Northwest

Big Creek Lakes — Fishing for trout in the lakes and the creek below has been fairly good. Fishing for lake trout has been slow, with fish in deeper water, but should improve with cooler temperatures.

Blue River (Dillon to Green Mtn. Res.) — Fishing has remained fairly consistent. Blue-wing-olive mayflies and midges are the primary hatches. Small nymphs and Mysis shrimp produce the most consistent results.

Colorado River (below Parshall) — The river is in a fall fishing mode and barring localized rain the water is clear. Pale-morning-dun mayflies, midges, and Yellow Sally stoneflies have been present, along with caddis late in the day and still some late-season terrestrials.

Colorado River (Glenwood to Rifle) — With fall coming on, streamer-fly fishing has picked up considerably. BWOs and stoneflies also continue to work well. On clear days, fish downstream between Glenwood Springs and Silt or pick apart the pocket water in Glenwood Canyon.

Colorado River (near Granby) — Fishing at the Parshall Hole has been very good. RS-2s, Copper Johns and other emerger patterns are doing well. Dry flies such as caddis, Yellow Sallies and dun patterns have been doing well.

Crystal River — Flows are optimal for dry-dropper fishing. Whitefish and trout are being caught from Carbondale upstream through Redstone, with mainly trout near Marble.

Eagle River — Fall fishing with nymphs, streamers and spinners has been quite good. Dry flies can be effective in the late afternoons. Expect some late-season caddis hatches, midges and blue-wing-olives on cloudy days.

North, South, East Delaney lakes — Fall fishing has been good. With cooler temperatures, streamer flies and large Chironomid nymphs have been the most productive patterns.

Elk River — The water temperature is cooling down with the arrival of fall, but fishing remains fairly good. Blue-wing-olive mayfly hatches are becoming more frequent and mahoganies also are on the water.

Elkhead Res. — Large numbers of small pike are being caught, but smallmouth-bass and crappie activity is slowing down as water temperatures drop. Fish seem to be holding along the shoreline

Fryingpan River — Mysis still are pouring out of the dam and from Mile Marker 10 upstream, a double-Mysis rig is essential. As fall continues, expect more and more blue-wing-olive hatches.

Green Mountain Res. — Though still sporadic, the annual run of kokanee salmon to the Blue River inlet has begun. Snagging is permitted in the lake and the Blue River up to the first Highway 9 bridge through Dec. 31.

Harvey Gap Res. — Fishing for northern pike has been quite good. Trout fishing has picked up with cooler water and recent stocking. Fishing for perch has been slow.

Highline Lake — Crappie and catfish are biting. Catfish are slowing down with the cooling water but still are being caught. Some channel cats over 10 pounds still are being reported. The lake has closed to boating for the year and will reopen March 1.

Jerry Creek Res. — Closed to the public.

Lake Avery — Fishing for rainbow trout slowed with the heat of summer, but should be improving with cooler days.

Mack Mesa Lake — Some trout and catfish are being caught but fishing is slow. An additional 2,000 tour are to be stocked this week. The lake is full and shore access is good.

North Platte River — Flows have been around 100 cfs. Trico hatches are winding down, but blue-wing-olives are evident on overcast days.

Pearl Lake — Fishing has been spotty, but anglers have been catching some trout, mostly from canoes or float tubes.

Rifle Gap Res. — Fishing for northern pike has been fairly good. Walleyes have slowed down, but fishing could improve with cooler weather. The walleye limit is three fish at least 18 inches long. Fishing for perch, crappie and bass has been slow.

Roaring Fork River — Blue-winged-olive mayflies are prevalent throughout the entire river system. From Carbondale downstream to Glenwood Springs, streamer fishing has been unbelievably good. The river is fishing well between Basalt and Aspen, as well, with suspended fish evident on overcast days.

Stagecoach Res. — Several large trout of 4-5 pounds have been caught around the lake. The inlet still provides the best shoreline and boat fishing but other areas around the lake are doing well, too. Most trout still are being caught on Power Bait and worms

Steamboat Lake — It’s getting cooler and fish are biting better, with several trout over 18 inches recently caught on worms. One angler fly fishing along the dam did very well, catching some 20- to 24-inch browns.

Trappers Lake — Dry fly fishing remains fairly good. Royal Coachman and Parachute Adams patterns have been effective, along with black ants and black gnats.

Vega Res. — Fishing at Vega has improved dramatically over the past few weeks. Anglers are having success with Power Bait, especially red-and-blue with sparkles; worms and salmon eggs. Some nice-sized rainbow trout in the 15- to 17-inch range are being caught.

