Wade40/100
Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.
All Colorado reports
Fly fishing report · West
Bear Creek
Is Bear Creek worth the trip today? Check flow, weather, hatches, access, and rules for Colorado before you go.
See the flow chart ↓Photo: Andrew Dimler Opens in a new tab. · CC BY-SA 4.0
Good day to fish?Latest river check
Poor
Not today. Make another plan.
40
No clear best access mode. Wade and Float have the same top score. Use current access, footing, weather, and local rules to choose.
See update time and confidence
Live data checkHighHow much of the live flow, weather, and alert data came back.
Today's callMediumWater temperature not verified; do not use this score to clear warm-water risk.
Score calculated Aug 22, 2026, 8:36 PM MDTUsually checks again about every 45 minutes
Access choicesNo clear best mode
Wade and Float have the same top score. Use current access, footing, weather, and local rules to choose.
Bank / edgeNot recommended
This report does not recommend bank fishing on this reach.
Float40/100
A float is in play where this report supports boat access and wind, releases, and shuttle logistics are manageable.
Your plan
Today's Bear Creek plan.
Bear Creek is a small foothills trout stream, so the right plan depends on exact reach, flow, temperature, and public access. This report is scoped to the Morrison and Bear Creek Lake Park area, not the closed El Paso County Bear Creek greenback reach.
- Check first
- Flow note: the live score now reads USGS 06710605 above Bear Creek Lake near Morrison as the official backstop for the Jefferson County Bear Creek area.
- Try
- Decide which Bear Creek you are fishing before applying advice or rules.
- Leave when
- Skip Bear Creek when thunderstorms stain the creek, when low warm water makes trout handling poor, when park or trail pressure is heavy, or when you cannot confirm the special fishing rule reach language for your exact section.
Live river check
What the river is doing
Check the latest flow and weather before you go. A quick change can make the river harder or less safe to fish.
Showing the latest stored river check while current readings load.
- Flow
- 1.1 cfs
- From the latest stored river check. Open the official source for the newest reading.
- Air now
- 72°F
Current NWS forecast period
- Next 24h high
- 89.0°F
NWS air forecast near
- Rain chance
- 32%
For this forecast period
This is an air forecast, not a river-temperature reading. Check the water with a stream thermometer before fishing in hot weather.
Latest stored weather check
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
- Wind
- 8 mph
- Weather checked
Recent flow chart is loading
The latest stored reading is shown above. Check the official source below if you need the newest value now.
More forecast and source details
National Weather Service
Bear Creek Morrison forecast point
The National Weather Service forecast is temporarily unavailable.
Live data
Where these readings come from
RiverReports gauge: Bear Creek near Morrison
How to fish it
How to fish Bear Creek today.
Bear Creek is best when flows are cool and stable. If the creek is very low, warm, muddy, or crowded, treat it as a scouting day or choose a larger nearby river.
Low and clear
Use stealth, small dries, light droppers, and avoid walking through holding water.
Cool stable flow
Dry-dropper rigs and small nymphs can pick apart pocket water and plunge pools.
Muddy after storms
Wait for clarity or use a larger nearby river with safer visibility.
Warm summer water
Fish early, carry a thermometer, and stop targeting trout if temperatures are stressful.
Fishing words used on this page
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) gauge
- A USGS gauge is an official river station that measures flow or water height.
- Cubic feet per second (cfs)
- Cubic feet per second, or cfs, shows how much water passes the gauge each second.
- Nymph
- A nymph is a young water insect. Anglers also use the word for a fly that copies it.
- Blue-winged olive (BWO)
- Blue-winged olives, or BWOs, are small mayflies that often hatch in cool or cloudy weather.
- Caddis
- Caddis are small water insects. The adults look a little like tiny moths.
- Dry-dropper
- A dry-dropper rig has a floating fly with an underwater fly tied below it.
- Emerger
- An emerger copies an insect as it rises from below the water toward the surface.
- Midge
- Midges are tiny flies and a common trout food, especially in cold water.
- Pale morning dun (PMD)
- Pale morning duns, or PMDs, are light-colored mayflies that often hatch in warmer months.
- Pocket water
- Pocket water is a small calm spot among rocks or fast current.
Why this call
Why this score
Best mode nowHurts
Wade: Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.
FlowUse caution
USGS shows 1 cfs. The flow has been stable over about 6 hours. USGS marks this reading provisional and may revise it. USGS records for this date (1986-2025, 38 readings) show a median near 12 cfs and a low-water marker near 3 cfs; today's flow is unusually low for the date. Low water can make fish spooky, warm, pressured, or concentrated; check temperature and handling risk.
