Report provided with permission of the
Colorado Division of Wildlife

Conditions Report

Metro Area

Aurora Reservoir
The current water temperature is about 48 degrees.
Trout fishing has been slow to fair. The few anglers who have had success have been using PowerBait from the dam. Boaters have had success trolling with pop gear and crawlers. Walleye fishing has been slow to fair. Anglers have had success using swim baits and trolling with jigs. There have been a few reports of smallmouth being caught off the points using jigs and swim baits. For more information call 303-326-
8425.

Boyd Lake
The current water temperature is about 48 degrees. Largemouth and smallmouth fishing has been good, anglers have had success using worms and spinners off the north end of the marina. Trout fishing has been excellent, anglers have had
success all over the lake using various types of bait. Walleye fishing has been good, anglers have had success using worms and spinners at the south and north ends.

Chatfield Reservoir
The current water temperature is about 55 degrees and the reservoir is full. Anglers have had success catching perch off
worms. The walleye and smallmouth bite is still going strong.

Chatfield State Park
Cherry Creek Reservoir The reservoir is now open for boating. Fishing is off to a slow start.

Quincy Reservoir
The current water temperature is about 53 degrees. Fishing is restricted to artificial flies and lures only. Fishing for trout has been slow to fair. Anglers have had success using spoons, spinners, and flies. Bass fishing has been slow to fair. There have been reports of bass starting to move into more shallow water. Anglers have had success with soft plastics, jigs, and swim baits. For more information call 303-326-8424.

Northeast Colorado

Cheesman Canyon
The current water temperature is about 45 degrees, with flows at 149 cfs. Fish have been feeding heavily in the shallower riffles. Anglers have had success using Prince Nymphs, Hare’s ears, Beatis Emergers, and red midges.

Deckers
The current water temperature is roughly 47 degrees, with flows at 165 cfs. The caddis and stonefly hatches are starting to come in. Focus efforts on the shallow riffles, tail outs, and pockets. Anglers have had success with hopper/dropper rigs, like an Adams down to any beatis pattern.

Dream Stream
The current water temperature is about 45 degrees, with flows at 98 cfs. Anglers have had success using BWO, caddis, and midge patterns.

Eleven Mile Reservoir
Trout fishing has been slow to fair. Boaters have had success either trolling or casting and retrieving jointed Rapala’s. Gold, rainbow, and brown trout patterns have worked very well. Shore anglers have been having some difficulty. We still haven’t seen the large groups of spawning trout in the shallows yet. Northern pike fishing has been slow to fair. The water temperature is still a bit too low for the spawn.

Eleven Mile Canyon
The current water temperature is roughly 47 degrees, with flows at 91 cfs. Anglers have had success using BWO and caddis imitations as well as red midge patterns.

North Sterling Reservoir
The lake is roughly 58 degrees and full. Both the inlet and outlet are off. Walleye have been caught off the south ramp parking lot and Balanced Rock. Crappie have come out in the marina and Elks Bay, as well as Balanced Rock. Catfish have come out at the Inlet. Fish have primarily come out in the afternoon and early evening. Keep in mind that size and bag limits apply to the outlet.

Spinney Reservoir
The water temperature is about 38 degrees and the fishing has slowed down considerably since the ice-off. The best chances are still near the dam and along the eastern shoreline. Anglers have had success using Woolly Buggers and egg
patterns.

Southeast Colorado

Arkansas River
Upper River: Flows have declined on the upper river, in part due to an effort to achieve the spring fishery flow recommendations and in part due to cooler weather and a cessation of the daily melt cycle. Expect low flows supporting the brown trout fry emergence and pre-runoff fish conditioning until the melt begins in earnest, typically around May 20th. While the Salida area is probably the most productive stretch of the river currently, the upper basin is seeing some changes with the warming weather. Nymphing slow, consistent pools and runs mid-day in the upper basin can be productive, with fish moving into faster riffles to feed when nymphs are drifting, primarily in the afternoons. If you find one fish, you will likely find several grouped together. Be thorough in your approach, and adjust your weight and depth often to locate fish.
Middle River: Spring fishing is now underway up through Browns Canyon and the Milk Run. Daily nymphal drifts of BWO’s, as well as some good cloudy day hatches have energized the fish population and allowed them to disperse from winter water. Also, look for morning caddis larval drifts. With the significant decrease in flows, crowing the river at Hecla is now relatively easy and the wading through the Big Bend area is very accessible too. Cloudy weather later this week should produce some excellent afternoon hatches. Be prepared by stocking up on BWO dry flies and emergers in the #16 to #20 range. Nymphing will still probably be your best bet throughout the day, but don’t limit your strategy to deep water; shallow riffles can be productive in the afternoons once mayflies become more available.
Lower River: Flow are now within the prime range for spring, specifically for the brown trout population. Though the river is still floatable, it is now very easily waded. The cloudy weather in the forecast should make for great fishing conditions.
We are seeing consistent BWO nymphs drifting daily, and duns on the water on cloudy afternoons. The recent warmth seems to be motivating fish to move into shallower water as they feed; so don’t spend all your energy on the deep runs. There they can be best tempted by striated midge patterns (black beauties, zebras, etc...), golden stonefly nymphs, mayfly nymphs and emergers, and “meat & potatoes” patterns like pheasant tails, hares ears, and princes. Focus fishing efforts on the periods of peak warmth from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Courtesy of ArkAnglers)

