Colorado ·
Colorado River Fly Fishing Report - May 31, 2026
COLORADO RIVER
ReportMAY 31 — JUN 7, 2026
🌊
Flow
1400CFS
ROARING FORK RIVER AT GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO.
🌡️
Water Temp
52.5°F
Updated 2026-05-30
☀️
Weather
39–89°F
Mostly Clear
💧
Clarity
Clear
Check post-storm
The Colorado River at Glenwood Springs is running 1,400 cfs at 52.5°F — big, fishable water with excellent clarity in the upper sections; focus on soft seams, inside bends, and bank edges rather than the main push. The Mother's Day Caddis hatch is at peak intensity from State Bridge through Dotsero, with Golden Stoneflies emerging midday and early Salmon Fly adults beginning to show on streamside vegetation.
What's Working — Hot Flies
Corn-fed Caddis (CDC) Tan #20
#20
Corn-fed Caddis (CDC) Olive #20
#20
Egan's GTI Caddis - Olive #12
#12
Olsen's Straggle Stone Brown Barbless #12
#12
Tungsten Pat's Rubber Legs - Tan & Brown #6
#6
Egan's Thread Frenchie Jig - Olive #12
#12
Tungsten Rainbow Warrior - Extra Heavy #14
#14
Parachute - Blue Wing Olive #22
#22
Juju Baetis Tungsten #22
#22
Coffey's CH Sparkle Minnow Sculpin #6
#6
Tungsten Tailwater Sowbug - Rainbow #10
#10
Black Zebra Midge(TBH) #20
#20
Hatch Chart
| Insect | Size | Activity | Prime Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mother's Day Caddis (Spotted Sedge) | #14–16 | 🔥 Peak | Late Morning – Evening |
| Golden Stonefly | #8–12 | ✅ Emerging | Midday – Afternoon |
| Blue-Winged Olive (Baetis) | #18–22 | ✅ Active | Overcast Mornings |
| Salmon Fly (early) | #4–6 | ⏳ Building | Midday – watch the banks |
| Midge | #20–24 | ✅ Consistent | Early Morning / Low Light |
| Scud / Sowbug | #10–14 | ✅ Year-round subsurface | All Day |
Best Time Window
- Early Morning (7–10 AM): Midge and BWO nymphs in slow tailouts and flat-water seams before the sun hits the canyon walls
- Late Morning – Afternoon (10 AM – 4 PM): Peak Mother's Day Caddis dry-fly window; CDC caddis and GTI Caddis in back-eddies, soft seams, and behind boulders from State Bridge to Dotsero
- Late Afternoon – Evening (4–7 PM): Streamer bite heats up in Glenwood Canyon big water; Sparkle Minnow Sculpin swung through deep slots for quality browns as light drops
Guide's Tip
From the benchWith 1,400 cfs pushing through Glenwood Canyon and water at a prime 52.5°F, the Colorado is fishing its best water of the year right now — but the key is ignoring the main current and hunting the soft stuff: inside bends, bank shelves, back-eddies, and the slow water behind boulders. Time your day around the caddis: start with a midge or Juju Baetis nymph in the early-morning tailouts, then switch to a CDC caddis dry the moment you see the first adults fluttering at 10–11 AM and ride that hatch through evening. Keep one eye on the streamside vegetation for early Salmon Fly adults — once those big bugs start crawling on the willows, the largest fish in the river will be looking up and a well-placed Pat's Rubber Legs swung along the bank can produce the fish of the season.
Main Species
Brown Trout
Rainbow Trout
Colorado River Cutthroat Trout
