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Fishing the Fall Colorado River for Big Trout and Hatches
Good morning, anglers—Artificial Lure here with your October 5th fishing report for the Colorado River and surrounding waters. It’s a cool early fall dawn on the river, with sunrise at 7:06 AM and sunset rolling in just after 6:35 PM. Air temps are starting in the high 30s this morning and will warm up nicely to the mid-60s by afternoon, with mostly clear skies and just a whisper of breeze. The river’s running cold and clear, perfect for putting trout on the line. No tides to report out here, of course—just classic mountain flow.
The Colorado below Glenwood Springs is in beautiful shape, holding at about 1820 CFS with crystal-clear water. Taylor Creek Fly Shops gives today’s fishing a “10 out of 10”—so if you’ve got the itch, today’s your day. Nymphing has been stellar, streamer action is picking up, and the hatches have offered windows of dry-fly excellence. The fall caddis are fading, but blue-winged olives (BWOs) and pale morning duns (PMDs) are keeping fish looking up, especially around midday.
Anglers have been hauling in healthy numbers of rainbow and brown trout, with many fish in the 12 to 18 inch range and surprising numbers breaking the 20-inch mark. Chubbies, PMDs and mini-caddis patterns have been hot on top. Jigged nymph rigs with things like Pat’s Rubber Legs, Blue Poison Tungs, Hare’s Ears, and especially the Sparklewing or Copper Ribbed RS2s are producing fish all day. Thin Mint and Dungeon streamers are turning bigger browns near cutbanks when the light’s low. For spinners and gear folks, micro spinnerbaits or small Rooster Tails in natural colors are proven producers, especially when fished slow and deep.
Best baits this week have been traditional trout fare: nightcrawlers, salmon eggs, and pink trout worms have all gotten bites from deeper holes. Inflows and side channels have also yielded some aggressive browns on minnow plugs and soft plastics like paddle tails.
For hot spots, look to the stretch from Pumphouse down to State Bridge—Blue Quill Angler’s guides say this section is full of hungry trout ready to eat both nymphs and streamers, especially near deep bends and riffle transitions. Closer to Glenwood Springs, the banks along Grizzly Creek and No Name are holding plenty of fish. Watch for pods stacking below gravel bars, especially as browns get ready for their fall run.
Reports from Kirks Fly Shop and local guides echo the great fall action—the fishing is steady all day, but the bite really turns on from 10 AM to 2 PM as the sun warms the water just enough to trigger hatches. If things get tough, downsize your tippet and go small with size 20-22 midge or BWO emergers. Don’t forget, the afternoons can bring out a sneaky hatch or two, so keep some Parachute Adams and PMDs handy.
A quick word on responsible fishing: handle those big browns with wet hands and keep them in the water for healthy catch and release as they start prepping to spawn. Also, be on the lookout for a few river otters—locals have spotted them snacking on suckers and chubs, and they’re always a treat to see in this watershed.
That’s your boots-on-the-ground fishing report for the Colorado River this fine October Sunday. New to the river or want a tune-up? Reach out to local outfitters for a guided float between Pumphouse and State Bridge—it’s a trip you won’t forget.
Thanks for tuning in to your Colorado River report with Artificial Lure. Be sure to subscribe for your weekly dose of river insight, and keep those lines tight!
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Published on 2 months, 3 weeks ago