Artificial Lure reporting in for November 26, 2025, with your on-the-water scoop from the Colorado River and surrounding hot spots. Temps this morning started chilly, hovering in the low 30s, but it's shaping up to a clear, bluebird Colorado day. Expect highs to top out near 50°F by late afternoon. Winds are calm—ideal for floaters and shore anglers alike. Sunrise hit at 7:06 AM, and sunset will wind down the bite at 4:53 PM.

No tidal swings to worry about here; flows are steady with clear water conditions in most stretches. Recent reports show the river is running in fine shape—especially between Ruby Canyon down to Fruita and below Grand Junction. That’s where the catfishing action has been downright “good” according to local anglers and regional fishing reports.

The catfish bite is on in the lower river. Folks have been hauling in solid channel cats using cut bait, chicken livers, and commercial catfish nuggets. Pools and eddies are best, especially late afternoon into twilight when fish are pushing out of deeper holes to feed. Several anglers reported stringers of three to five channel cats per group, with most fish in the 2–5 lb range. The deeper the hole, the better, so be patient and work those current breaks hard.

Upstream, from Rifle through Glenwood Springs, trout fishing is staying lively. Dry fly activity is picking up, but anglers are still seeing the most action with larger streamers—think black or olive woolly buggers—in slack water and along undercut banks. Mile markers 55 to 58 near Silt and the islands above Rifle have been productive for rainbows and browns, with anglers landing 12–16 inchers just this week. Local fly shops recommend mixing in nymph droppers if the bite goes soft, especially midday.

For lure tossers, it’s crankbaits and spinnerbaits getting hits from both smallmouth bass and bonus trout in the warmer pockets. A white and chartreuse spinnerbait with a Colorado blade will call up bass—think submerged timber and rocky points when the sun gets high. Early morning, a suspending jerkbait in natural shad colors may produce some of your bigger fish—work it slow and don’t be afraid of long pauses. Glide baits and small swimbaits are also getting play, particularly around Ledgend’s Park in Grand Junction and the deeper bends near Loma.

Bait-wise, chicken livers and fresh cut bait are tops for cats. For trout, try nightcrawlers drifted near the bottom, or if fly fishing, classic nymphs like pheasant tails and small woolly buggers. Bass seem partial to soft plastics and spinnerbaits midday when the sun’s heating the shallows.

If you’re itching for a change of scene, don’t sleep on these hot spots:
- The Ruby-Horsethief section for a mixed bag and beautiful solitude.
- The confluence below Fruita for the best catfish action, especially evenings.
- The slack waters upstream of Rifle for trout and the occasional beefy smallmouth.

To sum up, catfish are biting well in the lower river, trout are feisty up top, and mixed bags are available if you’re versatile with your approach. Spinnerbaits, woolly buggers, and cut baits are the winning tickets.

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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI