Fly fishing report · West

Colorado River

An upper Colorado River report for Parshall, Williams Fork, Kremmling, flow checks, trout tactics, seasonal closures, and access planning.

Check flow & weather

Today's river scoreHigh source confidence

Great

Best option: Wade.

Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.

Updated Jul 13, 11:17 PM UTCUsually refreshes about every 45 minutes

Recommended approachWade

Mode scores adjust the river-wide score for the risks of wading, bank fishing, or floating.

Wade · Best fit96/100

Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.

Bank / edge96/100

Bank and edge fishing remains a practical low-commitment option if access is legal and footing is safe.

Float96/100

A float is in play where this report supports boat access and wind, releases, and shuttle logistics are manageable.

Confirm before you leave

Flow and weather right now.

Use the flow trend to confirm the score before you leave. Weather can change the safest and most productive fishing window.

River strategy

This is the upper Colorado River plan.

The upper Colorado around Parshall and Kremmling is a major trout corridor, but it is too broad for generic advice. Start with the Parshall and Kremmling gauges, then match your plan to wade access, boat traffic, water temperature, and CPW rules.

Use RiverReports near Parshall and USGS 09058000 for upper-river flow context.
Plan around hatches, runoff, late-summer temperatures, and seasonal closures.
Respect private land; public access is not continuous along the river.
Use the middle or lower Colorado pages for State Bridge, Catamount, Glenwood, or downstream planning.

Why this score moved

FlowHelps score

USGS shows 1,200 cfs with a stable over about 6 hours trend. same-date USGS history (1962-2025, 63 readings) puts the normal middle range around 822 cfs-1,980 cfs. Flow is inside the same-date normal range, so weather, temperature, and access become the next checks.

SeasonHelps score

Summer: Caddis, PMDs, stones, and terrestrials can be strong when water temperatures stay safe.

Water temperatureHelps score

USGS water temperature is about 64F, with no heat stop triggered.

Public alertsHelps score

No active NWS alert was returned for this forecast point.

Fishing usefulnessHelps score

Skip the upper Colorado when runoff makes crossings unsafe, when late-day temperatures are stressful, when seasonal closure details are not clear for the exact reach, or when your chosen public access would force trespass or crowding.

Read the water

What changes the plan.

The upper Colorado fishes best when flows are stable, water temperatures are trout-safe, and clarity is good. During runoff, heat, or seasonal closure windows, use official sources before deciding to fish.

Low and clear

Use longer leaders, smaller flies, and careful wading around visible fish.

Stable medium flow

A flexible nymph, dry-dropper, streamer, and hatch-matching window.

High runoff

Focus on safe banks and inside edges only if clarity allows; avoid hard crossings.

Warm late summer

Check temperature, fish early if safe, and stop targeting trout when handling stress is likely.

Field plan

Fish it with intention.

Best flows

Use the RiverReports Parshall chart and USGS Kremmling station together. Stable or slowly falling flows are the easiest trout-fishing window; high runoff should narrow the plan to safe edges or a boat day, while low warm water should make temperature checks the first decision.

When to skip

Local plan

Choose the reach before choosing flies: Parshall and Williams Fork context for upper access decisions, Kremmling for the main gauge read, and Radium only when you are intentionally shifting toward the middle-river style of water.

Backup water

If the upper Colorado is high, warm, crowded, or restricted, compare the Blue River for a technical tailwater-style day, the Williams Fork for a tributary option, or the Big Laramie River for a smaller headwaters plan after checking current rules.

Hatches & flies

Bring a flexible box.

