Overview: Colorado Fishing Conditions This Week

Late March is delivering exactly what Colorado anglers have been waiting for. After a slow start to the month with lingering cold fronts and stubborn snowpack, the last week has finally settled into a pattern that gets fish looking up. Daytime highs are pushing into the upper 40s and low 50s along the Front Range, and afternoon sun is warming tailwaters just enough to trigger solid Blue-Winged Olive hatches from about 11:00 AM through 2:00 PM on overcast days. The Colorado fishing conditions right now are about as good as late March gets, with stable flows on most tailwaters and fish that are actively feeding after a long winter.

Snowpack across the state is sitting at roughly 105% of median, which is good news for summer water but means runoff will be significant when it arrives. For now, we are firmly in the pre-runoff window — the sweet spot where flows remain manageable and trout are bulking up before the high water pushes them into survival mode. If you have been sitting on the couch waiting for things to turn on, this is your week. The next three to four weeks before runoff really kicks in could be the best dry-fly fishing we see until September.

One note: afternoon winds have been picking up most days by 2:00 PM, especially on the eastern plains and along the Front Range corridor. Plan to fish mornings and early afternoons for the best conditions. And if you are heading to higher elevations, be aware that access roads above 9,000 feet are still snow-packed in many areas. Stick to lower-elevation tailwaters and freestone sections for the most consistent action this week.

South Platte River Fishing Report HOT

The South Platte river fishing report this week is as encouraging as we have seen since last fall. Flows at Deckers are holding steady around 98 cfs — right in that ideal window where fish are spread out across the runs but not pushed into the banks by heavy current. Denver Water has kept releases from Cheesman Dam consistent, and there is no indication that will change in the near term.

Cheesman Canyon

Cheesman Canyon continues to fish lights-out for anglers willing to put in the work. The hike in keeps pressure manageable on weekdays, and the fish in there are responding well to midge patterns in the morning transitioning to BWO dries in the early afternoon. A size 22 Mercury Midge trailed behind a size 20 black Manhattan Midge has been the go-to subsurface rig below the dam. When the olive hatch gets going around 11:30, switch to a size 20 Sparkle Dun or Comparadun and fish the slower seams and foam lines. We have been seeing fish in the 14- to 18-inch range consistently, with the occasional 20-incher coming from the deeper plunge pools.

Deckers

Deckers proper is fishing well but getting more weekend pressure as word spreads about the good conditions. The stretch from Trumbull downstream to the Bridge Pool has been most productive. Morning anglers should start with a two-nymph rig: a size 18 Chocolate Thunder on top with a size 22 RS2 dropper about 18 inches below. Depth is critical — you need to be ticking the bottom every few drifts or you are fishing too high. By late morning, watch for risers in the slower water. An emerging BWO pattern like a Barr Emerger in size 20 has been fooling some very selective fish in the flat water above the bridge.

Dream Stream (Spinney Mountain Ranch)

The Dream Stream section between Spinney and Elevenmile reservoirs is producing some big fish for anglers throwing streamers on sink-tip lines. Pre-spawn rainbows are staging in the deeper runs, and a size 6 Autumn Splendor or olive Slumpbuster stripped slowly through the pools has been moving fish in the 18- to 22-inch class. This is a numbers game — you might cast for an hour without a grab, but when it happens, hold on.

Frying Pan River Conditions HOT

The Frying Pan river conditions remain excellent this week, and this tailwater continues to earn its reputation as one of the top destinations in the state. Flows from Ruedi Reservoir are sitting at a very wadeable 74 cfs, and the Bureau of Reclamation has signaled stable releases through at least mid-April. Water clarity is exceptional — we are talking gin-clear conditions that demand long leaders, light tippet, and careful approaches.

The midge fishing in the first mile below the dam has been outstanding. Fish are keyed in on size 24 and 26 midge clusters in the film, and a Griffith's Gnat in size 22 has been the most consistent dry-fly producer. Subsurface, the standard Pan rig still works: a size 22 Disco Midge above a size 24 Juju Baetis or Mercury RS2. Fish 6X fluorocarbon and keep your split shot about 8 inches above the point fly for a natural drift through the deeper seams.

Further downstream toward Basalt, BWO activity has been the headline story. Overcast afternoons have produced blanket hatches between mile markers 3 and 5, and the fish have been looking up aggressively. A size 20 Parachute Adams or CDC BWO Dun fished on a dead drift through the riffled runs has been connecting with quality browns in the 16- to 20-inch range. Several local guides reported fish over 22 inches landed this past week in the catch-and-release section. If the best fishing in Colorado right now is what you are after, the Pan is hard to beat.

Northern Colorado Fishing Report GOOD

The northern Colorado fishing report is looking solid this week, with most Front Range drainages in fishable shape and bug activity increasing across the board.

Cache la Poudre River

The Poudre is fishing well through the lower canyon from the Narrows downstream to the filter plant. Flows at 56 cfs are low and clear, making for technical but rewarding fishing. Midges are the primary food source, with a size 22 Top Secret Midge or Zebra Midge producing steady action in the deeper pocket water. BWOs are starting to show in the afternoons, particularly on cloudy days, but the hatches have been spotty compared to the tailwaters. Work the shaded bank seams with a Pheasant Tail and Zebra Midge tandem nymph rig, and be ready to switch to dries if you spot risers. Brown trout in the 10- to 14-inch range make up the majority of the catch, with a few holdover rainbows mixed in near Picnic Rock and Big Bend.

