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Colorado Fishing Report: Vail Valley and Beyond 8/28/26



Cooler nights have finally arrived across western Colorado, and the rivers are responding. Water temperatures continue to trend in the right direction, trout are becoming more active, and we’re beginning to see the first signs of the outstanding fall fishing that lies ahead. While a few sections remain under voluntary closures, several of our favorite fisheries are fishing well and only getting better.

Here’s your complete Colorado River Outfitters fishing report.




Colorado River: Pumphouse to Catamount

Flow: 628 CFS (Pumphouse)

Water Temperature: 60-67°F

Clarity: Approximately 3 feet

Fishing Quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐☆☆☆☆ (6.5/10)


The upper Colorado is fishing good, but not quite excellent. Cooler overnight temperatures have created productive morning windows, and guides are finding quality dry fly fishing before the sun reaches the water.


During the first hour or two of daylight, trout are actively feeding on spent caddis drifting helplessly in the current. Once direct sunlight hits the river, the bite transitions into a classic hopper/dropper game that should continue improving through September.


Best Dry Flies

  • Double Elk Hair Caddis (#14-18)

  • Extended Body BWO (#20) (double down on these—they’ve been outstanding)

  • Renegade (#18-22)

  • Yeti Hopper (#10) — Pink & Purple


Best Nymph Combos

  • Philly Cheese Crane Fly Larva (#10) → Crystal Wing RS2 (#22)

  • Pat’s Rubber Legs (#10) → Flashback Barr’s Emerger PMD (#22)

  • Fly Formerly Known As Prince (#12) → Flashback Barr’s Emerger BWO


CRO Guide Pro Tip — Paul Killino

“Don’t rush your mornings. The first hour can easily be the best dry fly fishing of the day. Fish your spent caddis dead-drift before switching over to hopper/dropper once the sun starts lighting up the river.”



Colorado River: Pinball to Dotsero

⚠️ Status: 24-hour voluntary fishing closure remains in effect.

We recommend giving this section a break until water temperatures continue cooling.

Find somewhere else to fish. The trout will thank you.


Colorado River: Glenwood Springs to Rifle

⚠️ Status: 24-hour voluntary fishing closure remains in effect.

Like the middle Colorado, this stretch continues under a voluntary closure.

Find somewhere else to fish.



Eagle River: Vail to Lake Creek (Edwards)

Flow: 40 CFS (Avon)

Water Temperature: 60-68°F

Clarity: 4 feet

Fishing Quality: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ (3/10)


The upper Eagle remains extremely low, making fishing challenging, but certainly not impossible.

The encouraging news is that colder overnight temperatures have dramatically improved morning water temperatures, with many mornings holding between 60-66°F.

Stealth is everything right now. Long leaders, careful wading, and accurate casts will produce fish where careless anglers struggle.

Dry flies and dry/dropper rigs continue to outperform traditional indicator setups.


Best Flies

  • Elk Hair Caddis

  • Small Chubby Chernobyl

  • Thread Frenchie (#16)

  • Daysaver Midge

  • Small midge patterns

CRO Guide Pro Tip — Sam Kinney

“Slow down. Fish are incredibly spooky in this low, clear water. Make your first cast count because you usually won’t get a second chance.”


Eagle River: Edwards to Colorado River Confluence

⚠️ Status: 24-hour voluntary fishing closure remains in effect.

Please choose another river while this section continues to recover.



Roaring Fork River: Basalt to Carbondale

Flow: 574 CFS

Water Temperature: 50-58°F

Clarity: 4 feet

Fishing Quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ☆☆(8/10)


This has quietly become one of the best places to wade fish in Colorado. Water temperatures have dropped significantly, trout are healthy and aggressive, and CRO guides have been putting together excellent days while wade fishing this stretch.


The most consistent action has been from mid-morning through early afternoon.


Best Flies

  • Coffee Pat’s Rubber Legs (#10)

  • Frenchie (#18)

  • Daysaver Baetis (#22)


There are scattered midges and the occasional Blue Wing Olive, but no significant hatch events. Most fish continue to come on well-presented nymph rigs.


CRO Guide Pro Tip - Sam Kinney

“Cover water. If you don’t move a fish after a handful of quality drifts, keep walking. The aggressive trout are grouped up, and when you find them, you’ll usually catch several.”




Roaring Fork River: Carbondale to Glenwood Springs

Flow: 692 CFS

Water Temperature: 53-63°F

Clarity: 3-4 feet

Fishing Quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐☆☆(8/10)


If you’ve been wondering where our float trips have been spending most of their time lately…


This is it.


