Colorado River (Lees Ferry) Fishing Report: 12/20/24 (Bottom of page)
Fly and Gear ordering and delivery: We can get flies to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Please see the bottom of this column for ordering options.
We also have custom Perfect Fly selections in 3 different price ranges for this stream that come with or without fly boxes. They make excellent gifts. Click Here To Order or Call us at 800 594 4726 or email us at sales@perfectflystore.com.
Type of Stream
Tailwater
Species
Rainbow Trout
(Wild)
Size
Medium
Location
Northern Arizona
Nearest Towns
Marble Canyon, Arizona
Flagstaff, Arizona
Season
Year-round
Access:
Poor
Special Regulations
None
Non-Resident License
State of Arizona
Weather
National Weather Service Link
USGS Stream Flow Data
Colorado River at Lees Ferry
Seasons:
You can catch trout year-round on any day you can personally stand the weather.
Winter:
The winter is a great time to fish. The rainbows spawn during the winter and sight fishing is very popular.
Spring:
Spring fishing depends somewhat on the snowpack around Lake Powell. It has a big effect on the discharges in the spring.
| Recommended Tackle & Gear Fly Line: 4, 5 or 6 weight Leaders: Dry fly: 9 to 12 ft., 5 or 6X Nymphing: 71/2 ft., 3 or 4X, Streamers 0-2X Tippets: Dry fly: 5 or 6X, Nymphing: 3 or 4X, Streamer 0-2X Best Fly Rods: Perfect Fly Supreme Four, Superb Five or Ultimate Six Fly Reels: For 4/5/6 fly line Fly Floatants and Misc Items: Floatants, KISS Strike Indicators Tools & Accessories: Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc. Fly and Gear ordering and delivery: Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations. We can get flies and gear to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Your can also call us at 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide what flies and gear to use. All orders are shipped free in the U.S. If under a $100 order requiring Priority mail is a charge of only $8.10. Orders over a $100 are shipped free via Priority Mail. Copyright 2016 James Marsh |
Fly Fishing On The Colorado River (Lees Ferry) In Arizona
The Colorado River flows from Glenn Canyon Dam to Lees Ferry providing anglers some of the best rainbow trout fishing in the West. There are about fifteen miles of beautiful water full of rainbow trout surrounded by one-thousand feet high red sandstone cliffs. Beyond Lees Ferry, the stream flows into the Grand Canyon.
You can fish this river any day of the year and catch trout. Its water stays at about forty-seven degrees year-round. It is made up of gravel bars and shallow riffles between very large and deep pools.
The locals are proud of their sight fishing on the Colorado. The water is crystal clear and during the spawning times the rainbows can be found in very shallow water. A popular method is to cast to individual fish during the long spawning season.
Fly fishing the Colorado River at Lees Ferry is almost all done below the surface although there are a few conditions where you can catch trout on the dry fly. The great majority of the food is either midges or scuds. There are few other sources of food for the trout.
Fishing Reports: (You can always call us at 800- 594- 4726 or Email us at sales@perfectflystore.com for a recommended list of flies and gear.
04/30/21 The river is flowing a little below normal during the day. The water is about 48 degrees and there are hatches of Blue-winged olives, March Browns, Little Black Caddis and Skwala stoneflies.
05/11/21 The river is still low but turning out some good numbers of trout for our customers. There are good hatches taking place. Green sedge caddis are hatching. Send us and email or call us for a recommended fly and gear list.
05/21/21 The river is still flowing below a normal level. This makes it good for wading anglers. There are multiple hatches taking place and our customers are catching some nice rainbows.
05/28/21 The discharges and stream level is still well below normal. We are still getting good reports from customers. Lot of insects are hatching.
05/05/21 We are getting good reports from customers. Discharges and the resulting stream levels have been good lately.
06/21/21 The discharges and stream levels are a good bit below normal. Wading and bank anglers are catching good numbers of trout as well as drift boats.
06/04/21 Discharges and the stream levels are still low. Discharges are pulsing as the levels change throughout the day. We are getting some good reports from customers.
06/15/21 There has been some recent rain and the discharges are better. They are still pulsing. Fish as near the dam as legal. Call or write us for fly recommendations.
07/31/21 Sorry for the missed reports. The discharges are pulsing or going up and down. It is low at night and early mornings and up to near normal levels in the afternoons. We are getting good reports from customers. There are good hatches taking place.
08/08/21 The discharges are still pulsing and okay during most of the day. There are some being caught by wading anglers as well as drift boat customers.
08/24/21 The stream levels are currently just a little above normal but will be down to normal and a little below normal level by noon today. It is still pulsing but offering plenty fishing time.
08/31/21 The discharges are still pulsing. The levels are low at night and from normal to high during the day. We are still getting good reports from customers.