Trinidad Lake
Fishing from the south shore has been good with anglers catching 16 to 20 inch trout around the lake using PowerBait and worms. Reilly Canyon, where the river comes in, has been slow due to the muddy water from recent rains. Anglers have also been catching a few walleye and catfish. Boaters have been catching mostly trout and walleye. Perch fishing is starting to pick up, with anglers having success from both the shore and floating. Jigs tipped with worms have provided the most bites.

Northwest Colorado

Blue River
The current water temperature is about 41 degrees, with flows at 98 cfs below Dillon Reservoir. Low flows mean sticking with 5x or 6x flouro. Anglers have had success using mysis shrimp and red or black midge patterns.

Colorado River (Lower)
The current water temperature is about 42 degrees, with flows at 3200 cfs at Glenwood Springs. Anglers have had success using Twenty Inchers and Princes in the #10 to #12 range, red and black zebra midges in the #18 to #20 range, and San Juans and egg patterns in the #18 to #20 range. Anglers have also had success using black and brown streamers with a sinking leader. Try sticking to the drop offs and deeper pools, then to the shallower riffles as it warms up.

Fryingpan River
The current water temperature is about 40 degrees, with flows at 153 cfs. There are a large number of mysis shrimp coming out of Ruedi Reservoir, so try using a mysis pattern paired with a red or black midge.

Roaring Fork
The current water temperature is about 40 degrees, with flows at 1090 cfs at Glenwood Springs. Anglers have had success using Golden Stoneflies or Twenty Inchers in the #10 to #12 range, followed by a smaller purple Juju Beatis. As always, Pheasant Tails have also been producing bites. As the weather continues to warm up, expect strong BWO and Caddis hatches.

Stagecoach Reservoir
The lake is now ice free and the rainbow spawn is on. Anglers have had success at the Inlet/Lot 14/Lot 16 area, Keystone Cove, and Morrison Cove using PowerBait, nightcrawlers, spoons, jigs, and crankbaits.

Vega Reservoir
The Island boat ramp is now open and the gravel pit area is now open for shore fishing. There is a considerable amount of water flowing into the lake at Plateau creek, the inlets, and the feeder canal. Fishing has been very good with reports of
some nice rain bows in the 18 to 22 inch range being caught using PowerBait and worms.

Yampa
The current water temperature is about 39 degrees, with flows at 241 cfs at Steamboat Springs. Barr’s Emergers, RS2’s, and Juju Baetis have all worked well for anglers this past week. For now, the tailwater below Stagecoach is your best fishing, the Steamboat stretch still has high flows and is off-color.

Southwest Colorado

Blue Mesa Reservoir
The Elk Creek and Lake Fork boat ramps are now open. The current water temperature is about 44 degrees. Anglers have had success catching kokanee between Lake Fork and Soap Creek.

Millon Reservoir
Fishing for rainbows has been good. Anglers have had success using small spoons and PowerBait.

Navajo Lake
The current water temperature is about 52 degrees. Crappie fishing has been good with jigs. John Deer Green and white jigs have produced a good number of crappie. There have been some smallmouth bass caught as well. Anglers have had success catching pike in the back bays using crank baits. The lake level is up and should continue to rise until May 3rd when scheduled releases will increase.

San Juan River
The current water temperature is about 44 degrees with flows at around 1430 cfs at Pagosa Springs. The water is still heavily stained from the dam, which makes for difficult fishing. Anglers have had success using San Juan Worms or leech patterns as lead flies then following with a nymph pattern.

Statewide

Rivers and Creeks
As we head into the spring season, anglers can expect to be fighting the crowds
for a spot on the river. Rainbow, cutthroats, and cutbow trout are all into their spawn, so be cautious of redds while wading on the rivers and creeks. Redds are easily distinguishable with their lighter color, ranging anywhere from 2 to 5 diameters in size. As the temperatures continue to rise, anglers can anticipate the BWO hatches to start coming in stronger. For patterns, try sticking to BWO’s,
Stoneflies, Caddis, Juju Beatis, RS2’s, Parachute Adams, and Pheasant Tails.
Anglers should look for ideal times to be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.