Cold water and excellent fishing have made the lower Roaring Fork our go-to float fishery over the past several weeks. Indicator nymphing, hopper/dropper rigs, streamer fishing, and dry flies have all produced fish.

Matt Fletcher’s Fly Selection


Dry Flies

  • Elk Hair Caddis (Tan/Brown size 16-18)

  • Parachute Adams (Olive/Tan size 20)

  • Moorish Hopper (Pink/Tan size 8-12)


Subsurface

  • Chocolate Sexi Top (#20-22)

  • Mercury Pheasant Tail (#20-22)

  • Purple Rainbow Warrior (#18-22)

  • Halfback Nymph (#10)

  • San Juan Worm (Tan or Red size 14)


Dry fly fishing has been best early and late in the day or anytime cloud cover rolls in.

Streamer fishing has also been producing some larger fish during the first hour of daylight. Kreelexes and Thin Mints have been moving aggressive trout.


CRO Guide Pro Tip - Matt Fletcher

“When nymphing deep pools and runs, don’t be afraid to add split shot. Most anglers aren’t fishing deep enough. Get your flies on the bottom, and your catch rate will immediately improve.”




Arkansas River Tailwater (Pueblo)

Flow: 61 CFS

Water Temperature: 60-67°F

Clarity: 3 feet

Fishing Quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐☆☆ (7/10)


The Arkansas Tailwater continues to establish itself as one of Colorado’s most dependable late-summer fisheries.


Here’s the latest report from CRO guide Chris Stella:


Bug life has been outstanding. Morning Tricos begin around 7:00 a.m. and continue until roughly 8:30 a.m. As the Tricos taper off, Baetis begin showing up and remain active until approximately 10:00-11:00 a.m. Caddis continue fluttering throughout much of the morning as well. Those three insects, Tricos, Baetis, and Caddis, are currently driving nearly all of the feeding activity.


Chris’s favorite patterns have been:


Top Flies

  • Sniper Baetis (#20)

  • Daysaver Baetis (#20)

  • Chocolate Sexi Top May (#20)

  • Kryptonite Caddis (#18)

  • Hi-Vis Trico Spinner (#22)

  • Mayer’s Mini Leech (#16)

  • Philly Cheese Cranefly (#6)


Chris’s favorite dry flies have been the Hi-Vis Trico Spinner and the Low Water Baetis, while the Sniper Baetis continues to be his confidence fly beneath the surface.




September is Almost Here…

If you’ve been waiting to book your Colorado fly fishing trip…


Now is the time.


September is traditionally one of our favorite months of the entire season.


As nights continue cooling, we expect:

  • Cooler water temperatures

  • Increased trout activity

  • More consistent dry fly fishing

  • Excellent hopper fishing

  • Better streamer opportunities

  • Current voluntary closures to begin lifting


Perhaps best of all, Colorado begins showing off.

Golden aspens, crisp mornings, fewer crowds, healthy trout, and spectacular scenery make September one of the most beautiful times of year to experience a guided float trip. There truly isn’t a better way to enjoy Colorado’s fall colors than floating one of our incredible rivers with a fly rod in hand.


If you’ve been thinking about booking a trip, don’t wait too long. September dates traditionally fill quickly.




We’d Appreciate Your Vote!


Colorado River Outfitters has been honored to be nominated for:

  • Best of the Front Range

  • Best of the Vail Valley


If you’ve enjoyed our fishing reports, watched our videos, learned something from our content, or have spent a day on the water with one of our guides, we’d truly appreciate your support.


Every vote means a great deal to our guide team.




Go “Outdoor Adventures” then “Fly Fishing Outfitter” then VOTE Colorado River Outfitters!


Thank you for helping support local guides and small businesses.



Stay Connected with Colorado River Outfitters


Fishing conditions are changing for the better every week, and we’ll continue bringing you the latest river reports, hatch updates, fly recommendations, and on-the-water insights throughout the season. Be sure to follow Colorado River Outfitters on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for weekly fishing reports, educational fly fishing content, fly tying videos, trip highlights, and plenty of trophy trout.





Have questions about current river conditions or wondering where you should fish? Thinking about booking a guided fly fishing trip this fall? Give us a call or text at (970) 236-1937. Our guides are on the water every day, and we’re always happy to help you plan your next Colorado fly fishing adventure.


We hope to see you on the river soon!


Good luck out there!

-The CRO Team








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