Freestone · Mixed · Colorado

Clear Creek (Golden)

Clear Creek is the Denver metro's closest thing to mountain pocket water — a small, fast freestone dropping out of the canyon along US-6 and running right through Golden, twenty minutes from downtown.

Species

About as good as it gets

River high but settled. Fish are looking up — bigger flies, confident takes.

75% confidence in this read
Water temperature for brown trout
Ideal
13°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
Why this score · for brown trout
  • Temperature10028% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity9518% weight
  • Feeding Time5013% weight
  • Pressure807% weight
  • Insect activity6512% weight
Conditions
Level
1.44 m
Water temp
13.4°C
Estimated
Clarity
Clear
Air temp
21°C
Wind
NE 14 km/h
Gentle breeze
Pressure
1015 hPa
Rain · 48h
0.2 mm
No meaningful rain
Rain · ahead
1.2 mm
No meaningful rain · next 48h

Live readings — water temperature is an estimate where the gauge does not record it.

How to fish it · for brown trout
When
Nymphing can work through most of the day.
Where
Cover mixed depths.
Method
Start with tight-line nymphs and adjust if fish rise or drift higher.
Kit
9 ft #4 rod, floating line, 12 ft tapered leader to 4–5 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Excellent — water temperature is right today, though time of day could be better.
Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
GrannomHatch
2
2
Evening SedgeHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Western Green DrakeHatch
2
2
Flav (Small Western Green Drake)Hatch
2
3
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Colorado licence
  • Verify CPW rules
  • Heavy tubing in Golden through summer.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
About this water

Clear Creek is the Denver metro's closest thing to mountain pocket water — a small, fast freestone dropping out of the canyon along US-6 and running right through Golden, twenty minutes from downtown. It's no secret and it's no wilderness, but it holds browns and rainbows, fishes well in the cooler months, and scratches the itch on a weekday evening when you can't get to the high country. Small and flashy means it blows out fast in runoff and after a storm; through Golden the summer tubing crowd is a fact of life. A quick-hit reach, scored honestly as convenient rather than pristine.

  • Mixed
Seasons & zones
  • Trout1 January → 31 December
Other water nearby · 3