Colorado River Gold Medal Water

Effective Patterns: #16-20 Parachute Adams, #18-20 Blue Winged Olive, #20-24 Olive Midge, #12-18 Stimulator, #10-16 PMX, #8-12 20Incher, #16-20 Bead head Prince, #18-20 Pheasant Tail, #18-22 Copper John, #20-22 WD40, #18-20 Buckskin, #20-22 Barr’s Midge Larva, #16-20 Zebra Midge, #16-18 San Juan Worms, #8-12 Woolly Bugger

The Colorado River headwaters begin in Rocky Mountain National Park.  It does not resemble the river most of us know.  As this small stream flows through the Rockies, it continues to grow.  While the fishing is good on the upper section in the park, the fish are smaller and abundant.  You will find rainbows, and a healthy population of brook trout.  This section does not receive much pressure and is a great spot for beginners.

As the river continues on, it flows in and out of different reservoirs.  With the increase in size, the Colorado River becomes a much different fishery.  Known as the upper section, the river flows down from Byers Canyon to the town of Kremmling.  Along the way we began to see wild browns and rainbows fill the river, with easy access to fishing.  The bug life is well known, and massive hatches help keep a strong population of trout.  With plenty of public river access down and near Parshall, this is a popular area to fish.  There is private property in the area, so please be aware of the boundaries.

The Williams Fork River is a major tributary of the Colorado River. Near the town of Parshall is where these two rivers meet. While there are plenty of fish in the Williams Fork, the population of browns increases in the fall during the spawn. This is a great time to fish just above the confluence for big browns.

The lower section of the Colorado River is considered to be downstream from Kremmling. This is where the Blue River meets the Colorado, and becomes the much larger major river we know. From Pumphouse you have raft and fishing access. This is a very popular section of the river to float, and during the summer time filled with kayakers and rafters. Below Pumphouse there is over 50 miles of water to float. With plenty of fish, and lots of big ones, many flock to this section. Nymphing and using streamers is highly effective, but if the hatch is on, the dry fly action can be great. At the end of May you can see huge salmon flies, which drive the fish crazy. This lower section is known for big fish, especially around the confluence of the Colorado and Roaring Fork Rivers. A true fly fisherman’s dream, the Colorado River is one of the best in the west.