Fly Fishing Rio Grande River in Colorado This includes a Rio Grande fishing report: 11/02/24
Type of Stream
Freestone
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.
Species
Brown Trout
Rainbow Trout
Size
Small to Medium
Location
South Central Colorado
Nearest Towns
Creede
Season
15th April to November 1
Access:
Fair amount/some tough to access
Non-Resident License
State of Colorado
Access:
Good
Non-Resident License
State of Colorado
Seasons:
The season is fairly short for the portions of the stream in the higher elevations.
Spring:
May to mid-June is runoff time.
Summer:
Summer is the best time to fish the river.
Fall:
Early fall can provide some excellent
fishing
Recommended Tackle & Gear
Fly Line:
5 or 6 weight
Leaders:
Dry fly: 9 & 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 Superb Five or Ultimate Six
Fly Reels:
For 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 2013 James Marsh
Rio Grande, Colorado The stream is still flowing above a normal level and lightly stained. Good hatches are taking place. Check back with us often as we update the Rio Grande River fishing report often.
Stream Conditions: Pagosa
Rate: 169 cfs Dept: 4.21 ft
Afternoon Water Temperature: 60
Clarity: clear
7 Day Weather Forecast: (click the link below for more detailed information)
Recommended Trout Flies:
Midges: Cream and Red (Blood) midges sizes 20/22, larva, pupa and adult. Our larva and pupa midge flies, pre-rigged in tandem, are very popular here. You can fish them under a strike indicator keeping the larva fly near the bottom. https://perfectflystore.com/product/pre-rigged-tandem-midge-larva-pupa-tippet
Sculpin and White Belly Sculpin and Articulated streamers, size 6/4
Black Matuka and Olive Matuka Sculpin, size 4/6
Blue-winged Olives: size 16, nymphs, emergers, duns, spinners
Dark Red Quills: 14, nymphs, emergers, duns and spinners
Little Sister Caddis, size 18, pupa and adults
October Caddis, size 6, larva, pupa and adults
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.
Rio Grande River Hatches and Trout Flies: Our information on aquatic insects is based on our stream samples of larvae and nymphs, not guess work. We base fly suggestions on imitating the most plentiful and most available insects and other foods at the particular time you are fishing. Unlike the generic fly shop trout flies, we have specific imitations of all the insects in the Rio Grande River and in all stages of life that are applicable to fishing. If you want to fish better, more realistic trout flies, have a much higher degree of success, give us a call. We not only will help you with selections, you will learn why, after trying Perfect Flies, 92% of the thousands of our customers will use nothing else. 1-800-594-4726. The aquatic insect populations varies depending on the section of the river you are fishing but those listed below are plentiful throughout most of the stream from its headwaters to its lower section.Prior to the runoff, the main hatches consist of Western March Browns and Blue-winged Olives. The March Browns can get caught up in the high runoff water depending on the exact time it occurs. The BWOs can start as early as late February and early March but April usually is the most consistent time for the hatches to begin. About six different species, mostly baetis, species make up what is called BWOs. There’s also a Fall hatch of the Blue-winged Olives. It usually takes place from late September through the month of October. Midges are very plentiful in the Rio Grande. Imitations will work well anytime and become more important when the water is too cold for most other insects.Small black winter stoneflies hatch in the early season, even when there’s snow on the ground. These are mostly found in the fast pocket water. Salmonflies are present in some sections of the river and begin to emerge in early June. They are often caught up in the Spring runoff. You will find some hatches of Golden Stoneflies become to come off in late June to early July. Sometimes the runoff effects the fishing conditions during the hatch and on other years it misses it. It all depends on the snowpack. These are found only in the fast pocket water sections. The hatches can last into the first of August. LIttle Yellow Stoneflies are plentiful in fast water sections in late July and early August.The first caddisflies to hatch are the Little Black Caddis, called the Mothers Day hatch in most places in the West. This hatch starts in mid April and last about a month. In is a sparse hatch but can be important.In late June and early July, there’s three or four different species of caddisflies called Spotted Sedges that begin to hatch. These are the most plentiful of the caddisflies and the different species hatch throughout most of the Summer and on into the early Fall.The next most important caddisfly hatch is the Green Sedge. They hatch from May through September, depending on the species. Imitations of the Green RockWorms, or their larvae, work year-round.In late June, usually before the runoff ends, Pale Morning Duns will start hatching. The PMD hatch will last most of the summer and other than BWOs is the most consistent mayfly hatch. In some areas of the fast water you will find a few Pink Ladies that hatch in August and September. Many anglers call these mayflies Yellow Quills. In the late Summer, August and September, terrestrials can play an important role in the trout’s diet. Imitations of grasshoppers, ants and beetles will become important flies. Many sections of the Rio Grande are surrounded with grass and hay fields. Sculpin are very plentiful throughout the river. There are some other types of baitfish and minnows but sculpin are by far the most important in the food supply for the trout.Streamers that imitate sculpin, such as our Perfect Fly Brown Sculpin, will take trout year-round. It is best to fish streamers in low light situations such as early and late in the day and during heavy overcast situations. The are especially good for taking larger, pre-spawn brown trout. Thanks for viewing our Rio Grande River fishing report.