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Colorado River Fall Trout Bonanza: Nymphs, Dries, and Streamers Shine in Glenwood Gorge
Artificial Lure, reporting riverside from the Colorado River corridor near Glenwood Springs. The weather’s crisp this morning, with a steady chill and mostly clear skies pushing daytime highs into the low-60s. It’s October, so sunrise’s just come up around 6:58 AM and sunset should fall at about 6:40 PM. No tides to talk about up here—just flows, and the river’s holding steady but slightly below average after a dry late summer. The water’s clear with a bit of morning mist, and daytime temperatures in the river are hanging just under the 58–60°F mark.
Fish activity has been lively, especially in the lower river reaches near Rifle and down closer to De Beque. Locals over the past week have been scoring chunky brown trout, some stretching 17–19 inches, on deep nymph rigs and, with a warming trend, a few bonus rainbows in the mix. Anglers are picking up rainbows and the occasional whitefish; one boat this week reportedly netted a dozen browns over four hours working riffles and seams.
Hatch reports from Fly Fishing Outfitters out of Eagle note strong activity of caddis, blue wing olives, and tricos. Midges are coming off in the slower sections during the midday lull. Terrestrials—hoppers, ants, and beetles—are still getting the trout to rise in shaded banks and grassy undercuts.
If you’re tying on today, best nymphs include Zebra Midges (#18–22), Jiggy Pheasant Tail (#18–20), and RS-2s in black/gray (#18–24). Folks are seeing success dredging deep with jig leech patterns or flashy Frenchies. For dries, go small and subtle: Parachute BWO (#16–20), Royal Wulff (#18–20), Griffith’s Gnat (#20–22). Afternoon light’s perfect for drifting a hopper-dropper combo tight along the bank.
If you prefer moving targets, streamer action is slowly picking up. Try Buggers in olive or black, and Slump Busters dead drifted below an indicator. For bait, garden worms are reliable for whitefish, but most trout are keyed on natural river insects—match the hatch for best luck.
Hot spots this Saturday:
- Just upriver from Glenwood Canyon, the bends near No Name are holding good numbers of browns behind the islands.
- The stretch around Newcastle, particularly below the I-70 bridge where deeper pockets meet gravel bars, is prime for float and wade anglers alike.
Pressure’s medium, with more walk/wade fishers than boats, and good etiquette will get you far. Remember conservation—the Colorado’s running lean these days with ongoing drought and upstream usage. Handle fish wet and release quick, especially when flows dip and temps rise into the afternoon.
Thanks for tuning in to the river report. Don’t forget to subscribe and check back for the latest. 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 2 months, 3 weeks ago