Wade68/100
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
Uncompahgre River
Is Uncompahgre River worth the trip today? Check flow, weather, hatches, access, and rules for Colorado before you go.
See the flow chart ↓Photo: Bill Gillette Opens in a new tab. · Public domain
Good day to fish?Latest river check
Caution
Maybe. Read the cautions first.
68
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, 8:39 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.
Float68/100
A float is in play where this report supports boat access and wind, releases, and shuttle logistics are manageable.
Your plan
Today's Uncompahgre River plan.
The Uncompahgre below Ridgway Reservoir is a small, technical tailwater with important state park and CPW rule details. Check the below-dam flow, Pa-Co-Chu-Puk rules, and access notes before choosing flies.
- Check first
- Use the below-Ridgway flow chart for the tailwater reach.
- Try
- Start with Pa-Co-Chu-Puk and exact CPW rules before expanding the plan.
- Leave when
- Skip the reach when special-rule boundaries are unclear, when releases make safe wading unrealistic, when low clear water concentrates pressure, or when winter ice and shelf edges make footing unsafe.
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
- 196 cfs
- From the latest stored river check. Open the official source for the newest reading.
- Air now
- 77°F
Current NWS forecast period
- Next 24h high
- 83.0°F
NWS air forecast near
- Rain chance
- 16%
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
Isolated Showers And Thunderstorms
Isolated Showers And Thunderstorms
- Wind
- 10 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
Uncompahgre tailwater forecast point
The National Weather Service forecast is temporarily unavailable.
Live data
Where these readings come from
RiverReports gauge: Uncompahgre River below Ridgway Reservoir
How to fish it
How to fish Uncompahgre River today.
The Uncompahgre is best when releases are stable and water is clear enough for careful nymphing or dry-fly work. If flows change quickly or the state park reach is crowded, use a backup western Colorado plan.
Low clear release
Use small flies, long leaders, and careful approaches to avoid lining fish.
Stable medium release
Nymph rigs and dry-droppers can cover riffles, seams, and deeper buckets.
Sudden release change
Step back, reassess wading, and avoid low banks or mid-channel positions.
Hot valley weather
Tailwater temperatures may stay cooler, but still check handling conditions before fishing hard.
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.
- Presentation
- Presentation means how you cast and move the fly so it looks natural to a fish.
- Riffle
- A riffle is shallow, fast water broken by rocks.
- Seam
- A seam is the line where fast and slow water meet.
- Tailout
- A tailout is the shallow, slower water at the lower end of a pool.
- 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.
Why this call
Why this score
FlowUse caution
USGS shows 196 cfs. The flow has been stable over about 6 hours. USGS marks this reading provisional and may revise it. USGS records for this date (1989-2025, 37 readings) show a median near 324 cfs and the lower quartile near 252 cfs; today's flow is below normal for the date. This is below normal, so edge depth, temperature, and pressure matter.
Short-term weatherUse caution
The forecast has storm or heavy-precipitation risk, so timing and access matter more than the score alone.
Best mode nowUse caution
Wade: Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.
SeasonHelps
Summer: PMDs, caddis, and terrestrial edges can matter, especially during lower-light periods.
WeatherHelps
The current NWS air forecast is about 77F, and the next 24-hour high reaches about 83F. Isolated Showers And Thunderstorms.
Trip notes
Trip notes
Check these before you choose a reach.
Use the RiverReports Ridgway chart and USGS 09147025 together. Stable releases make the best technical window. Sudden changes, thin clear water, or pushy discharge should shift the plan toward edges, lighter pressure, or another nearby river.
Skip the reach when special-rule boundaries are unclear, when releases make safe wading unrealistic, when low clear water concentrates pressure, or when winter ice and shelf edges make footing unsafe.
Start with Pa-Co-Chu-Puk and Ridgway State Park context, then compare Billy Creek SWA and nearby access only after checking current rules and posted signs. Keep the day focused rather than chasing every visible bend.
If the Uncompahgre is crowded, icy, release-sensitive, or too technical for the day, compare the Upper Gunnison, Cimarron River, or Dolores River after checking current flow and access.
What to try
Uncompahgre 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
Spring
What to look forBWOs, midges, caddis
SummerCurrent
What to look forPMDs, caddis, terrestrials
Fall
What to look forBWOs, midges, October caddis
Each fly name opens its matching Fly Box guide.
Access and safety
Uncompahgre 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 special rules for the below-Ridgway tailwater reach, including artificial-only catch-and-release water in defined sections. Verify the current boundary language before fishing.
Pa-Co-Chu-Puk at Ridgway State Park
The key public tailwater access with state park rules, fees, and managed fishing water.
Below Ridgway Reservoir gauge reach
The main flow reference and tailwater planning area for this report.
Billy Creek SWA
A CPW access point in the broader Uncompahgre area with land-specific rules.
Ridgway State Park access can require a parks pass or fee.
No boating or tubing should be assumed in the Pa-Co-Chu-Puk fishing reach.
Private land and posted boundaries matter outside obvious public areas.
Dam releases can change quickly, so keep an eye on water level while fishing.
River sources
Official Uncompahgre 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 Uncompahgre River report is maintained from RiverReports and USGS flow data, Colorado regulation and access sources, state-park and wildlife-area references, weather checks, and Ridgway tailwater 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.
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.
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.
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 Uncompahgre River answers.
What reach does this Uncompahgre report cover?
It focuses on the Ridgway Reservoir tailwater and Pa-Co-Chu-Puk access, with broader nearby context.
Is this a good runoff backup?
Often yes, because it is a tailwater, but release changes and park access still need to be checked.
Which flies should I carry?
Small midges, BWOs, PMDs, caddis, scuds, worms, and a few small streamers are the core box.
What is the main safety issue?
Sudden flow changes below Ridgway Reservoir and slick tailwater footing are the big concerns.