HeatUse caution
The current NWS air forecast is about 72F, and the next 24-hour high reaches about 89F. This is an air forecast, not a water-temperature reading. Fish early and check the river with a stream thermometer.
Short-term weatherUse caution
The forecast has storm or heavy-precipitation risk, so timing and access matter more than the score alone.
SeasonHelps
Summer: Early dry-dropper sessions can be useful when water is cool enough.
Trip notes
Trip notes
Check these before you choose a reach.
Use the Morrison gauge trend as a small-water warning tool. Stable clear flows are the better fit for pocket water and soft edges, while storm spikes, mud, or very thin warm water should end the trout plan quickly.
Skip Bear Creek when thunderstorms stain the creek, when low warm water makes trout handling poor, when park or trail pressure is heavy, or when you cannot confirm the special fishing rule reach language for your exact section.
Choose one short public section and fish it carefully. Bear Creek works best when you slow down, cover shaded pockets and undercut edges, and leave room for other park users instead of hopping every visible pullout.
If Bear Creek is too warm, crowded, or off-color, pivot to Clear Creek for another close Front Range option or to Boulder Creek when a different small-stream plan fits the weather better.
What to try
Bear Creek flies through the year.
Match the time of year, then let rising fish and current speed guide the next change.
SeasonWhat to look forFlies to try
Winter
What to look forMidges
Spring
What to look forBWOs, small stones, caddis
SummerCurrent
What to look forCaddis, PMDs, ants, beetles, hoppers
Fall
What to look forBWOs, midges, terrestrials
Each fly name opens its matching Fly Box guide.
Access and safety
Bear Creek access and rules.
Use these places as starting points. Open the access link below and check posted signs before you park or enter. CPW lists Jefferson County Bear Creek special fishing rules from Evergreen Lake Dam to Bear Creek Reservoir. Verify current reach language, artificial-only rules, and rainbow/cutbow release rules before fishing.
Morrison area
Use the Morrison gauge and watch posted property around bridge and town access.
Bear Creek Lake Park
Lakewood manages recreation and fishing access in the park area. Check current park rules before entering.
Lair o' the Bear context
Jefferson County park access is useful for walking the creek area where fishing is allowed and posted.
This page is not about the closed El Paso County Bear Creek greenback reach.
Small streams need extra care in warm, low water.
Parking and trail use can be busy near Morrison and Lakewood parks.
Respect private land and posted closures.
River sources
Official Bear Creek sources.
Official agencies and primary river operators come first. Secondary tools are labeled so you know what carries the most weight.
How this report was checked
How this report was checked
Reviewed byBlueStreamFly River Review Team
Trip guidance checked
What was checked: This report is maintained from current regulation, access, flow, weather, and public planning sources so anglers can make better trip decisions than a raw gauge or generic overview would allow.
Live measurements and forecasts keep their provider timestamps. Rules, access, and trip guidance use the source-review date shown here. BlueStreamFly planning advice is editorial interpretation, not an agency notice.
First-hand experience: BlueStreamFly does not claim a first-hand visit or local field test for this report unless a real contributor is explicitly named and linked.
Rules and closures
Check what is allowed, where the rule applies, and whether the river is open.
Flow and weather
Check the latest river reading and forecast before you leave.
Access and land
Check public entry points, land rules, and seasonal access changes.
See all 6 checked sources
Rules and closures
Check what is allowed, where the rule applies, and whether the river is open.
What this source covers
Open the current rules and check the river section, season, and special limits.
Flow and weather
Check the latest river reading and forecast before you leave.
What this source covers
Open this page and check the latest safety advice before your trip.
What this source covers
Open this river reading to check the latest level, flow, and update time.
What this source covers
Open this river reading to check the latest level, flow, and update time.
Access and land
Check public entry points, land rules, and seasonal access changes.
What this source covers
Open the land or access page, then check signs before you park or enter.
What this source covers
Open the land or access page, then check signs before you park or enter.
Quick answers
Quick Bear Creek answers.
Which Bear Creek does this page cover?
It covers Jefferson County Bear Creek near Morrison and Bear Creek Lake Park, not the protected El Paso County Bear Creek.
Is Bear Creek good for beginners?
It can be, but it is small and pressured, so beginners should focus on short casts, stealth, and low-impact handling.
What gauge should I check?
Use RiverReports for the Bear Creek visual chart and USGS 06710605 Bear Creek above Bear Creek Lake near Morrison as the readable official backstop for the score. This is a better current-data match than the old Morrison station used before the July 6 review.
When should I skip Bear Creek?
Use RiverReports for the Bear Creek visual chart and USGS 06710605 Bear Creek above Bear Creek Lake near Morrison as the readable official backstop for the score. This is a better current-data match than the old Morrison station used before the July 6 review.