Top 5 Colorado Rivers Fishing This Week | April 2026

The Arkansas River is currently flowing at 261 cfs (normal) with a rising trend. Flows are fishable today. The Verdict: Excellent Fishing Conditions This week’s forecast shows temperatures ranging from 50-68°F. Calm winds make indicator nymphing more effective.

Insect Activity: The Arkansas around Salida is still in that early spring mix where the strongest dry fly windows come off late morning into mid afternoon once the sun gets on the riffles. Expect midge and small mayfly activity first, then a better shot at caddis movement as the warm 70 degree afternoons build, so keep a Griffith’s Gnat #20, Sparkle Dun #18, and Silvey’s Caddis Pupa #16 in the rotation. If the breeze kicks up, a Hare’s Ear #16 or San Juan Worm #14 under an indicator is a better bet than waiting on a perfect surface feed.

Where to Fish: At 261 cfs this is friendly wading water, and the best fish are going to hold in knee to thigh deep runs, bucket water below riffles, and the softer seams along boulder gardens instead of the dead slow edges. Start by covering riffle corners and tailouts with a tight two fly nymph rig, then pick off softer pockets with a single dry if you see noses. A long leader and a short, controlled drift matter here because the lower flow exposes plenty of wary fish.

Gear Tip: Start with a streamer rig in softer edges. Switch to a two-fly nymph rig and a yarn indicator as flows settle. A 9-foot 5X leader with light tippet keeps the rig natural in these flows.

Presentation: Start shallow, then add weight or depth as you move into deeper runs and pockets. Use longer drifts to cover tailouts and seam water.

Regulations: From the confluence with the Lake Fork of the Arkansas near Leadville downstream to Parkdale at the U.S. 50 bridge crossing above the Royal…

The Colorado River is currently flowing at 87 cfs (normal) with a stable trend. Flows are fishable today. Water Temperature: 44°F (cold). The Verdict: Excellent Fishing Conditions This week’s forecast shows temperatures ranging from 42-60°F. Calm winds make indicator nymphing more effective.

Insect Activity: Byers Canyon is fishing like classic skinny-water spring Colorado, with low clear flows that favor small bugs and clean presentations over big attractors. Midges and little blue-winged olive style mayflies should give you the steadiest action, especially from late morning through the warmest part of the day, so think WD-40 #20, Rojo Midge #20, and Parachute BWO or Sparkle Dun #18-20. Keep Garcia’s Mother’s Day Caddis #16 handy for the warmer afternoons, but do not be surprised if the best fish still eat the small stuff first.

Where to Fish: At 87 cfs the canyon is wadable almost everywhere, but the productive water shrinks down to defined slots, inside seams, plunge-pool tailouts, and the darker troughs against structure. Fish the heads of runs carefully, then work the softer buckets below the faster drops where trout can sit without burning calories. This is one of those weeks where adding extra tippet length and staying low on the bank will catch more fish than changing flies every ten minutes.

Gear Tip: Start with a streamer rig in softer edges. Switch to a two-fly nymph rig and a yarn indicator as flows settle. A 9-foot 5X leader with light tippet keeps the rig natural in these flows.

Presentation: Start shallow, then add weight or depth as you move into deeper runs and pockets. Use longer drifts to cover tailouts and seam water.

Regulations: Artificial flies & lures only; Catch and release required

The Colorado River is currently flowing at 399 cfs (normal) with a rising trend. Flows are fishable today. Water Temperature: 48°F (prime). The Verdict: Excellent Fishing Conditions This week’s forecast shows temperatures ranging from 45-63°F. Calm winds make indicator nymphing more effective.

Insect Activity: The upper Colorado between Pumphouse and State Bridge has enough 399 cfs push to keep fish comfortable, and the warm sunny start to the week should wake up a good mix of midges, caddis pupae, and afternoon mayflies. Start subsurface with a Silvey’s Caddis Pupa #16 or Hare’s Ear #16 above a WD-40 or Rojo Midge #20, then watch the slower banks and tailouts for a short Sparkle Dun #18 window once the light softens. If clouds or wind roll in later in the week, a San Juan Worm #14 becomes a smart change-up in the dirtier seams.

