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Colorado River Fishing Report: Low Flows, Healthy Populations, and Top Lures for September 2025
Artificial Lure here with your Colorado River fishing report for September 14th, 2025.
The Colorado River around western Colorado is seeing **low flows** again this week, a trend consistent over recent years due to drought and water demands. According to the USGS gauges and reporting from local outfitters, river levels are hovering near historic lows—roughly half what’s typical for this time of year. Anglers, be ready for conditions that demand precision casting and adaptability.
**Sunrise was at 6:44 a.m., sunset hits at 7:14 p.m.** Weather this morning is a brisk 47°F at dawn, climbing into the mid-70s by afternoon with mostly clear skies and just a light breeze. Don’t expect significant cloud cover until the evening, so bring some good sun protection and polarized glasses to cut the glare. No tidal activity here—purely river currents shaping the bite.
Fish activity is fair to moderate. Lower water means fish are congregating in deeper pools and under shaded banks. Midday warmth bumps up feeding, especially for **smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, and channel catfish**. CPW’s latest sampling shows healthy populations despite recent stressors—with most catches coming from pockets near rocks and drop-offs. Some recent reports mention stringers filled with smallmouth (12-16 inches), a few legal rainbows, and hefty channel cats upwards of 6 pounds.
**Best lures right now:**
- Early morning—go natural. Try **soft plastic craws**, **smaller jerkbaits**, and **silver or chartreuse spinnerbaits**.
- Late afternoon—switch to noisier setups: **black spinnerbaits** with large willow blades (especially for bass and catfish in shadowed pools).
- For trout, go with **gold spoons, nymph rigs, or small suspending jerkbaits** in deeper, cooler backwaters.
**Top bait options:**
- Cut bait and nightcrawlers work wonders for catfish along muddy banks.
- Live minnows and crickets are killer for sunfish and bluegills.
- Fly angled folks are getting solid rises using attractor patterns and copper John nymphs, particularly where riffles drop into calmer runs.
**Recent catches along the Colorado:**
- Trout running 10-14 inches, mostly rainbows and some browns below Glenwood Springs.
- Smallmouths hot above Dotsero and below State Bridge, showing up in moderate numbers.
- Channel cats strong in the lower stretches, especially near deeper bends west of Rifle.
**Hot spots you shouldn’t miss:**
- **Two Rivers Park, Glenwood Springs**—the new watercraft cleaning station makes it easy to launch, and pools near the confluence hold many species.
- **Below State Bridge**—concentrations of bass and trout feeding around submerged timber and deeper runs; perfect for float trips or wading.
- For big cats, try the **Rifle to DeBeque stretch** late evening—quiet water, fewer crowds, and solid action after sundown.
Quick heads up: CPW is ramping up their zebra mussel prevention. Wash and dry all gear thoroughly before and after every trip—these invasive critters are a threat to our river system.
No major fish die-offs noted this week, though there’s concern about increasing natural metals in upstream reservoirs—rainbow trout most affected recently near Grizzly Reservoir, so watch for CPW updates if you’re planning to fish upstream tributaries.
That wraps your quick-hit Colorado River report for September 14th, 2025. Thanks for tuning in—subscribe for updates and always respect the water and our fishery.
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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
Published on 3 months, 1 week ago