09/25/21 The discharges are pulsing and providing good opportunity for most of the day. We are getting some good reports from customers fishing. There are good hatches.
10/03/21 The discharges and stream levels are near normal and the river in good shape. We received a good report from a customer fishing yesterday. Good Fall hatches are taking place.
10/15/21 Stream levels are high due to recent rain but should fall back down fast. We were getting good reports prior to the higher levels.
10/25/21 The discharges are still pulsing and in good shape most all day. We are getting good reports from customers. Our articulated sculpin and leech pattern streamers are catching some nice ones.
11/02/21 The stream levels are averaging a little below normal levels and in good shape most of the time during the day. We are still getting some good reports.
11/02/21 The river is pulsing but in okay shape a little below normal level most of the day. We continue to get good reports from customers. Our articulated streamers are catching some big ones.
11/11/21 The stream levels are staying near normal levels and the river in good shape. We continue to get good reports from customers.
11/19/21 Please excuse our mis-dating the reports above until today. The stream is in good shape. Our articulated sculpin and leech streamers are catching some big bows.
11/27/21 The stream is flowing at a normal level and in good shape. We are still getting good reports from customers. They are catching some good rainbows.
12/06/21 The stream levels are still good and we continue to get good reports from customers. Our articulated sculpin and leech streamers are caching some good ones.
12/14/21 The discharges and stream levels are normal. We received two good reports from customers fishing this past week.
12/22/21 Discharges and stream levels are still normal. We received one good report from a customer this past week.
12/30/21 The discharges and resulting stream levels are still near normal. We received two good reports from customers this past week.
01/07/22 The stream is at a normal level and in good shape. We received two more good reports from customers fishing this past week.
01/15/22 The river continues to turn out trout for those that give it a shot. Our articulated streamers both leech and sculpin patterns, are catching some nice ones.
01/23/22 Stream levels and discharges are just barely above normal and the river in good shape. We received two good reports from customers fishing this past week.
01/31/22 Stream levels continue to be okay. We received one good report from a customer fishing this past week.
02/08/22 We received three good reports from customers fishing the tailwater last week. Good midge and BWO hatches are taking place. Fish the larva and pupa midge imitations in tandem for the best results.
02/16/22 We received three more good reports from customers fishing the river this past week. Our articulated sculpin streamers are catching some good ones.
02/24/22 Discharges and stream levels are just a little bit above normal. We received two more good reports from customers fishing this past week.
03/04/22 The discharges and stream levels are near a normal level in good shape. We received two more good reports from customers fishing the river this past week.
03/12/22 Conditions are still good. We received one good report from a customer fishing this past week.
03/20/22 The stream is still near a normal level and in good shape. We continue to get good reports from customers fishing it. There are some very good hatches taking place.
03/28/22 The river is flowing at a normal level in good shape. The water is about 49 degrees and new hatches should start taking place very soon, meantime, we are still getting good reports.
04/05/22 The stream is flowing just a little below normal level and clear. There are good hatches starting to take place and you should be able to catch good numbers. Sculpin streamers are working good.
04/13/22 The discharges and resulting stream levels are staying a little below normal levels and the river in good shape. We continue to get good reports from customers fishing it.
04/21/22 The stream levels are fine and we continue to get good catch reports from out customers. Good hatches are taking place.
04/29/22 The river is still in okay shape. We received two good reports from customers fishing this past week.
05/04/22 The river is flowing just a little below normal level and clear. We are still getting good reports from customers fishing. Good hatches are taking place. PMDs should be starting anytime now, if not already.
05/12/22 More good reports came in this past week. Pale Morning duns are hatching good along with others. Stream levels are still near normal and okay.
05/20/22 The stream is well below normal level. There are lots of insects hatching. We didn’t get any reports this past week but that doesn’t necessarily mean it wasn’t good at all.
05/28/22 The stream is still very low. Good hatches continue to take place. We received two good reports from customers fishing this past week.
06/05/22 We are still getting a few reports from wading anglers. The stream levels are still low of course but about the same as last week. Good hatches are taking place.
06/12/22 Stream levels remain low as you should expect. We are still getting a few good reports. There are good Pale Morning Dun, Spotted Sedge, Green sedge, Little Yellow stoneflies and other insects hatching.
06/19/20 We received one good report from a customer fishing this past week. Good hatches continue to take place.
06/26/22 The stream is still turning out some nice rainbows for our customers. This coming week should be another good one.
07/03/22 We are getting good reports from customers. The Cicada hatch is underway and there’s lots of them. The water is in the low to mid seventies at the highest which is good.
07/10/22 We received two more good reports from customers fishing this past week. Cicadas are hatching in big numbers as well as PMDs and other insects.
07/17/22 The stream is still quite low but okay. We are continuing to get good reports from customers. Cicadas are still present.
