Tailwater · Mixed · Colorado

Taylor River (below Taylor Park Reservoir)

The Taylor below Taylor Park Reservoir is a Jekyll-and-Hyde tailwater.

Species

A proper day on the water

River high but settled. Match the colour and fish the seams.

75% confidence in this read
Water temperature for brown trout
Cool — slow
9°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
Why this score · for brown trout
  • Temperature8228% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity9518% weight
  • Feeding Time5013% weight
  • Pressure807% weight
  • Insect activity5812% weight
Conditions
Level
1.22 m
Water temp
9.0°C
Estimated
Clarity
Clear
Air temp
16°C
Wind
NW 13 km/h
Gentle breeze
Pressure
1015 hPa
Rain · 48h
0.0 mm
No meaningful rain
Rain · ahead
1.0 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
Good — water clarity 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
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Freshwater ShrimpHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Western Blue-Winged OliveHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Pale Morning DunHatch
2
3
3
2

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

Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Colorado licence
  • Gold Medal (20 miles below the reservoir); special regs on the dam water — verify CPW rules.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
About this water

The Taylor below Taylor Park Reservoir is a Jekyll-and-Hyde tailwater. The quarter-mile right under the dam grows preposterous mysis-fed trout and draws a shoulder-to-shoulder crowd to match — technical, combative, hero-shot water that brings out the worst in people's manners. Drop downstream and it relaxes into a lovely pocket-water tailwater with plenty of willing browns and rainbows and room to breathe. CPW made twenty miles of it Gold Medal in 2023. Treat the dam reach and the river below it as two different places, because they fish that way and they feel that way.

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