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Colorado River Trout Bite Heats Up as Fall Patterns Set In
Artificial Lure here with your Colorado River (Colorado section) fishing report for Monday, October 27, 2025.
Sunrise is at 7:27 am, with sunset coming at 6:14 pm—so you’ve got a solid window, especially for those early risers and the after-work bite. Weather’s starting chilly: upper 30s at dawn, not getting far above the low 60s through the day. We’re in that late-October pattern with crisp mornings, cool afternoons, and clear skies—so bring an extra layer for those shaded canyon runs. Wind is forecast light this morning, maybe gusting up a bit midday, but nothing that should chase you off the water. No tides to worry about, just steady river flow, and conditions have kept the water cool and slightly bumped with recent autumn moisture.
Fish activity on the Colorado has kicked up, true to fall form. According to Rise Beyond Fly Fishing’s report last week, trout are still active across several river stretches, especially near Grand Junction and on the Middle Colorado. The crowds are gone, but the trout haven’t left—brown trout have just come off their spawn, and rainbows are sliding into feeding lanes. I’ve seen fresh reports of browns up to 20 inches, with plenty of 12–16 inch bows caught over the weekend. Here and there, you’ll spot a whitefish on a nymph dropper, but the main event is still trout. Local guides have told me streamer fishing right now is hot—especially in low-light—so don’t sleep in.
Go-to lures and bait: Streamers have been lights out, especially black or olive patterns in the mornings and flashy silver for sunnier afternoons. Try an articulated leech or a classic woolly bugger. Nymphing has also been productive on smaller patterns—think size 18-20 pheasant tails, midges, and baetis imitations—keep it subtle, the fish are keyed in after the post-spawn. If you’re after the odd big brown, toss a larger streamer near undercut banks or deep tailouts, and hang on.
For bait anglers, drifted nightcrawlers or salmon eggs can tempt trout, though remember regulations: many stretches of the Colorado are artificial-lures only, so check your section before dropping in.
Hot spots to target today:
- **Horsethief Canyon** west of Fruita—long riffles, some deep back-eddies, lots of structure and typically holds solid trout numbers this time of year.
- **Pumphouse to Radium** – This float or wade stretch consistently produces in late October, and streamer fanatics will find hungry browns staging in deeper margins.
Porter Reservoir #1 remains a good bet for an easy-access side trip, with brown and rainbow trout plus yellow perch—mimic the natural food source for best results.
Recent angler chatter highlights that the lower river sees sporadic big fish right before storms. If you fish today and notice clouds building, be ready—the bite often picks up as the barometer drops, as seen in that recent “Caught Trout at 7,000 Feet—Right Before the Storm Hit” YouTube account.
Public river access is still a hot topic up and down the state, with local advocates pressing for more wading rights, but you’re well within legal bounds at major access sites along the Colorado. Just be respectful—access is a work in progress.
Thanks for tuning in to today’s Colorado River fishing report. Don’t forget to subscribe for your daily scoop and on-the-water tips. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
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Published on 1 week, 2 days ago