Big Thompson River

The Big Thompson from Estes Park down through the canyon is quietly producing good fishing. The tailwater section below Lake Estes has consistent midge activity, and anglers working the pocket water with small nymphs have been picking up browns steadily. A Pat's Rubber Legs in size 10 as a lead fly with a size 22 Rainbow Warrior dropper covers the water column nicely. Access is straightforward along Highway 34, making this a great option for anglers who want a half-day trip from the Fort Collins or Loveland area.

North Fork of the Poudre

The North Fork above Livermore is still running cold at this elevation and fishing has been hit-or-miss. Expect ice along the banks through mid-morning. When the sun hits the water, small midge patterns can produce a few fish, but this is not a destination trip right now. Give it another three to four weeks before the North Fork really starts to fire.

Best Fishing in Colorado Right Now

If you are trying to decide where to spend your time this week, here are our top five picks for the best fishing in Colorado right now, ranked by current conditions, fish activity, and overall opportunity.

Arkansas River Report GOOD

The Arkansas River through the Salida corridor is fishing better each week as water temperatures slowly climb toward that magic 40-degree threshold. This past week, we saw the first meaningful caddis activity of the season mixed in with the standard midge fare, and that is a very good sign of things to come. Afternoon water temps touched 41 degrees on the warmest days, and that seemed to flip a switch for the browns in the Rincon section.

Morning fishing has been midge-focused. A size 20 black Zebra Midge under a size 16 Pat's Rubber Legs is the standard winter rig and it is still producing. But the real excitement starts around 1:00 PM when scattered caddis start popping. We are not seeing a full-blown hatch yet, but enough bugs are on the water that fish are starting to look for them. A size 18 tan Elk Hair Caddis skated through the riffles has drawn strikes from aggressive browns in the 12- to 16-inch range.

The section from Frantz Memorial downstream to Rincon is fishing best, with good access from pulloffs along Highway 291. If you have not fished the Ark in late March before, it is worth noting that this river warms up significantly faster than the South Platte tailwaters. Once we get a string of 55-degree days in April, the caddis hatch will explode and the dry-fly fishing will be exceptional. Right now, you are getting in on the ground floor.

Colorado Lakes & Reservoirs Update MIXED

Ice-off season is underway at lower elevations, but progress has been slow with the cold nights we have been experiencing. Here is a quick rundown of current conditions at key stillwaters across the state:

• Pueblo Reservoir: Ice-free and fishing well for walleye and rainbow trout from the bank near the North Shore Marina. Water temps hovering around 42°F. Anglers throwing PowerBait near the inlets have been doing well for stocked rainbows.
• Horsetooth Reservoir: Mostly ice-free with some lingering shelf ice in sheltered coves. Smallmouth are starting to move shallow on warm afternoons. Too early for consistent trout fishing from shore.
• Elevenmile Reservoir: Still largely ice-covered. Some open water near the inlet where Dream Stream enters. Ice fishing is getting sketchy — if you go, check thickness carefully and avoid south-facing banks.
• Spinney Mountain Reservoir: About 60% ice-covered. Open water forming along the dam face and east shoreline. A few anglers have reported picking up pike on large streamers in the open sections.
• Stagecoach Reservoir: Ice-free as of last weekend. Early reports suggest pike are active near the weed beds. Trout fishing should pick up as water temps approach 45°F.
• Blue Mesa Reservoir: Still iced up at this elevation. Probably another three to four weeks before meaningful ice-off. Lake trout through the ice has been fair near the Elk Creek arm.

For a full breakdown of lake conditions including stocking schedules, see our Lakes & Reservoirs Report.

What to Expect Next Week

Looking ahead to the first week of April, the forecast is calling for a warming trend that should push daytime highs into the mid-50s along the Front Range by Thursday. That additional warmth will do two things: accelerate BWO hatches on the tailwaters, and start bumping freestone flows as lower-elevation snowpack begins to melt. The South Platte at Deckers may see a modest uptick toward 110-120 cfs by week's end, which is still very fishable but will concentrate fish in slightly different holding water.

On the Frying Pan, expect continued stable conditions with releases from Ruedi holding near current levels. BWO hatches should intensify with the warmer temps, and we would not be surprised to see some early Pale Morning Duns make an appearance in the lower river by late afternoon.

The Arkansas should see its best week of the spring so far. If the warm-up materializes as forecasted, water temps could hit 44-45°F in the afternoons, which typically triggers more consistent caddis activity. Have some size 16 Mothers Day Caddis patterns ready — they are coming.

Northern Colorado rivers will be the first to feel snowmelt pressure. The Poudre and Big Thompson could start to bump and color up by next weekend, especially if we see any rain. Enjoy the current clear-water window while it lasts.

Disclaimer: Conditions change rapidly. Always check current USGS flows before heading out and respect all CPW regulations including catch-and-release areas, slot limits, and artificial-only restrictions. Flows and conditions reported here are based on observations from March 24-26, 2026.