Colorado Pumphouse Fishing Report

The Colorado Mountain National Park.  We usually fish the sections from Gore Canyon to the town of Rifle bridge.  The Colorado is usually a wider and slower river with some faster canyon stretches and  excellent hatches and beautiful scenery along the river corridor.  The sections below Glenwood Springs are the 1st to be available in the early season for float fishing.  As the spring gives way to summer the concentrate shifts from Glenwood Springs and Dotsero, upstream to State Bridge and just below Gore Canyon and the Pumphouse ship launch. (vailvalleyanglers.com)

The upper Colorado River is one of the most picturesque rivers in Colorado to fish. The river is lined with cottonwood trees, shelter for Bald Eagles. The riffles, runs and deep pools that the upper Colorado River boasts hold big wild Browns and Rainbows. The Colorado is a classic freestone that fishes well through out the year. The William’s Fork, near Parshall, CO, feeds the Colorado, which. (Click for source)

The Colorado is a great float for those with rafts or driftboats. it is comparatively light water, and pretty easy to read. If you’re new to floating the Colorado I could recommend that you do shorter floats, however really work the water hard. Get out and wade fish and backrow good looking water. In doing so, you’ll discover lots of little spots that you may generally count on to hold fish. If you’re steadily doing the long floats, your concern then becomes just covering water as opposed to learning the water intimately. Once you get a feel for the shorter floats than you may be able to start tagging together longer floats because you know your spots and will have worked on an eye for the kind of water these fish hold in. (minturnanglers.com)

2 weeks of warmer weather has made for great conditions on all our local rivers & creeks, ice free and fishing good. water temperatures are at an optimum for bug hatches and feeding trout. We will see consistent Blue Winged Olive hatches any day now, which will make for good dry fly fishing. Rule of thumb, if there are Blue Wings then the streamer fishing should be good also. We’re heading into some of the best fishing conditions of the year for the next couple of months! we’re also floating the lower Colorado and Roaring Fork rivers on full day trips. You can access over 250 miles of Eagle River, Roaring Fork River, Colorado River, Frying Pan, Blue River and all of these rivers tributaries. (flyfishingoutfitters.net)

Casting a fly in a tranquil mountain stream, feeling the tug on the line, and holding a beautiful rainbow trout makes us feel alive and intensely connected with nature. Fly fishing is our way of life and we’re blessed with hundreds of close rivers and streams just a short distance away from Boulder. From the swift spring waters of the Clear Creek to the meandering bends of the South Platte, it is important to think about fishing conditions in advance and prepare therefore. We rely on our experienced guides who venture into the wild to let’s know which rivers favor fly fishing, where fish are biting, and which fly patterns are most efficient. (rockymtanglers.com)

The Colorado is a big powerful river that increases in intensity and flow as it moves farther west, so the best part for the wading angler is from the connection of the Fraser River just west of Granby to Troublesome Creek, which goes into the river east of Kremmling. Path 40 parallels this part and gives excellent access to the river. The town of Hot Sulphur Springs, which lies in the center of this part, is a great starting point. In this part you’ll find many places to wade and fish. The river here consists usually of beautiful riffles and runs with some pools blended in averaging from 40-80 feet large. (flyfishingconnection.com)

A good half-day float is from Pumphouse to Radium, the next launch/takeout site. This gives anglers 4 miles of water to fish, most of which is inaccessible without a ship. It's an easy float most of the way but watch out at Needle Eye fast, the halfway point. It's Class lll water above 4000 cubic feet per second cfs and due to canyon, the fast isn't easily scouted before running it. Previous to runoff, or in late summer and fall, goes under 1500 cfs are a part of cake provided the oarsman is experienced. (coloradofishing.net)

The center part of the Colorado is fishable year round and many of the same plans used on the lower river will work here as wellt. Like most rivers around the state, Spring through Fall will be most productive when the large range of aquatic insects that live here are most active.   Stoneflies are a big part of a trout’s diet and the river sees some great dry fly fishing in mid-summer with Golden Stoneflies and the ever well-liked Salmonflies. Caddis and a smattering of mayflies will usually be found during the summer also. The colder months will mainly be a nymphing game. Fishing the slower, deep pockets completely and diligently will be productive through the winter. (troutsflyfishing.com)

Gore Canyon Ranch is on Trough Road great County Road 1 .   From Kremmling head south on Hwy 9 for about 1 mile, turn west onto Trough Road.   Travel about 11 miles go past the Pumphouse Recreation Area turn, it’s the next right and turn northwest onto County Road 102.   Park near the gate–don’t block gate– hike down to the river from here.   This fishing access is in between Pumphouse and Radium.   All of the land in between these recreation regions is public along the river.   If you intend to hike away from the river, know where private property is and respect it. (blm.gov)

The fish are stacked up in the slower runs and deeper pools preparing for winter.  Mid day, if a midge hatch becomes obvious, look for fish to move into the transitional regions to feed for an hour or so.  This can supply some excellent winter midge fishing for a short length.  it’s important to capitalize on this opportunity when it presents itself. Dry fly fans are able to find some increasing fish in the slower pools and tailouts.  it is hard to go wrong with a #24 Matt’s Midge, #26 Parachute Adams, or a #24 Griffith Gnat to fool these surface feeders. (patdorseyflyfishing.com)