Wade14/100
Wading is the most sensitive plan today. Use protected edges only, avoid crossings, and downgrade quickly if clarity or current feels wrong.
All Colorado reports
Fly fishing report · West
Tarryall Creek
Is Tarryall Creek worth the trip today? Check flow, weather, hatches, access, and rules for Colorado before you go.
See the flow chart ↓Photo: Jeffrey Beall Opens in a new tab. · CC BY 3.0
Good day to fish?Latest river check
Caution
Maybe. Read the cautions first.
46
Best option: Float. A float can fit better than wading only if launches, shuttle, boat skill, wind, and local rules all check out.
See update time and confidence
Live data checkMediumHow much of the live flow, weather, and alert data came back.
Today's callLowNo structured live flow
Score calculated Aug 22, 2026, 8:23 PM MDTSources checked often
Best access methodFloat
These scores compare the risks of wading, bank fishing, and floating.
Bank / edge31/100
Bank and edge fishing is the safer default when water is high, pushy, or not fully verified.
Float · Best fit40/100
A float can fit better than wading only if launches, shuttle, boat skill, wind, and local rules all check out.
Your plan
Today's Tarryall Creek plan.
Tarryall Creek can be a useful South Park trout plan, but access is fragmented and seasonal. Confirm Cline Ranch, State Trust Land, reservoir-area, and posted rules before choosing a beat.
- Check first
- Use RiverReports and Colorado DWR TARTARCO for Tarryall Reservoir-area flow context.
- Try
- Confirm the exact access property and season before fishing.
- Leave when
- Skip Tarryall when access season, State Trust Land rules, or posted boundaries are unclear, when meadow water is too low and warm for responsible trout handling, or when wind and storms make accurate small-water fishing unrealistic.
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
- —
- Live flow is not available here.
- Air now
- 60°F
Current NWS forecast period
- Next 24h high
- 76.0°F
NWS air forecast near
- Rain chance
- 33%
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
- 5 mph
- Weather checked
RiverReports chart
Recent water trend
RiverReports gauge
BlueStreamFly cannot read the latest value from this image. Check the chart on RiverReports Opens in a new tab.
More forecast and source details
National Weather Service
Tarryall Creek forecast point
The National Weather Service forecast is temporarily unavailable.
Live data
Where these readings come from
RiverReports gauge: Tarryall Creek at Tarryall Reservoir
How to fish it
How to fish Tarryall Creek today.
Tarryall is best when access is open, flows are stable, and wind or storms are manageable. Fish it like a careful meadow creek with undercuts, grass banks, and selective trout.
Low clear meadow flow
Stay off the bank edge, lengthen leaders, and fish small dries or light nymphs.
Stable medium flow
Fish bends, undercuts, riffles, and beaver-influenced water with dry-droppers and nymphs.
High or muddy
Avoid bank damage and unsafe crossings. Wait for clarity rather than forcing the plan.
Warm afternoon
Use a thermometer and shift away from trout if water temperatures become unsafe.
Fishing words used on this page
- 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.
- Riffle
- A riffle is shallow, fast water broken by rocks.
- 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.
- 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.
- River reach
- A reach is one named section of a river or stream.
- Stained water
- Stained water is darker or cloudier after rain, runoff, or a change in flow.
Why this call
Why this score
Best mode nowHurts
Float: A float can fit better than wading only if launches, shuttle, boat skill, wind, and local rules all check out.
FlowUse caution
RiverReports is linked for the flow chart, but this page does not have a structured live flow value the score can read automatically. Treat the rating as conservative and open the chart before committing.
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, tricos, ants, beetles, and small hoppers can be useful in meadow water.
WeatherHelps
The current NWS air forecast is about 60F, and the next 24-hour high reaches about 76F. Chance Showers And Thunderstorms.
Trip notes
Trip notes
Check these before you choose a reach.
Use the RiverReports Tarryall chart and Colorado DWR station as a trend check. Stable clear flow is the most useful window. Very low warm water, sudden reservoir-related changes, or runoff stain should push you to a different plan.
Skip Tarryall when access season, State Trust Land rules, or posted boundaries are unclear, when meadow water is too low and warm for responsible trout handling, or when wind and storms make accurate small-water fishing unrealistic.
Start with the specific access type: CPW Tarryall Creek State Trust Land, reservoir-area context, or nearby South Park alternatives. Fish one legal stretch carefully rather than driving from sign to sign looking for unposted water.
If Tarryall is too low, windy, crowded, or access-limited, compare Eleven Mile Canyon for a tailwater plan, the Middle Fork of the South Platte for another meadow-stream option, or the main South Platte after checking current rules.
What to try
Tarryall 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
Spring
What to look forMidges, BWOs, small stones
Early summer
What to look forCaddis, PMDs, yellow sallies
Late summerCurrent
What to look forTricos, ants, beetles, hoppers
Fall
What to look forBWOs, midges, terrestrials
Each fly name opens its matching Fly Box guide.
Access and safety
Tarryall Creek access and rules.
Use these places as starting points. Open the access link below and check posted signs before you park or enter. Verify current CPW rules for Cline Ranch, Tarryall Creek STL, Tarryall Reservoir area, and any posted local signs. Seasonal closures and access boundaries are central to this fishery.
Cline Ranch SWA
CPW special fishing rule water with seasonal and tackle rules that must be checked before fishing.
Tarryall Creek State Trust Land
CPW-listed State Trust Land access with specific entry and foot-access guidance.
Tarryall Reservoir area
Reservoir and outlet context tied to DWR/RiverReports flow information.
CPW lists Cline Ranch-specific special fishing rule language and seasonal closures.
The Tarryall Creek STL page describes foot access from adjoining BLM near the southeast corner.
Other ranch or posted reaches should be treated as closed unless current public access is clearly confirmed.
South Park wind, lightning, and muddy roads can change a short trip quickly.
River sources
Official Tarryall 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 Tarryall Creek report is maintained from RiverReports and Colorado DWR flow data, CPW State Trust Land and regulation sources, weather checks, and South Park meadow-stream planning guidance.
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.
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 river reading to check the latest level, flow, and update time.
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.
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.
Quick answers
Quick Tarryall Creek answers.
Is Tarryall Creek open all year?
Not on every access property. Some reaches have seasonal closures or property-specific access rules.
What flow should I check?
Use RiverReports and Colorado DWR TARTARCO for Reservoir-area flow context, then match conditions to the exact access point.
What flies should I bring?
Bring small mayflies, midges, caddis, tricos, ants, beetles, small hoppers, light nymphs, and small streamers.
What is the biggest mistake here?
Assuming every meadow bank is public or open. Verify the access property, season, and posted rules before fishing.