White River — With brown trout becoming increasingly aggressive, fishing with streamer flies remains good. Woolly Buggers and Muddler Minnows are among the most productive patterns for browns of 20 inches and possibly larger.

Yampa River (Hayden through Craig) — Fishing is good all along the corridor, with trout being taken close to shore on terrestrials or minnow imitations. Reports indicate smallmouth bass are being taken from Hayden to Craig, with a few smaller pike also being seen.

Yampa River (Stagecoach through Steamboat) — Monday’s flow was 121 cfs, with moss presenting some problems for anglers drifting nymphs along the bottom. Fall fishing has been good. Brown trout are becoming more aggressive and moving onto spawning beds.

Southwest

Animas River — The season for terrestrial bugs is about over, although on warms days a grasshopper pattern might still attract trout. The best patterns are small nymphs such as size 16-18 bead-heads and Pheasant Tails.

Beaver Creek Res. — Fishing for rainbow and brown trout from shore and boats has been good. A few kokanee have been caught recently.

Blue Mesa Res. —About 10 feet below capacity and likely to go down before freeze-up. Fishing for kokanee salmon remains slow, with the majority of mature fish having moved up the river. Shoreline fishing for trout is slow.

Crawford Res. — Numerous crappie were reported, as well as a 3-pound largemouth bass. The Iron Creek boat ramp has been closed.

Dolores River (lower) — Fishing in the Dolores River below the dam is looking better than it has in years. Recent DOW fish surveys suggest the trout population is rebounding after years of drought-related low-water releases.

East River — The river is low and clear, flowing at 93 cfs on Tuesday. Trout still may rise to blue-wing-olive mayflies or take a dead-drifted nymph, the annual salmon run from Blue Mesa Res. is well under way, with fish stacking up in the river.

Gunnison River (below Crystal Dam) — Flows are holding around 1,060 cfs. Fish blue-wing-olive patterns or caddis on top, or midges. The BWOs are popping out now-and-then courting brown trout are heading to the spawning redds.

Gunnison River (through the canyon) — Fishing conditions on the river remain good from Chukar Trail downstream to the North Fork of the Gunnison. Anglers report lots of big fish and some of the best fishing ever.

Gunnison River (Almont to Blue Mesa) — The river is low and fishably clear, and on Tuesday was flowing at 320 cfs. The primary summer hatches are pretty much done, but some evening caddis and blue-wing-olives still could be on the water.Most of the action now is below the surface.

McPhee Res. — Fishing for trout and smallmouth bass is fair from the bank.

Navajo Res. — Pike fishermen are doing well on topwater and diving lures around rocks and cover. Fishing for bass is fair on spinners and crankbaits, crappie have slowed down.

Ridgway Fishing Ponds — The Pa-Co-Chu-Puk area of Ridgway State Park is excellent for children because it has the only water below the dam not restricted to artificial flies and lures or catch-and-release fishing. A limit of four trout per person may be kept there, both by children and licensed adults (16 years or older). The ponds were stocked on Aug. 14 with 700 additional rainbow trout. Fishing is very good using worms or grasshoppers on a 3- to 4-foot leader behind a clear casting bubble. Salmon eggs and Power Bait work using the same technique. Fly fishermen have been doing very well on hopper patterns.

Ridgway Res. — Rainbows are hitting on gold Kastmasters. Brown trout are still in the deeper water. Fly fishermen are beginning to use streamer patterns effectively.

Rio Grande River — All the major insect hatches have finished. Attractor flies, hoppers, stonefly nymphs and Woolly Buggers have produced fair to good action.

San Juan River — Fishing has slowed down significantly as the weather continues to cool.

San Luis Lake — Fishing is reported to be slow for trout and fair for carp on nymphs and streamers.

Sanchez Res. — Fishing for northern pike of 22-30 inches was reported as good on various plugs and jigs.

Taylor Res. — Lake trout are ready to spawn, with the larger fish rolling in the shallows and inlet areas. Trollers also are taking rainbow trout. Kokanee snagging is permitted through Dec. 31, but the salmon have not yet been running.

Taylor River —Late-season caddis, stoneflies and blue-wing-olives have been hatching along the lower river, providing some decent dry fly activity.

Uncompahgre River in Ridgway Park — Fishing on the river at Pa-Co-Chu-Puk is fair to good on hopper patterns or caddis nymphs, fished slowly in the backwaters. Smaller dry fly patterns also are working.

Vallecito Res. — Troll with big Rapalas for northern pike and brown trout. Trout are coming up again, so cast from the shore with spinners or bait. From the dam, anglers are making good catches of smallmouth bass.

Williams Creek Res. — With brook and brown trout moving toward the inlet, fishing is improving.