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Welcome to our blog, your ultimate resource for everything fly fishing! We offer in-depth fly fishing reports that keep you updated on the latest conditions and hotspots, helping you plan your next adventure with confidence. Dive into our expert tips on fly fishing tactics, from casting techniques to mastering different water types, so you can elevate your skills. Our detailed insect studies give you a deeper understanding of what’s hatching, ensuring you’re always prepared with the perfect fly selection. And that’s just the beginning—our blog is packed with expert advice, gear reviews, and insider insights to enhance every aspect of your fly fishing journey.
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June Hatch Guide: A Complete Guide to Colorado's Hatches in June
June is one of the best months of the year to fly fish in Colorado. From prolific PMD and caddis hatches to golden stoneflies, yellow sallies, blue-winged olives, and midges, trout have plenty to eat. Our June Hatch Guide breaks down each hatch, when to expect it, where trout feed, and the best tactics for success. Get prepared for some of Colorado’s most exciting fly fishing opportunities of the season.
brianchilbert
4 days ago6 min read
Colorado's Low Snowpack: What Does It Mean for Fly Fishing This Summer?
If you've spent any time paying attention to Colorado's snowpack reports this winter, you've probably seen the headlines and heard the concerns. Across much of the state, snowpack totals came in below average, leaving many anglers wondering what that means for river conditions, water temperatures, and ultimately the quality of fishing this summer. The truth is that snowpack absolutely plays a major role in our fisheries, but the relationship between snowpack and fishing isn't
brianchilbert
Jun 33 min read
Vail Valley Fishing Report - 5/29/26
The latest Vail Valley fishing report features current conditions on the Eagle River, Colorado River, and Roaring Fork River. The Eagle and Upper Colorado are providing excellent fly fishing opportunities with productive nymphing, dry fly, and streamer action. Stay updated with local hatch activity, fly recommendations, river conditions, and expert insight from Colorado River Outfitters, Vail’s trusted fly fishing guides.
brianchilbert
May 295 min read
Vail Valley Fishing Report 5/23/26
Spring fishing in the Vail Valley is firing on all cylinders right now. The Eagle River is producing excellent action with strong hatches of BWOs, caddis, stoneflies, and midges keeping trout active throughout the day. Cooler weather has temporarily slowed runoff, creating improved clarity and ideal flows across many local fisheries. Whether you’re floating the Eagle, wading Gore Creek, or exploring the Colorado River, anglers are finding eager fish and increasing dry fly opp
brianchilbert
May 234 min read
The Starting Lineup — 3 Flies You MUST Have for the Month of May
May in Colorado is one of the most exciting and misunderstood months of the entire fly fishing season. The rivers are changing by the hour, flows are creeping upward, bugs are active, and trout are shifting their feeding behavior almost daily. For anglers willing to adapt, May can produce some of the best fishing of the year. At CRO, guide Matt Fletcher spends countless days on the water during runoff season, dialing in what trout are actually eating as rivers begin to rise a
brianchilbert
May 145 min read
May Hatch Guide – Everything You Need to Know About Colorado Hatches in May
May is one of the most exciting months to be a fly angler in Colorado. It’s the transition from spring into early summer, and the rivers come alive with bugs, rising fish, and opportunity. With a warm spring and a lighter snowpack this year, we’re seeing hatches show up a little earlier than normal across the Vail Valley and surrounding waters. That means if you’re paying attention, you can get ahead of the curve and capitalize on some of the best fishing of the year. Below i
brianchilbert
May 74 min read
Eagle River Fishing Report with Brian Hilbert
Eagle River - With Brian Hilbert Flow: 230cfs (at Gypsum) Clarity: 3’ Fishing Quality: 9/10 Spring fishing on the Eagle River is firing right now, and this is one of those windows you don’t want to miss. We’ve been on the water every single day for the past two months, and the consistency has been nothing short of incredible. Between strong bug activity and fish that are feeding throughout the day, it’s as good as it gets for this time of year. Here’s exactly what I’m seeing
brianchilbert
Apr 273 min read
The Starting Lineup – 3 Flies You Must Have for April in Colorado
Insight from CRO Guide Matt Weldon April is one of the most exciting months to be on the water here in Colorado. With the warmer-than-usual spring we’ve been experiencing, our local rivers are alive with consistent bug activity and some of the best opportunities of the year to find feeding fish. While blue wing olives and midges are still in the mix, caddis are already making a strong push, and the fish are taking notice. CRO guide Matt Weldon has been on the front lines this
brianchilbert
Apr 213 min read
Eagle River Fishing Report With CRO Guide Sam Kinney
Eagle River: (Near Wolcott) Flow: 226 cfs (Click Here For Current Flows) Clarity: 3.5’- 4’ Fishing Quality: 8/10 Spring is officially rolling in across the Vail Valley, and the Eagle River has been showing us exactly why this is one of our favorite times of year to be on the water. CRO guide Sam Kinney has been logging some quality days out there, and while conditions have been a little unpredictable at times, the payoff has been more than worth it for anglers willing to adap
brianchilbert
Apr 143 min read
April Hatch Guide – Everything You Need to Know About Colorado’s Hatches in April
