Artificial Lure here with your Colorado River fishing report for May 7, 2025. It is shaping up to be a fantastic week for anglers in the area.

The weather today along the Colorado River is cool in the morning, warming up into the high 60s by midday, with partly cloudy skies and a mild breeze. Sunrise was at 5:55 am and sunset will be around 8:07 pm. Water levels are up a bit from runoff, with flows below Glenwood Springs measured at about 2670 cubic feet per second and rising. Water clarity is pretty good, especially following cooler nights, but keep an eye out for some color change in the afternoons if it warms up[3][5].

The bite has been on for both trout and catfish. Recent catches featured plenty of healthy brown trout in the upper stretches, with some rainbows showing up, too. Dry fly action is starting to pick up, especially in the afternoons during bug hatches. Large woolly buggers in slack water are landing some nice fish. Down closer to the backwaters and lower reaches, catfish are active and responding well to cut bait, chicken livers, and commercial catfish nuggets[1][5].

Anglers using traditional drift baits and still baits are doing well for both browns and catfish, and the fly fishers are seeing results with stoneflies, caddis, and big attractor patterns. When the water is a little colored up, try bigger, darker lures to help fish zero in on your presentation[3][5].

Hot spots to try today include the sections just below Glenwood Springs, where brown trout are thick, and the quieter stretches near Grand Junction, especially for catfish. The back channels and slack water areas are especially productive as flows fluctuate with the snowmelt[5].

Overall, fishing has been rated good to excellent, with nice numbers of both trout and catfish reported. Remember, with higher flows, wading can be tricky, so exercise caution.

That’s the scoop for today from Artificial Lure. Tight lines and good luck out there on the Colorado River!