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
Colorado River Fishing Report — Colorado
Is Colorado River worth the trip today? Check flow, weather, hatches, access, and rules for Colorado before you go.
See the flow chart ↓Photo: Christian David 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, Bank / edge, 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 callHighCurrent flow, weather, alerts, and trip-critical signals support this decision.
Score calculated Aug 22, 2026, 8:39 PM MDTUsually checks again about every 45 minutes
Access choicesNo clear best mode
Wade, Bank / edge, and Float have the same top score. Use current access, footing, weather, and local rules to choose.
Bank / edge40/100
Bank and edge fishing remains a practical low-commitment option if access is legal and footing is safe.
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 Colorado River plan.
The upper Colorado around Parshall and Kremmling is a major trout area, 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.
- Check first
- Use RiverReports near Parshall and USGS 09058000 for upper-river flow context.
- Try
- Choose a named reach before deciding which gauge applies.
- Leave when
- 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.
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
- 731 cfs
- From the latest stored river check. Open the official source for the newest reading.Water 66.7°F · 24h high 69.8°F · USGS provisional
- Air now
- 65°F
Current NWS forecast period
- Next 24h high
- 77.0°F
NWS air forecast near
- Rain chance
- 30%
For this forecast period
Latest stored weather check
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
- Wind
- 6 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
Upper Colorado River Parshall forecast point
The National Weather Service forecast is temporarily unavailable.
Live data
Where these readings come from
RiverReports gauge: Colorado River near Parshall below Williams Fork
Water 66.7°F · provisional · 24h high 69.8°F provisionalWater observed · high observed
How to fish it
How to fish Colorado River today.
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.
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.
- Technical fishing
- Technical fishing means the fish are hard to fool, so careful casts and natural drifts matter.
- Nymph
- A nymph is a young water insect. Anglers also use the word for a fly that copies it.
- Riffle
- A riffle is shallow, fast water broken by rocks.
- 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.
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 731 cfs. The flow has been stable over about 6 hours. USGS marks this reading provisional and may revise it. USGS records for this date (1962-2025, 63 readings) show a median near 1,070 cfs and a low-water marker near 785 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.
Recent water heatUse caution
USGS shows a current water temperature near 66.7F, while the rolling 24-hour high reached about 69.8F. USGS marks the temperature data provisional and may revise it. Keep the plan early and recheck temperature before fishing.
Short-term weatherUse caution
The forecast has storm or heavy-precipitation risk, so timing and access matter more than the score alone.
SeasonHelps
Summer: Caddis, PMDs, stones, and terrestrials can be strong when water temperatures stay safe.
Trip notes
Trip notes
Check these before you choose a reach.
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.
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.
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.
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 smaller stream option, or the Big Laramie River for a smaller headwaters plan after checking current rules.
What to try
Colorado River 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, small baetis
Spring
What to look forBWOs, caddis, stones
SummerCurrent
What to look forCaddis, PMDs, golden stones, terrestrials
Fall
What to look forBWOs, midges, October caddis
Each fly name opens its matching Fly Box guide.
Access and safety
Colorado River 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 Colorado River special fishing rules and seasonal closure details by reach. Verify the exact upper Colorado section, dates, and smaller stream closures before fishing.
Parshall and Williams Fork context
Useful upper Colorado planning area tied to the RiverReports Parshall/Williams Fork chart.
Kremmling gauge area
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.
This page is upper Colorado. Use separate pages for State Bridge/Catamount and Glenwood.
Public access is broken by private land.
Seasonal closures near smaller streams may apply in parts of the broader Colorado River area.
Late-summer temperature stress can make ethical fishing windows short.
River sources
Official Colorado River 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 upper Colorado River report is maintained from RiverReports and USGS flow data, Colorado regulation sources, public-access references, weather checks, and practical river-planning guidance. Review dates change only after material source review or content improvements.
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.
More helpful links
Use these links for stocking, safety, and other local details.
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.
More helpful links
Use these links for stocking, safety, and other local details.
What this source covers
Open this page for more river information and check when it was last updated.
Quick answers
Quick Colorado River answers.
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.