Hilbert’s “Day Saver Baetis” with Montana Fly Company is a perfect match for spring blue wing olives. April in Colorado is one of the most dynamic and productive months of the entire year. We’re sitting right in that pre-runoff window where flows begin to creep up, bugs are active, and trout are feeding hard. If you know what to look for and how to adjust, this can be some of the best fishing you’ll experience all season. Let’s break down everything you need to know to dial i
brianchilbert
Apr 65 min read
Vail Valley Fishing Report – Conditions, Flows & What’s Working
Spring fishing across the Vail Valley is delivering some excellent days on the water, but rapidly changing flows and weather are creating a mix of opportunity and challenge depending on where you go. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what we’re seeing right now and how to approach each river. Colorado River (Pump House) Flow: 205 cfs Clarity: 4’- 5’+ Fishing: 8/10 Flows dropped dramatically Wednesday from 600 cfs down to 190 cfs. We haven’t seen water this low in a long time, an
brianchilbert
Apr 34 min read
CRO Oar Certification & Guide Training
Build the Foundation for a Successful Fly Fishing Guide Career If you’ve ever dreamed about becoming a professional fly fishing guide, there’s one skillset that separates good anglers from great guides… the ability to safely and confidently operate a drift boat in real river conditions. At Colorado River Outfitters, we’ve built our CRO Oar Certification & Guide Training to give aspiring guides the exact foundation they need to succeed on the water from day one. This is not a
brianchilbert
Apr 34 min read
Vail Valley Fishing Report – Weekend Outlook
Spring fishing in the Vail Valley is firing on all cylinders right now, and heading into the weekend, conditions could not be lining up much better. Stable flows, excellent clarity, and consistent midge and blue wing olive hatches have trout feeding aggressively throughout the day. If you’ve been waiting for the right time to get out, this is it. Our team at Colorado River Outfitters has these fisheries completely dialed right now, and we’re seeing some of the most consistent
brianchilbert
Mar 204 min read
The Starting Lineup – 3 Flies You MUST Have for the Month of March
If there’s one thing we preach this time of year at Colorado River Outfitters, it’s this: March is go-time. Big fish, empty river corridors, and some of the most consistent hatch-driven fishing of the entire year—it simply doesn’t get much better. But success in March isn’t about carrying hundreds of flies. It’s about confidence in a dialed, proven system. CRO guide and Montana Fly Company signature fly designer Brian Hilbert keeps it simple with a deadly 3-fly lineup that co
brianchilbert
Mar 174 min read
Vail Valley Fly Fishing Report
Early Spring Conditions – Eagle River, Colorado River & Roaring Fork River Spring fishing across the Vail Valley is firing on all cylinders right now. Low flows, crystal clear water, and dependable insect activity are creating some of the best fishing of the year. While many anglers are still waiting for summer conditions, experienced anglers know that March is one of the most productive and underrated times to fish our local rivers. Guides Brian Hilbert and Matt Fletcher hav
brianchilbert
Mar 135 min read
March Hatch Guide – Everything You Need to Know About Colorado Hatches in March
March in Colorado is one of the most exciting months of the year for trout anglers. As winter thaws and the rivers begin to swell with snowmelt, fish start to key in on emerging hatches. While conditions can still be variable, March offers incredible opportunities for targeting a variety of hatches, particularly spring midges and blue wing olives, alongside opportunistic feeders like leeches, cranefly larvae, and trout eggs. Whether you’re fishing the Roaring Fork, Eagle, or
brianchilbert
Mar 34 min read
Fishing Report - 2/28/26 — Roaring Fork River, Colorado & Eagle River
This Fish Of A Lifetime Was Caught Yesterday On A Guide Trip With CRO Guide Paul Killino. This Fish Measured 30 3/4” In Length! Late winter is delivering phenomenal conditions across our local waters, and with flows low, clear, and unusually warm temps, anglers willing to adapt their strategy are being rewarded with incredible action. Below is your detailed breakdown of current conditions, hatches, fly selections, and tactics for each river, plus insider tips from our guides
brianchilbert
Feb 283 min read
JOIN THE CATTLE CREEK CONFLUENCE COALITION
Defend the Cattle Creek Confluence from irreversible, large-scale development and preserve one of Garfield County ’s last critical open spaces The Land Needs Us Now! There are moments in a community’s history when silence becomes complicity. The proposed development at the confluence of Cattle Creek and the Roaring Fork River is one of those moments. This is not simply a zoning discussion or another routine planning case. It is a defining decision that will determine whether
brianchilbert
Feb 195 min read
Winter Fishing Report – February 13, 2026 With insights from Matt Fletcher
This mild winter continues to deliver outstanding opportunities across our local waters, and according to CRO guide Matt Fletcher, anglers who stay flexible and fish with intention are being rewarded with steady action, healthy fish, and surprisingly comfortable days on the river. With consistent daytime warmth, stable flows, and minimal angling pressure, mid-February is shaping up to be one of the sleeper windows of the season. Below is your full breakdown of where to go, ho
brianchilbert
Feb 133 min read
The Starting Lineup – 3 Flies You MUST Have For The Month Of February
February doesn’t get the respect it deserves. Cold mornings, quiet ramps, empty runs—and some of the most consistent, technical, and rewarding fishing of the year if you know how to approach it. Late winter on our local Colorado waters is all about midges, and not just any midges, size, depth, sequencing, and presentation matter more now than any other time of year. To cut through the noise, we sat down with Colorado River Outfitters veteran guide Matt Weldon to break down th
brianchilbert
Feb 94 min read
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