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Shifting Flows and Finicky Fall Fish on the Colorado River
Good morning from the banks of the Colorado River—Artificial Lure here with your up-to-the-minute fishing report for Wednesday, November 5th, 2025. We’re hitting that late-fall stretch where conditions are as changeable as a rainbow trout on a sunny day, but there’s plenty of opportunity if you know where and when to wet a line.
Weather’s the wildcard this week. Last month’s heavy rains gave the whole basin a bit of drought relief, which bumped up streamflows and helped recharge the soils, but according to Peter Goble, Colorado’s assistant state climatologist, over half the watershed is still in a severe drought. Even so, the flow below Shadow Mountain Reservoir is currently running steady at 46 cubic feet per second, which is pegged right at normal for this stretch—a welcome sign with all the low water we’ve seen the past few years. Reservoirs like Powell and Mead are still sitting low, so conservation’s the name of the game, but for now, we’ve got cooperative water on the upper river.
Temperature-wise, we’ve got mornings starting crisp in the high 30s to low 40s, warming up into the 70s or even low 80s by afternoon. Skies are mostly clear after the last bout of rain, but keep an eye out for afternoon wind and the chance of a sneaky high-country shower. Fire risk is up with these dry downslope winds, so be mindful around any open flames.
On the fishing front, the full moon last night kicked up fish activity, especially for those prowling after hours. The best bite today will likely run late morning through early afternoon—think 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.—once the sun takes the chill off and gets the bugs moving.
Here’s what’s hot right now: nymphing and small streamers. The big brown trout have wrapped up their spawn and are moving deep to recover, with rainbows and cutbows shadowing them for stray eggs and active midges. Ideal nymph patterns are:
- Juju Baetis in size 20 for those afternoon seams
- Black Beauty midges in size 22 under 6X tippet
- Egg patterns in pink or peach, size 14, behind active riffles
If you’re itching to throw a streamer, go with a mini black leech in size 12, slow-crawled through those deep bends between 2 and 4 p.m.—but bring your patience and a low profile, especially if the wind’s up, and favor long leaders with subtle presentation.
For the hardware crowd, this is the time for a Rebel Wee Crawfish crankbait in natural craw or the Strike King Colorado blade spinnerbait. Both are stellar for targeting browns and rainbows in these clear fall waters, offering just the right amount of vibration and flash. If the water’s stained, upsize your swimbait or try a soft plastic in white or chartreuse. PowerBait in yellow or rainbow dough still draws the occasional stocker from the deeper holes, especially later in the day.
Bait reminders: live bait is a no-go, but dead or artificial baits are fine where posted—double-check the regs if you’re downstream or near a special use area.
Recent catches have included healthy browns topping 20 inches out of Elevenmile and the Dream Stream, with a solid push of rainbows in the upper river, a mixed bag of cutbows mid-river, and occasional kokanee hanging on in the lower reaches—though the main run has faded.
For hot spots, start at Charlie Meyers SWA parking lot for an easy walk to the bends on the Dream Stream, or give Coyote Run a shot for deeper nymph water with a bit less traffic. If you’re feeling adventurous, the Upper Dream is holding some big browns still worn out from the spawn, but it’ll test every knot in your tippet.
Sunrise hit at 6:39 a.m. and sunset sets the curtain at 4:54 p.m. Plan to fish those warmer middle hours for the best chance of connecting with an autumn brute.
Thanks for tuning in to today’s Colorado River fishing report. Don’t forget to subscribe to get your next fix of local angling intel, and as always—tight li
Published on 10 hours ago