07/31/22 The stream is still low, of course, but our customers continue to send in good reports.
08/07/22 The discharges are pulsing and in good shape most of the time. We continue to get a few good reports from customers. There are good midge and Spotted sedge caddis hatches coming off.
08/14/22 We received a couple more good reports from customers. Good presentations of our Perfect fly patterns will increase your odds of success.
08/21/22 Of course it is still very low but with good wading opportunity. There are some good hatches taking place. We received one good report from a customer.
08/28/22 Conditions remain about the same. We had one report from a customer sight casting our brown sculpin streamers to rainbows.
09/05/22 Low water conditions remain and wading anglers are still catching some nice trout. Trico and Little Sister caddis hatches are taking place.
09/12/22 Conditions remain about the same as last week. We received one good report from a customer yesterday.
10/11/22 Stream levels are near normal much of the day. The discharges are still pulsing. We didn’t receive any reports from anyone this past week, but it still should be okay.
10/28/22 Conditions remain about the same. Low water levels, of course, still pulsing at times, and rainbows are still being caught including some nice ones.
11/15/22 Flows are at 7210 cfs at 7.75 ft. We received three good reports from customers fishing this past week. Good late season hatches continue to take place.
12/01/22 The stream is still pulsing. We received two good reports from customers this past week. Cream and light green midge larva and pupa rigged in tandem, sculpin streamers and BWOs are working good.
01/31/22 The stream is flowing steady and clear at 7340 cfs. We received two good reports this past week. Good BWO hatches are taking place and our sculpin streamers are working good.
02/12/23 We continue to get good reports. Our sculpin streamers, articulated single hook ones, are catching some good ones.
03/05/23 The stream is still pulsing and staying below normal levels. We didn’t receive any reports this past week. You should be able to catch some nice trout. We have a new guy helping with the reports and should stay more current.
03/14/23 Discharges are still pulsing. We received one good report this past week.
03/24/23 The stream is in okay shape. We received two good reports from customers fishing last week.
04/03/23 The stream is flowing at 9479 cfs at 8.44 ft. or near a normal level. We didn’t receive any reports but you should be able to catch some nice fish.
04/11/23 The stream is has dropped to a normal level again. We didn’t receive any reports from anyone fishing this past week.
04/23/23 Two good reports came in recently. Customers hooked up with some good size bows. Good hatches are taking place.
05/01/23 To be short and simple, stream levels are up and fishing is very good. There are good hatches taking place and we are getting good reports from customers fishing.
05/10/23 The stream is in good shape with good hatches. We received two good reports from customers fishing recently.
05/20/23 We are still getting good reports from customers fishing the river. Stream levels are in good shape and good hatches are taking place.
05/30/23 Stream levels are okay and the water clear. We received another good report from a customer fishing this past week. There are some good hatches taking place.
06/10/23 We are still getting a few good reports. Some nice size bows are being caught.
06/18/23 More good reports have come in this past week. There are good hatches taking place.
6/29/23 Stream levels remain low. We are still getting a few good reports. Hatches include Pale Morning Duns, Spotted Sedge caddis, Green sedge caddis, Little Yellow stoneflies and other insects.
07/07/23 More good reports came in this past week. Good hatches continue to take place.
07/15/23 The stream is in okay condition with good hatches. We received one good report from a customer fishing this past week.
07/24/23 This is a very good choice of streams to fish considering the record heat. Fish early and late and feel the cool air coming off the discharges.
08/03/23 The stream is flowing at a normal level and clear. Fish the upper section where the water is cooler. There are still some good hatches taking place.
08/09/23 The stream is flowing just a little below normal level and clear. Trout are being caught. Good hatches are still taking place.
08/18/23 The stream is still flowing near a normal level and clear. Good hatches are coming off.
08/26/23 The stream is still in okay shape and turning out a few nice bows for the few fishing it. There are still some good hatches.
09/02/23 The stream is still in okay shape. We didn’t receive any reports from anyone last week but conditions remain good. You should be able to catch some nice trout.
09/09/23 The stream is still in okay shape. One customer did well yesterday sight fishing to some big bows. There are some late season hatches taking place in the cold, clear water.
09/16/23 We are still getting good reports of trout being caught sight fishing to some big fish. Small sculpin streamers usually work good for this.
09/23/23 Conditions remain good. The weather is hot but the trout don’t know that. The water is cold.
09/30/23 Good October caddis hatches are taking place. One customers is having some very good success on the October Caddis pupa.
10/07/23 The stream is in good shape. We received two good reports from customers fishing this past week swinging our articulated leech and sculpin streamers.
10/19/23 The stream is still pulsing to below normal during the day which should provide opportunities for good catches.
10/27/23 We received one good report from a customer fishing last week.