Where to Fish: This flow is ideal for covering a lot of water, whether you are floating or wading the edges, and the best fish should set up on mid-river shelves, soft buckets below gravel riffles, and current breaks along cutbanks. On foot, focus on side channels and softer walking-speed seams instead of forcing the heavy center current. If you are in a boat, stop and fish the inside bends thoroughly because spring trout often pile into those softer transition lanes.

Gear Tip: Start with a streamer rig in softer edges. Switch to a two-fly nymph rig and a yarn indicator as flows settle. A 9-foot 5X leader with light tippet keeps the rig natural in these flows.

Presentation: Start shallow, then add weight or depth as you move into deeper runs and pockets. Use longer drifts to cover tailouts and seam water.

Regulations: Standard trout regulations apply downstream of Rock Creek. Bag and possession limit for trout is 4.

The Eagle River is currently flowing at 186 cfs (normal) with a falling trend. Flows are fishable today. The Verdict: Excellent Fishing Conditions This week’s forecast shows temperatures ranging from 50-68°F. Calm winds make indicator nymphing more effective.

Insect Activity: The Eagle near Gypsum is in a nice pre-runoff window, and the combination of 186 cfs and warm afternoons should keep small mayflies and caddis relevant without turning the river into a one-note nymph game. Look for late morning midge activity to slide into afternoon BWO and caddis movement, with Sparkle Dun #18, Klinkhammer Special #16, and Garcia’s Mother’s Day Caddis #16 all worth carrying. When surface activity stalls, a Rainbow Warrior #18 or Hare’s Ear #16 below a small indicator is a clean way to stay in the game.

Where to Fish: At this level the Eagle fishes best by hopping from pocket water to pocket water, then slowing down at the tail ends of riffles and the soft edges below bigger rocks. The river is wadable, but the most consistent fish will still favor the softer inside seams and short foam lines where they can slide out to eat without fighting current. Make short drifts from several angles because one bad first cast in this clear water can put a whole pod down.

Gear Tip: Start with a streamer rig in softer edges. Switch to a two-fly nymph rig and a yarn indicator as flows settle. A 9-foot 5X leader with light tippet keeps the rig natural in these flows.

Presentation: Start shallow, then add weight or depth as you move into deeper runs and pockets. Use longer drifts to cover tailouts and seam water.

Regulations: Artificial flies & lures only

The Gunnison River is currently flowing at 240 cfs (normal) with a stable trend. Flows are fishable today. The Verdict: Excellent Fishing Conditions This week’s forecast shows temperatures ranging from 46-64°F. Calm winds make indicator nymphing more effective.

Insect Activity: The Gunnison at 240 cfs is in a steady early spring groove, with enough flow to move nymphs naturally and enough sun in the forecast to create short but worthwhile hatch windows. Expect the best bug activity from midges early to small mayflies and caddis in the afternoon, so fish a Top Secret Midge or Griffith’s Gnat #20 in the slow stuff, then rotate to a Sparkle Dun #18 or Silvey’s Caddis Pupa #16 as the day warms. A Soft Hackle Hare’s Ear #14 is a strong swing or dropper option when fish start keying on emergers rather than fully surfaced bugs.

Where to Fish: This stretch is very manageable to wade right now, and the sweet spots are the walking-speed runs, soft eddies below islands, and tailouts where the main current starts to flatten. Do not ignore the transitional water between shallow riffles and the first deeper slot, because spring fish often stack there before sliding into the heavier buckets later in the day. A lightly weighted two-fly rig will outfish a bomb setup here because 240 cfs is enough current to drift naturally but not enough to demand a pile of split shot.

Gear Tip: Start with a streamer rig in softer edges. Switch to a two-fly nymph rig and a yarn indicator as flows settle. A 9-foot 5X leader with light tippet keeps the rig natural in these flows.

Presentation: Start shallow, then add weight or depth as you move into deeper runs and pockets. Use longer drifts to cover tailouts and seam water.

Regulations: Artificial flies & lures only