TimingWhat to watchUseful flies

WinterMidges, small baetisZebra midge, RS2, black beauty, small pheasant tail

Reviewed pattern · report says “Zebra midge”Zebra MidgeLook for a very slim tapered thread body, evenly spaced contrasting wire rib, a small bead, and no tail or wing. The reviewed classic is black with silver wire and a silver bead. Red, olive, brown, glass-bead, jig-hook, resin-coated, or tailed forms must remain labeled variations rather than replacing the classic identity.See photos & how to fish it

Reviewed pattern · report says “RS2”RS2Start with the beadless architecture: two dark-dun Microfibett tails separated behind a slim, tightly twisted and visibly segmented dubbed abdomen; a fuller thorax; and saddle-hackle web clipped into a short angled wing bud. Rim Chung's original-style form uses natural beaver dubbing and hackle web. CDC- or Antron-wing ties, beads, curved hooks, flash, and tailless Avatar-style flies must remain labeled variations.See photos & how to fish it + 2 more reviewed guides in the Fly Box

SpringBWOs, caddis, stonesBWO emerger, caddis pupa, stonefly nymph, hare's ear

Reviewed family · report says “BWO emerger”Blue-Winged Olive PatternsBWO describes a hatch group, not one fly. Nymph, emerger, dry, cripple, and spinner profiles must stay separate because they occupy different parts of the water column.See family guide

Reviewed family · report says “caddis pupa”Caddis Pupa PatternsCaddis pupa is a life-stage family. Curved bodies, wing pads, legs, beads, and soft-hackle collars differ among exact patterns and must be labeled.See family guide + 2 more reviewed guides in the Fly Box

SummerCaddis, PMDs, golden stones, terrestrialsElk hair caddis, PMD, stimulator, ant, hopper

Reviewed pattern · report says “Elk hair caddis”Elk Hair CaddisLook for a tented elk- or deer-hair wing, clipped hair head, dubbed body, rib, and hackle palmered along the body. The body color should be labeled because tiers often match different natural caddis colors.See photos & how to fish it

Reviewed family · report says “PMD”Pale Morning Dun PatternsPMD names an insect group, not one fly. Pale nymphs, trailing-shuck emergers, upright or low-riding duns, cripples, and spent-wing spinners stay visibly separate.See family guide + 3 more reviewed guides in the Fly Box

FallBWOs, midges, October caddisBWO dry, RS2, October caddis, streamer

Reviewed family · report says “BWO dry”Blue-Winged Olive PatternsBWO describes a hatch group, not one fly. Nymph, emerger, dry, cripple, and spinner profiles must stay separate because they occupy different parts of the water column.See family guide

Choose a named reach before deciding which gauge applies.

Fish banks and soft inside seams during higher flows.

Use nymph rigs in riffles before switching to dries during hatch activity.

Respect private land and avoid assuming road-visible water is public.

Carry a thermometer in late summer.

Access & responsibility

Know the entry. Know the exit.

CPW lists Colorado River special regulations and seasonal closure details by reach. Verify the exact upper Colorado section, dates, and tributary closures before fishing.

Parshall and Williams Fork context

Useful upper Colorado planning area tied to the RiverReports Parshall/Williams Fork chart.

Kremmling gauge corridor

A key flow reference for upper Colorado River planning.

Radium and nearby public access

BLM access downstream starts to move the plan toward the middle Colorado page.

Transparent sources

Check the facts behind the plan.

Last material review: 2026-05-31

flowRiverReports: Colorado River near Parshall flowUSGS monitoring location: Colorado River near Kremmling backgroundColorado Parks and Wildlife Colorado River regulationColorado fishing special regulations accessBLM Radium Recreation Area safetyNational Weather Service forecast point near Parshall

Common questions

Before you leave.

What reach does this Colorado River page cover?+

It covers the upper Colorado around Parshall, Williams Fork, and Kremmling. Use the middle and lower pages for downstream reaches.

What flow source should I use?+

Use the RiverReports Parshall/Williams Fork chart and USGS 09058000 near Kremmling for upper-river context.

Is the upper Colorado good for dry flies?+

Yes when hatches or terrestrial windows are active, but nymphs and streamers are often more reliable outside those windows.

When should I avoid fishing?+

Avoid unsafe runoff, warm water, seasonal closure conflicts, and muddy storm pulses.