Tailwater · Mixed · Colorado

Uncompahgre River (Pa-Co-Chu-Puk / Ridgway)

The Uncompahgre below Ridgway Reservoir — the reach everyone calls Pa-Co-Chu-Puk — is a compact, manicured tailwater inside the state park, the kind of accessible technical water that's perfect for a half-day when the freestones are blown or frozen.

Species

A proper day on the water

River steady at a fishable height. A proper day for it.

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 activity6212% weight
Conditions
Level
0.64 m
Water temp
9.0°C
Estimated
Clarity
Clear
Air temp
25°C
Wind
SW 14 km/h
Gentle breeze
Pressure
1011 hPa
Rain · 48h
0.0 mm
No meaningful rain
Rain · ahead
0.3 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
  • Pa-Co-Chu-Puk special regulations (flies/lures, C&R) and Ridgway State Park access — verify CPW rules and park fees.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
About this water

The Uncompahgre below Ridgway Reservoir — the reach everyone calls Pa-Co-Chu-Puk — is a compact, manicured tailwater inside the state park, the kind of accessible technical water that's perfect for a half-day when the freestones are blown or frozen. Browns and rainbows in clear, cold, release-controlled flows, willing to look at small flies if you fish them honestly. It's tidy and busy and not wild, but it fishes year-round and it's a genuinely useful stop on the way to the bigger San Juan country around Ouray and Ridgway.

  • Mixed
Seasons & zones
  • Trout1 January → 31 December
Other water nearby · 1