Freestone · Mixed · Colorado

Colorado River — Middle (State Bridge to Dotsero / Glenwood)

From State Bridge down past Dotsero toward Glenwood the Colorado is bigger, lower and warmer, a float angler's freestone with good browns and rainbows and a whitefish in every third drift.

Species

About as good as it gets

River steady at a fishable height. About as fair as it ever gets — go properly.

75% confidence in this read
Water temperature for brown trout
Ideal
15.1°Cideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
Why this score · for brown trout
  • Temperature10028% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity9518% weight
  • Feeding Time5013% weight
  • Pressure807% weight
  • Insect activity6612% weight
Conditions
Level
0.78 m
Water temp
15.1°C
Clarity
Clear
Air temp
26°C
Wind
SE 9 km/h
Light breeze
Pressure
1011 hPa
Rain · 48h
0.0 mm
No meaningful rain
Rain · ahead
0.0 mm
No meaningful rain · next 48h

Live readings only. Trends shown where the gauge supports them.

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
  • CPW Quality Water; verify reach rules and watch for voluntary low-flow/temperature closures.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
About this water

From State Bridge down past Dotsero toward Glenwood the Colorado is bigger, lower and warmer, a float angler's freestone with good browns and rainbows and a whitefish in every third drift. It fishes beautifully in the cool windows — post-runoff summer mornings, and especially the autumn when the BWOs come and the browns get aggressive. But this is the reach where temperature is the headline risk: it draws down and warms through July and August to the point where the right call is often no trout fishing at all. The app earns trust here by saying go early, go up the Eagle or the Fryingpan, or go home.

  • Mixed
Seasons & zones
  • Trout1 January → 31 December
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