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Colorado River Fishing Report: Trout, Bass, and Carp Abound in the Rockies
Artificial Lure here, coming to you from the heart of Colorado River country with your September 17th fishing report—for all you river rats and weekend warriors itching for bites on western Colorado’s storied waters.
First up, let’s talk **conditions**: Sunrise cracked over the ridges this morning at 6:49 AM, and we’ll see sunset around 7:09 PM. Expect a cool, crisp morning with temps starting in the mid 50s and climbing toward 80°F by midday. Skies are mostly clear but keep your eyes peeled for scattered showers late afternoon—always a possibility in September's transition. Winds are light early but may pick up marginally as the day develops.
No tidal swings here upstream—Colorado River flows are always worth checking before you launch, but as of this week, flows at the Grand Junction gauge remain below historic average, hovering just above 4,000 CFS thanks to late-summer drought and reservoir management. This makes wading at favorite spots a bit easier, but low flows can push fish deep or into unexpected pockets.
On the wildlife front, here’s the big news from Colorado Parks and Wildlife: The river from the 32 Road bridge through Grand Junction down to the Utah border is officially zebra mussel-infested. That means anglers should follow strict decontamination when moving between waters—extra vigilance keeps fisheries healthy and legal.
Now for the **good stuff—what’s biting and where**. The cool nights and warmer afternoons have kept the **rainbow and brown trout** fired up, and **smallmouth bass** action remains steady through the riffles and runs. Anglers in the past week have reported a mixed bag of rainbows, browns, and some chunky smallmouth, with numbers averaging 2–6 fish per hour depending on tactics and time of day. Don’t overlook the carp if you’re feeling adventurous—they’re cruising the slackwater bends, especially mid-morning.
**Best baits and lures:** Early morning and at dusk, you can’t beat small spinners, gold or silver spoons, or a Strike King Coffee Tube in earth tones, rigged on a finesse jighead. These mimic local crawfish and will get strikes from bass and trout alike. For fly anglers, nymphing is king—run beadhead PMD nymphs, Juju Baetis, split-case mayflies, and smaller caddis under a light indicator. On dry fly days (think post-rain clearing), a Water Walker or Hippy Stomper gets the job done. If bait is your go-to, worms and PowerBait are landing trout, especially from late morning to early afternoon.
**Hot spots:**
- The James M. Robb Colorado River State Park stretch from the 32 Road bridge downstream—trout are piling into the deeper holes near rocky banks, and bass are feeding in gravel runs.
- The confluence at the Roaring Fork—always reliable for bigger browns and the occasional surprise rainbow.
- Highline Lake outflow and Mack Mesa Lake are producing, but remember those infested water rules.
**Fishing etiquette reminders:** With the zebra mussel situation, boaters and bank anglers alike should clean, drain, and dry gear. Failure to do so threatens all our local streams and lakes with these nasty invaders.
That’s the river beat for today. Whether you fish with bait, twist up a tube jig, or cast a perfect dry, there’s something in these Colorado waters for everybody. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe for the next report.
This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
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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