RiverReports preview · current series loading
Recent flow
RiverReports gauge
Showing the available RiverReports chart while the current structured flow series loads. Check the chart on RiverReports Opens in a new tab.
Should I go fishing?
Go with caution.
Flow is high for this time of year.
Fish from the bank. Use stable banks and protected edges. Check footing and current.
Fishing rating56
Rating updatedRiver local time:
Why this recommendation?
USGS shows 26 cfs. The flow has been stable over about 6 hours. USGS marks this reading provisional and may revise it. USGS records for this date (1980-2026, 47 readings) show a median near 12 cfs and the upper quartile near 21 cfs; today's flow is high for the date. Fishable water may exist, but do not rate it highly without a safe access, clarity, and wading or boat plan.
Available live dataHighHow much of the live flow, weather, and alert data came back.
Confidence in this recommendationHighCurrent flow, weather, alerts, and trip-critical signals support this decision.
Usually checks again about every 45 minutes
If you go
- Check first
- Use RiverReports for quick flow shape, then use USGS 06741510 as the official downstream flow check before committing to the canyon.
- Try
- Start with short, high-percentage pockets before you cast to long obvious runs.
- Leave when
- Skip during muddy runoff spikes, lightning-heavy afternoons, or when lower canyon water is warm enough to stress trout.
Flow and weather
Showing server-checked river conditions while current readings refresh.
- Flow
- 26 cfs
- From the latest stored river check. Open the official source for the newest reading.
- Air forecast
- 33°F
- Next 24h high
- 59.0°F
NWS air forecast near
- Rain chance
- 0%
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
Sunny
- Wind
- 9 mph
- Weather checked
More forecast and source details
Sunny
National Weather Service
Big Thompson forecast point
The National Weather Service forecast is temporarily unavailable.
Live data
Where these readings come from
RiverReports gauge: Big Thompson
Flies for this time of year
Seasonal starting points, not a live hatch report. Match what you see on the water.
- RS2View fly guide ↗
- Midge Patterns by Stagemidge larvaView fly guide ↗
- Woolly Buggerolive buggerView fly guide ↗
- Sculpin Patternssmall sculpinView fly guide ↗
See flies for every season
SeasonWhat to look forFlies to try
Spring
What to look forMidges, BWOs, small stones, and caddis
Summer
What to look forPMDs, yellow sallies, caddis, ants, and beetles
Late summer
What to look forTerrestrials and evening caddis
Flies to try
Also try Hopper-dropper
FallThis season
What to look forBWOs, midges, and streamer windows
Each fly name opens its matching Fly Box guide.
More fishing tips
Methods, fish species and trip notes
How to fish Big Thompson today.
Stable summer and early fall flows usually offer the cleanest all-day trout fishing. During runoff, target softer seams and shorter sessions, and when the canyon is rising fast, choose another Front Range option.
Low clear water
Fish early and late with smaller dries, light nymphs, and longer leaders.
Moderate stable flow
Best all-around pocket-water condition for dry-dropper coverage.
Runoff or storm color
Stay near soft banks and eddies, fish bigger nymphs or streamers, or wait for the drop.
Warm afternoons
Lower canyon water can warm quickly. Carry a thermometer and end the trout plan if temperatures climb.
Wading, bank fishing or floating?
Best access methodBank fishing
These scores compare the risks of wading, bank fishing, and floating.
Wading36/100
Wading is the most sensitive plan today. Use protected edges only, avoid crossings, and downgrade quickly if clarity or current feels wrong.
Bank fishing · Best fit48/100
Bank and edge fishing is the safer default when water is high, pushy, or not fully verified.
FloatingNot recommended
This report does not recommend floating this reach.
Full river report
Is Big Thompson worth the trip today? Check flow, weather, hatches, access, and rules for Colorado before you go.
The Big Thompson fishes best when you match your reach to runoff, canyon safety, and the current Rocky Mountain National Park or Colorado special fishing rule section you actually plan to fish.
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.
- Seam
- A seam is the line where fast and slow water meet.
- 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.
Why this call
Why this score
FlowUse caution
USGS shows 26 cfs. The flow has been stable over about 6 hours. USGS marks this reading provisional and may revise it. USGS records for this date (1980-2026, 47 readings) show a median near 12 cfs and the upper quartile near 21 cfs; today's flow is high for the date. Fishable water may exist, but do not rate it highly without a safe access, clarity, and wading or boat plan.
SeasonUse caution
This month is not listed as a top seasonal window in this page's reviewed season notes. Use current regulations, flow, temperature, and access checks before treating the score as a slam dunk.
Best mode nowUse caution
Bank / edge: Bank and edge fishing is the safer default when water is high, pushy, or not fully verified.
WeatherHelps
The current NWS air forecast is about 33F, and the next 24-hour high reaches about 59F. Sunny.
Public alertsHelps
No active NWS alert was returned for this forecast point.
Trip notes
Check these before you choose a reach.
Stable or dropping freestone flows with enough visibility to fish pockets and banks safely.
Skip during muddy runoff spikes, lightning-heavy afternoons, or when lower canyon water is warm enough to stress trout.
Base in Estes Park, check park rules and the lower gauge, then choose one upper reach and one canyon backup instead of trying to cover the entire river.
Shift to Boulder Creek, Clear Creek, or a South Platte option if runoff or canyon safety does not line up.
Big Thompson access and rules.
Use these places as starting points. Open the access link below and check posted signs before you park or enter.
Before you go
Rocky Mountain National Park requires a Colorado fishing license for anglers 16 and older and lists specific catch-and-release and closed waters. Colorado's special fishing rule page also lists the Big Thompson from the base of Olympus Dam at Lake Estes downstream to Waltonia as artificial flies and lures only with immediate trout release.
Where to access the river
Moraine Park
Classic Rocky Mountain National Park meadow water. Check current park access and section-by-section fishing rules first.
Lake Estes to Waltonia area
Special fishing rule canyon stretch with many short stops, but parking and shoulder safety decide which pullouts are worth fishing.
Lower canyon near Loveland
Best used as a short-session option when the upper river is too crowded or still dropping.
- US 34 provides the basic canyon area, but do not assume every turnout is a comfortable or legal fishing stop.
- Inside Rocky Mountain National Park, a Colorado fishing license is required for anglers 16 and older and park-specific gear restrictions still apply.
- Treat canyon wading as a short-session plan with clear entry and exit points instead of forcing long walks beside traffic or steep banks.
Sources and report details
Official agencies and primary river operators come first. Secondary tools are labeled so you know what carries the most weight.
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.
More helpful links
Use these links for stocking, safety, and other local details.
See all 7 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.
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.
More helpful links
Use these links for stocking, safety, and other local details.
What this source covers
Open this page and check the latest safety advice before your trip.
How this report was checked
How this report was checked
Reviewed byBlueStreamFly River Review Team
Trip guidance checked
What was checked: This report uses official regulation, flow, weather, access, and public-land sources first, then adds practical planning guidance for fly anglers.
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.
Quick questions
Is the Big Thompson a wade river or a float river?
This page is primarily a wade plan. Most anglers do best by fishing short public sections rather than trying to float the canyon.
Which flow source should I trust first?
Use RiverReports for quick trend reading and USGS 06741510 for official context, then adjust for the specific reach because upper park water can look different from the lower canyon.
What is the most important rule check?
Check both Rocky Mountain National Park fishing rules and Colorado's special fishing rule page if your day crosses the park boundary or the Lake Estes to Waltonia stretch.