Fly Fishing Rio Grande River - South Fork to Del Norte

Overview

Between the CO-149 bridge at South Fork and Del Norte, the Rio Grande is a wide, meandering freestone with riffles, changing runs and deeper water along its banks. Willows and grassy edges give brown and rainbow trout cover beside the faster current. The San Luis Valley setting leaves plenty of water to read: the seam below a riffle, the drop into a deeper run, or a quieter tailout where a rising fish asks for a careful drift.

Snowmelt raises and colors the river in late spring. As runoff recedes, carry stonefly, caddis, mayfly and terrestrial patterns, choosing among them by the insects and feeding activity you see. Dry-dropper rigs work through distinct current lanes, while a streamer gives you another way to cover a deeper bank.

Stoneflies as Runoff Recedes

In late spring the river surges with snowmelt. As the water falls, watch the willowed banks for stonefly activity rather than tying a hatch to a particular gauge reading. A size 6 foam salmonfly is one option when adults are present. Place it near the bank cover and follow its drift through the softer edge current.

Golden stonefly patterns add another choice as the season moves into summer. Let the current carry a nymph through the seam below a riffle, or use an adult imitation when surface feeding calls for it. Water level and clarity can change the useful lanes within the same run.

Summer Dry-Dropper and Terrestrial Fishing

Summer adds caddis, Pale Morning Dun and green drake patterns to the box. A Chubby Chernobyl trailed by a tungsten beadhead nymph gives you a dry-dropper approach to fast runs and drop-offs. Adjust the dropper to the lane you can control rather than fishing every run at the same depth.

Grassy edges suggest hopper presentations later in summer. Place a foam bug close to the cover and try a small twitch when a dead drift draws no response. Watch the fly as it moves between the slower bank water and the faster current; keeping line from dragging it across that seam matters more than covering the entire width of the river.

Streamers, Seams and Tailouts

Summer and fall mornings offer a reason to try a streamer along a deeper bank or run. Work the near water first, then change the angle or retrieve to follow the current lane. A slower seam may call for a different presentation from the faster water above it.

Late-season terrestrials and Blue-winged Olive patterns provide other choices for observed surface feeding. A size 18 BWO is an option for a selective riser in a slower seam or tailout. Take time to watch the rise before casting, then aim for a clean drift through that fish's lane.