking to hike a bit, the mouths of tributary creeks entering the mainstem are staging points for migratory browns—use patience, light line, and long leaders.

The 2025 fall bite is on in the high country. Water’s clear, flows are steady, and fish are hungry. Quick reminder—pack out your

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Artificial Lure here with your Wednesday, October 29, 2025, Colorado River fishing report. The skies are mostly clear and we’re looking at a daytime high around the mid-60s today. Overnight temps dipped into the low 30s, so expect a crisp start. There’s a slight southern breeze picking up, but overall, it’s prime autumn weather for working the water. If you’re heading out early, bring a thermos—it’s chilly at dawn, but warms up nicely by late morning.

Sunrise hit at 7:23 AM and sunset will roll in at 6:05 PM—giving you a good nearly 11-hour window for casts and tight lines. Tides aren’t a factor here on the upper Colorado yourself, but if you’re fishing the lower Colorado River reservoirs, like Lake Havasu, you’ll notice fluctuating flows based on scheduled water release—expect mid-morning and mid-afternoon lifts which usually get fish active, especially around cover and deeper structure.

Fish activity has been picking up with these colder nights and consistent flows. Reports from Lake Havasu, a Colorado River hotspot, say the bass bite is on. Largemouth and smallmouth are feeding steady, with most fish in the 2-4 lb range for largemouth and 1-3 lb for smallmouth. Trophy size is always possible in these waters—keep an eye on brush, cattail coves, and those submerged structures. Havasu’s Copper Canyon and Steamboat Cove have both lit up in the last week, often seeing good numbers on jerkbaits and swimbaits according to Desert Vegas Fishing. Folks hitting the Bill Williams River arm and Tire Reef also reported strong mornings, mostly on reaction baits.

On the main Colorado River stretches through Colorado proper, trout action rules the roost. Brown trout are finishing up their spawn, so rainbows are hot on their tails, picking up loose eggs and getting aggressive in deeper runs and seams. Recent catches: abundant rainbows up to 18", a few browns pushing the 20" mark, and even some cutthroat reported further upriver. October means Blue-Winged Olive hatches mid-day—parachute BWOs, RS2s, and zebra midges (#20–22), with the bite strongest from 11 AM until 3 PM when those bugs are popping off according to Rise Beyond Fly Fishing. Early mornings are slow; wait for sun on the water. Griffith’s Gnats and Parachute Adams cover your surface action, while WD-40 nymphs under indicators are taking fish consistently.

Best lures and baits right now:

- **For bass**: jerkbaits, swimbaits in shad pattern, crankbaits, green pumpkin weightless senkos, and Ned rigs. Frogs along reeds early, plastics throughout the day. Top picks include Yamamoto Senko, Keitech swimbait in sexy shad, money crankbaits, and the Berkley Chapo and Strike King Rage Bug, especially near structure and points.

- **For trout**: small natural nymphs like RS2s and zebra midges, Parachute BWOs and dry-dropper setups with Slumpbuster streamers in olive or natural. If flows are low and water’s clear, lighten up on tippet and use smaller flies.

A couple of current hot spots:

- On Lake Havasu: Cop

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Artificial Lure here with your Colorado River fishing report for Tuesday, October 28, 2025. Sunrise hit at 7:27 AM and we’ll see sunset at 6:08 PM. The weather along the central Colorado River corridor today is shaping up bluebird and chilly: morning temps in the low 30s, climbing into the low 60s by afternoon, with just a whisper of wind and clear autumn skies. There’s no tide action to speak of this far upstream, but water flows are steady—around 90-100 CFS, and clarity is excellent thanks to cool, stable fall conditions.

The bite is dialed in late morning through mid-afternoon. Browns have wrapped up most spawning but are still fired up and hungry; rainbows are on the feed, and you’ll spot the odd kokanee salmon running in tributaries if you’re near confluence areas.

Anglers around Parshall and State Bridge report great results drifting nymph rigs—RS2s and zebra midges in sizes 20–24 are landing healthy rainbows and eager browns. Egg patterns are solid all day, especially just downstream of redds (always steer clear of spawning beds and gravel). If you like swinging streamers, try a black or rust mini leech pattern deep in the tailouts—bite’s best on overcast or in low light.

Several folks have weighed in this week with their hauls: mostly rainbows in the 12–16 inch class, a few chunky browns pushing 18, and the occasional cutthroat sneaking in below Kremmling. No monsters landed, but plenty of action. The Lower Blue River, feeding into the Colorado, is still producing big hatchery rainbows, though densities have slipped since last fall according to the Vail Daily. Still, that stretch delivers shot after shot at “dinosaur” trout if you’re persistent.

Your top baits and lures today:

- Natural or pink egg patterns under a small indicator

- Tiny black or olive zebra midges

- RS2s or WD-40s as droppers

- Parachute BWOs #20–22 if you see heads up on cloudy spells

- For hardware, small gold Kastmasters have enticed rainbows in deeper holes

If you’re packing hardware, little spoons or spinners fished slow and deep can pick up fish when nymphing slows down. No need for heavy line—5X leaders give the best stealth in this clear water.

Hot spots to try:

- **State Bridge area:** Wide riffles and deep pools, easy access, and less pressure during the week.

- **Lone Rock and confluence with Muddy Creek:** Reliable mid-day action on nymphs.

- **Below Parshall:** More solitude and consistent rainbow activity, especially 11 AM–2 PM.

Most anglers are having success with numbers, not size this week, and that’s classic late October on the Colorado. Fish are transitioning and putting on calories for winter, but pickier on bright mornings. Nymph deep, keep leaders long, and if things slow, switch to a streamer for a surprise.

A quick reminder: with the browns’ spawn wrapping up, please tread lightly around vulnerable gravel beds and keep those wild fish healthy for next season.

That wraps up the latest from your Colorado River beat! Thanks for tuning in. R

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