COLORADO RIVER REPORT (Glenwood Springs west to Rifle)

June 27, 2018

FLOW: 2410 cfs in Glenwood Springs

WATER CONDITIONS:  Run off is nearly over here in the Roaring Fork Valley and the Colorado has been fishing very well!

OVERALL RATING:  7 out of 10 / 9 out of 10 for the lightning round!  The fishing has been improving daily! Water is still on the higher side, but we are getting more clarity each day. The last hour of light has been excellent dry fly fishing! Caddis, Drakes, PMD's, you name it! 

FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: Green drakes, caddis adults, PMD adults, emergers, spinners and nymphs, green drake nymphs, golden stonefly nymphs, caddis larva (free swimming and cased), cranefly larva, sculpins

THE LOW DOWN: Nymph fishing in the morning to late afternoon has been darn good. Stones, caddis, sallies, and PMDs have been popping regularly, and evenings have been dry fly nirvana with twilight green drakes plus the plethora of bugs hatching. Skating caddis adults has been putting lots of fish into the net!

Floating is optimal versus wade fishing once conditions improve, but you can find terrific wade spots at No Name, Dino Truck Stop and Newcastle.  

HATCHES: Caddis 12-18, PMDs 14-18, Green Drakes 10-12, BWOs 18-20, Yellow Sallies 14-16, Midges 18-24 

Appropriate Patterns  

NYMPHS: Prince 10-18, BLMs 18-20, Epoxy Back Stone 6-8, Cat Poop Stone 8-10, San Juan Worm 10, Halfback PMD 18-16, Pandemic PMD 18-16, 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

DRIES:  Sparkledun Green Drake 10-12, Royal Wulff 10-12, KGB Green Drake 10, Split Flag PMD 16-18, Sparkledun PMD 14-18, Melon Quill PMD 16-18, Organza Rusty Spinner 14-18, Befus Para BWO 20-22, Perfect Baetis 18-22, Pearl and Elk Caddis 12-18, EthaWing Caddis 14-16, X2 Caddis 14-18, Biot Wing Midge 20, Hatching Midge 20, CDC Transitional Midge 20, Hi Vis Griffith's Gnat 18-20

STREAMERS: Carlton Banks, Meat Gazers, Circus Peanuts, Sculpzillas, Willy White Shoes, Weir's Sculpin, Splendors 

HINTS: Look closely at the foam lines floating down the river.  The fish will follow them backwards while they eat and then swim back up the run to repeat!

Link to the USGS Real Time Flow Chart for the Colorado River 

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