Colorado River Report 3-31-21

FLOW: 1130 cfs in Glenwood Springs

WATER CONDITIONS: Clear and low

OVERALL RATING:  7 out 10

FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: BWOs, Caddis and Midges

THE LOW DOWN:  Spawning Closures are in effect from March 15 to May 31st at Elk Creek upstream to US6 Bridge, Canyon Creek upstream to I70 Bridge. 

Hatches have turned on in a major way over the last week, we now are seeing plenty of midges and BWOs, plus a few random caddis as we warm up.  The fish are not on the caddis just yet, but will make the switch to these beefier bugs once we string together a few warm and bright days.

Watch the foam lines in the slower sections of the river, the bugs can accumulate there and the fish relate to them some days better than others.

You should see more caddis on the bright days and mayflies on the cloudy ones.

No need to put on the river super early, let it warm up a bit and get those bugs moving around.

HATCHES: BWOs 18-20, Caddis 14-18, Midges 16-22

Appropriate Patterns  

DRIES: Sparkledun BWO 18-20, Hackle Dun BWO 20, No Hackle BWO 18-20, CDC Comparadun BWO 18-20, Elk Hair Caddis 14-18, Missing Link Caddis 14-18, CDC Transitional Midge 20-22, Griffiths Gnat 18-22, Sprout Midge 20-22, HOH Spent Midge 20-22, Hatching Midge 20-22. 

NYMPHS: Prince 16-18, BLMs 18-20, San Juan Worm 10, Tung Bead Baetis 18-20, Biot Baetis 18-20, RS2s 20, Polywing Emerger 18-20, Imposters 20-22, Assassins 20-22, Freestone Emerger 20, Biot Midge 20-22, Copper John Red 14-18, San Juan Worm 10

STREAMERS: Carlton Banks 4, Autumn Splendor 4, Grease Monkey 6, Galloup's Dungeon 2-4

HINTS: If the fish aren't eating deep, shallow up those nymph rigs and see if they're suspended.

Link to Real Time Flows:

https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?09085100