Ed Engle

Pennsylvania | The South | Colorado | California

Colorado Winter Trout Fishing
Out-of-state fly fishers are often surprised to find there's more to Colorado in the winter than skiing. Just ask the locals who are hooking up with fat Mysis shrimp-fed Frying Pan River rainbow trout 25 miles from Aspen's famous ski runs-in the middle of February!

Frying Pan rainbows are among the most spectacularly colored trout on the planet. Their color may come from their peculiar diet of Mysis shrimp that most often pass into the river from teh reservoir during late winter and early spring.

Fishable daytime temperatures in the 45- to 60-degree F. range occur in many locations January through March. Colorado fly fishers take advantage of this "false spring" in February when air temperatures warm but chinook winds haven't started blowing full force yet. It can be great fishing. The bottom line is to keep an eye on the weather and be ready when warmer, less windy days are predicted. Fishing is legal all year unless stated otherwise in the Colorado Division of Wildlife Fishing Regulations brochure.

Colorado tailwaters offer the most consistent winter fly fishing because the water coming from bottom-release dams is a little warmer than it would be without a large upstream reservoir. That means there is usually less ice in the river closer to the dam and the trout are more active. On most tailwaters, the closer you can get to the dam, the better.

It's important to watch water flows. Even tailwaters may develop anchor ice when flows drop below 20 cubic feet per second (cfs), especially in canyons where there is little sunlight. Low flows in winter are bad for the river and trout. Also keep in mind that Colorado experienced a drought in 2002, which means flows could be lower than normal early in 2003.

Hill's Stillborn Midge

The best fishing often occurs during the midday periods of 10 A.M to 4 P.M., when the river and the trout warm up a bit. Minute increases in water temperature often trigger aquatic insect activity. Rivers in canyons that receive little sunlight in the winter almost always turn on when the sun hits the water.

South Platte River
There are three major tailwaters on the South Platte. The tailwater below Cheesman Reservoir down to Deckers has been popular with winter fly fishers for many years. That may have changed when the Hayman fire burned through the area in the summer of 2002. The river is open to fishing, but the effects of the fire have not been quantified. Although no major fish kills were reported in the main stem of the river this past summer and fall, anglers reported that the water quickly dirtied with mud and ash after rainstorms.

The South Platte River is close to Denver and one of the most popular winter fishing destinations in Colorado. Avoid cold spells when there may be ice and slush in the river and trout are sluggish.

In the past, fly fishers caught brown and rainbow trout that usually went from 10 to 16 inches, although in the winter of 2001 large rainbow trout from 6 to 7 pounds were caught and released in the Deckers area. We'll have to wait and see if this great fishery will survive the effects of the fire. Call a local shop a few days before you travel to check current conditions.

The Elevenmile Canyon section of the river, located below Elevenmile Reservoir, is near Lake George, Colorado. Fish the first 2 miles below the dam for rainbow and brown trout averaging 10 to 14 inches, with some fish reaching 18 inches or more.

Spinney Mountain Ranch-in Colorado's South Park below Spinney Mountain Reservoir-is noted for runs of large spawning rainbow trout coming up from Elevenmile Reservoir anywhere from mid-February to April. Winter weather in South Park can be harsh, so fish early in the morning to avoid treacherous winds. Expect to catch Snake River cutthroats, cuttbows, and rainbow trout. Brown trout are less common in winter, but some stretch 20 inches or more. Rainbows coming up from the reservoir have topped the scales at 10 pounds.

Stan's Blue Midge

Hook: #22 TMC 2487. Thread: Gray 8/0. Abdomen: Two strands of blue Krystal Flash. Thorax: Blue Arizona Yarn.

Frying Pan River
The "Pan," near Basalt, Colorado, often runs as low as 70 or 90 cfs in winter but fishes best when flows are up between 100 and 200 cfs. Higher flows allow the fish to feed in the large flats below the dam, where you can sight-fish to trout taking midges and Mysis shrimp. The biggest trout are often caught on overcast days. Brown trout in the 10- to 16-inch range are the most numerous catch in winter, but you may be able to sight-cast to rainbows up to 10 pounds.

Taylor River
The Taylor River, below Taylor Reservoir northeast of Almont, Colorado, is noted for monstrous Mysis shrimp-fed trout. It's cold up there at almost 10,000 feet above sea level, but the tailwater still attracts a rugged breed of winter fly fishers. The Taylor is big-fish Valhalla and those hot 15-pound rainbows you broke off in the summer slow down a bit in colder water temperatures. You might even be able to land some of them. A midge and Mysis combination is the best nymph rig for this water.

Williams Fork
Public water on the "Fork" near Parshall, Colorado, is less than 2 miles, and the upper canyon stretch is dark and cold in the winter. Concentrate your efforts nearer the confluence of the Williams Fork and the Colorado River. The valley is wider here and the water gets a little more sun. Your most common catch in the Williams Fork and Colorado will be 14- to 16-inch brown trout and rainbow trout, but 20-inch trout are not unheard of. Your best bets here are Flashback Pheasant-tail Nymphs and small midge patterns like the Red Disco Midge, WD40, or Miracle Nymph. On warm overcast days fish will rise to dry flies like the Griffith's Gnat or Stuck-in-the-Shuck Midge.

Mercury Midge

Muddy Creek
If you fish the Williams Fork, you might want to give the short stretch of public water on Muddy Creek below Wolford Reservoir near Kremmling, Colorado, a shot. The river holds rainbow, cutthroat, and brown trout that average 12 to 15 inches, but some considerably larger than that are caught and released every winter. Drought conditions could adversely affect the Muddy's flows for the 2003 season.

In addition to Colorado's tailwaters, there are some unregulated or less regulated waters that hold promise for winter angling. Freestone rivers (rivers with flows coming from natural sources such as snowmelt, rather than from reservoirs or impoundments) are much more dependent on the weather and not as consistently productive as tailwaters.

Wait for warm overcast days--snow is not necessarily bad--and be ready to head to the river when conditions are right.

Try to fish freestoners on warm days and you'll sometimes find pods of trout rising to midges in the backwaters near the banks. If you don't see risers, work likely looking deeper runs, slots, and pools with nymph imitations. A streamer moved deeply and slowly through the deep pools will also catch fish.

The Eagle River downstream from Avon, Colorado, (near Vail) has a reputation for being ice free for winter fly fishers, especially in February and March. Don't forget nearby Gore Creek and the Colorado River downstream of the confluence of the Roaring Fork, where hot water from Glenwood Springs keeps the river fishable in the winter. The Roaring Fork has easy access near the town of Basalt and fishable flows thanks to volume from the Frying Pan River. The Arkansas, between Salida and Parkdale, is another sleeper that sometimes shows flurries of insect and trout activity in the winter.

Ed Engle is the author of the new book Splitting Cane: Conversations With Bamboo Rodmakers. He lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

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