Conejos River Colorado Fly Fishing Report & Options for Selecting Flies: 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.
We have custom Perfect Fly selections in 3 different price ranges for this stream that come with or without fly boxes that 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 and Freestone sections
Species
Brown Trout (Wild)
Rainbow Trout (Wild)
Cutthroat (Native and wild)
Size
Medium
Location
Central South Colorado
Nearest Towns
Menkhaven, Mogote
Season
Year-round
Access:
Plentiful
Non-Resident License
State of Colorado
Weather
National Weather Service Link
Seasons:
The trout season is open year-round.
Spring:
Springtime fishing is good in the tailwater section except
during a heavy Spring runoff which occurs in June.
Summer:
Summertime is the best time to fly fish the Conejos River.
Fall:
Autumn is a good time for catching large brown trout and in general, early Fall is good for just about all the waters.
Winter:
Fishing during the winter below the dam can be good on nice warm days.
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.
Copyright 2013 James Marsh
Fly Fishing the Conejos River Colorado
The Conejos River is a ninety plus, mile long river located in central, southern Colorado that’s one of the best trout streams in the state of Colorado, yet it’s relatively unknown. It’s wild trout are plentiful and the stream river and it’s tributaries offer miles of secluded water. The Conejos is a tributary of the Rio Grande River. Fly fishing the Conejos River is as good as fly fishing gets.
The river consist of just about every type of trout water there is. There’s both meadow and fast water canyon sections. There’s pools, riffles, runs, smooth flowing sections and fast pocket water. There’s a huge diversity and a good population of aquatic insects including caddisflies, stoneflies and mayflies.
The Conejos River is mostly a tailwater trout stream. It’s headwaters flow into Platoro Reservoir. Just below the reservoir there’s over eight miles of public access in one area where the river flows through a meadow with deep pools and riffles joining them. Below the meadow section,
the Conejos River flows through Pinnacles Canyon. It requires some hiking to reach its waters but plenty of larger size rainbows and brown trout will reward your efforts. Below the canyon, the Conejos flows through both private and public sections downstream to Menkhaven.
There you will find a “fly fishing only” section.
You can fish the small streams headwaters above Platoro Reservoir, but you will have to hike in. There’s also several good tributary streams that flow into the Conejos River.
Elk Creek is one of those streams which is stocked with rainbows near the campground. Elk Creek Trial follows the stream for over twelve miles and provides access to some rough, steep pocket water fishing with plenty of small wild trout. There are both canyon and meadow
sections on Elk Creek.
The Lake Fork of the Conejos River is another fine tributary of the main stream. You’ll find Rio Grande Cutthroat trout in it’s small pocket water pools, runs and plunges.. The Lake Fork Trail will take you miles into the backcountry along the stream.
There are several special regulated areas on the Conejos River. Fly fishing with artificial lures only is required on Bear Creek Subdivision, Douglas and H.E.B.O. Corporation properties. Artificial lures and flies only are required from Saddle Creek Bridge downstream to the
confluence of the Conejos River and the South Fork of the Conejos River. Lake Fork is regulated as wild trout water, artificial lures and flies only. From the Meenkhaven Ranch downstream to Aspen Glades Campground is also designated as wild trout waters.
There’s a large diversity of aquatic insects in the different types of water of the Conejos. Each section has a slightly different group of insects. There are lots of caddisflies, mayflies and stoneflies as well as others such as midges and terrestrial insects. Call or write us and we can help you with your fly selection. We have acquired samples of the trout food from this stream at different times and locations..