11/07/23 We are getting a few reports from customers fishing it who are swinging our articulated sculpin streamers and catching some nice bows.
11/14/23 Conditions remain good. We received one good report from a customer fishing this past week.
11/21/23 We received one other good report. Few are fishing but conditions are not that bad at all. There are some large fish being caught.
11/28/23 We received another good report from a customer fishing it this past week. Our articulated sculpin and leech patterns are working good for him.
12/05/23 Conditions remain good. We received another good report from a customer fishing this past week.
12/17/23 The stream is a little below normal with good conditions.
12/28/23 The discharges are pulsing again and okay most of the day. We received two good catch reports from customers fishing this past week.
01/09/24 You can catch some big rainbows on our articulated sculpin and articulated leech streamers. Stream levels are still varying with pulses.
01/18/24 The river is still turning out some very nice fish for those who are working at it with streamers. Our Articulated Black leech, Articulated sculpin patterns are working good.
01/26/24 The stream is still turning out some nice rainbows.
02/04/24 The stream has been good to our customers. Some good rainbows have been caught on our articulated Sculpin streamers.
02/13/24 The stream is still in good shape and turning out some nice fish for our customers. Most of the fish are being caught on our Sculpin and Leech streamers.
02/23/24 The stream is fluctuating a little above normal level but okay. Good hatches continue to take place.
03/01/24 Our articulated sculpin and articulated leech streamers work good here.
03/08/24 Conditions are good. We received a good report from a customer fishing yesterday.
06/09/24 Sorry for the missed reports. We will be posting them weekly from now on. Stream levels are low as you should expect. We are getting a few good reports. There are good Pale Morning Dun, Spotted Sedge, Green sedge, Little Yellow stoneflies and other insects hatching.
06/18/24 Conditions are good. We received two good reports from customers fishing this past week.
06/26/24 Conditions are still okay. Several insects listed above are hatching and we are getting an occasional good report from customers. Sculpin streamers still work good.
07/03/24 Conditions are good. Good hatches continue to take place. We received one good catch report from a customer fishing this past week. Discharges and stream levels are okay.
07/13/24 The stream is flowing at a good level and clear. We received a good report from a customer fishing yesterday. Good hatches continue to take place.
07/17/24 Conditions remain good.
07/25/24 The stream is in good shape and some hatches are taking place. Our articulated streamer patterns are catching some good ones.
08/01/24 The river is flowing at a normal level in good shape with good hatches taking place.
08/14/24 Conditions are good. There are Pale Morning dun hatches along with Spotted sedge and Little Sister caddisfly hatches taking place. We received a good report from a customer fishing this past week.
08/27/24 Conditions remain good. We didn’t receive any reports this past week but you should be able to catch trout.
09/04/24 The stream is in good shape and we are getting some very good reports from customers fishing it. Good hatches are still taking place.
09/11/24 Conditions remain good. We received another good report from a customer fishing this past week.
09/18/24 The stream is still flowing near a normal level and clear. Good late season hatches are still taking place.
09/26/24 Conditions are good. The stream is flowing at a normal level and clear. We received a good report from a customer fishing this past week.
10/02/24 Conditions remain good. The stream is flowing near a normal level. Let us hear from you. You should be able to catch some nice trout.\
10/08/24 The stream is still flowing near a normal level and mostly clear. Good hatches continue to take place.
10/17/24 The stream is still flowing at an okay level and clear. Good hatches are taking place. We received one good report from a customer fishing this past week.
10/24/24 The river is still flowing at an okay level and clear. Good hatches continue to take place. Our pre-rigged in tandem midge larva and pupa flies and our sculpin streamers work very good here.
10/30/24 Conditions remain good. We are still getting good catch reports from customers.
11/08/24 Conditions remain good. We received two good reports from customers fishing this past week.
11/17/24 The stream is flowing above a normal level and clear. We didn’t receive any reports from anyone this past week.
11/22/24 The stream is flowing near a normal level and clear. You should be able to catch some good ones. Our pre-rigged in tandem midge larva and pupa flies work good here as well as our articulated sculpin streamers.
11/28/24 Conditions are good. We received two good reports from customers fishing this past week. Our articulated sculpin and leech streamers are catching some big rainbows.
12/05/24 Conditions remain good. A great cold weather destination.
12/13/24 We received a good report from a customer fishing it yesterday. Conditions are good. Good hatches are taking place.
12/20/24 Conditions are still good. There are good hatches taking place and our sculpin streamers are catching some nice rainbows for customers.
Perfect Flies are designed and tied to to imitate and behave like the natural foods the trout rely on to survive as much as possible. The more your fly looks like and moves through and on the surface of the water like the real things, the higher your odds of success.
Send us an email at sales@perfectflystore.com for fly and gear recommendations. Give us the dates or time frame you will be fishing.