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All Colorado reports
Williams Fork
Generated artwork: BlueStreamFly · Regional illustration; not the exact location.
Should I go fishing?
Check the water temperature first.
Water temperature is unconfirmed. Use a stream thermometer; stop trout fishing at 70°F or warmer, or sooner if fish show stress.
Fishing rating73
Rating updatedRiver local time:
Why this recommendation?
USGS shows 52 cfs. The flow has been stable over about 6 hours. USGS marks this reading provisional and may revise it. USGS records for this date (1949-2025, 73 readings) show a median near 151 cfs and a low-water marker near 69 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.
Available live dataHighHow much of the live flow, weather, and alert data came back.
Confidence in this recommendationMediumWater temperature not verified; do not use this score to clear warm-water risk.
Usually checks again about every 45 minutes
If you go
- Check first
- Use RiverReports and USGS 09038500 because that station sits just below the reservoir and is the right lower-river flow reference.
- Try
- Build the day around the lower-river access pieces first, then decide whether a reservoir-side stop adds anything useful.
- Leave when
- Skip when releases are too high for comfortable edge fishing, when the valley wind is punishing, or when access is more constrained than expected.
Flow and weather
Showing server-checked river conditions while current readings refresh.
- Flow
- 52 cfs
- From the latest stored river check. Open the official source for the newest reading.
- Air forecast
- 48°F
- Next 24h high
- 73.0°F
NWS air forecast near
- Rain chance
- 18%
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
Slight Chance Rain Showers
- Wind
- 2 mph
- Weather checked
More forecast and source details
Slight Chance Rain Showers
National Weather Service
Williams Fork Reservoir forecast point
The National Weather Service forecast is temporarily unavailable.
Live data
Where these readings come from
RiverReports gauge: Williams Fork below Williams Fork Reservoir
Flies for this time of year
Seasonal starting points, not a live hatch report. Match what you see on the water.
- Beetle PatternsBeetleView fly guide ↗
- Soft-Hackle Wet Fliescaddis soft hackleView fly guide ↗
- Blue-Winged Olive PatternsParachute BWOView fly guide ↗
- RS2View fly guide ↗
- Zebra MidgeView fly guide ↗
See flies for every season
SeasonWhat to look forFlies to try
Spring
What to look forMidges, BWOs, and caddis
Summer
What to look forPMDs, caddis, yellow sallies, and terrestrials
Late summerThis season
What to look forTerrestrials and evening caddis
Flies to try
Also try hopper-dropper
FallThis season
What to look forBWOs and midges
Each fly name opens its matching Fly Box guide.
More fishing tips
Methods, fish species and trip notes
How to fish Williams Fork today.
The lower Williams Fork is usually most dependable when reservoir releases are stable and the public-access pieces are clear. It rewards small-fly patience and realistic expectations about how much legal water you can cover on foot.
Low clear release
Use fine tippet, smaller nymphs, and careful approach angles on obvious holding water.
Stable medium release
Best condition for classic nymphing, soft-hackle swings, and occasional dry windows.
Higher release
Fish bank seams and softer inside water, and do not force crossings in a controlled tailwater.
Warm windy afternoons
Fish early and keep a backup plan if reservoir and valley wind make presentations sloppy.
Wading, bank fishing or floating?
Access choicesNo single best option
Wading and Bank fishing have the same top score. Use current access, footing, weather, and local rules to choose.
Wading73/100
Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.
Bank fishing73/100
Bank and edge fishing remains a practical low-commitment option if access is legal and footing is safe.
FloatingNot recommended
This report does not recommend floating this reach.
Full river report
Is Williams Fork worth the trip today? Check flow, weather, hatches, access, and rules for Colorado before you go.
The lower Williams Fork fishes like a regulated tailwater below the reservoir, while reservoir shoreline use and the upper Williams Fork valley have very different access and water behavior. The best report for this generic route is the lower river near Parshall, where the gauge and public access line up cleanly.
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.
- Presentation
- Presentation means how you cast and move the fly so it looks natural to a fish.
- 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.
Why this call
Why this score
FlowUse caution
USGS shows 52 cfs. The flow has been stable over about 6 hours. USGS marks this reading provisional and may revise it. USGS records for this date (1949-2025, 73 readings) show a median near 151 cfs and a low-water marker near 69 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.
SeasonHelps
Early fall: Often the cleanest blend of cool nights, stable water, and lower recreation pressure.
WeatherHelps
The current NWS air forecast is about 48F, and the next 24-hour high reaches about 73F. Slight Chance Rain Showers.
Public alertsHelps
No active NWS alert was returned for this forecast point.
Fishing usefulnessHelps
Skip when releases are too high for comfortable edge fishing, when the valley wind is punishing, or when access is more constrained than expected.
Trip notes
Check these before you choose a reach.
Stable controlled releases that leave visible seams and safe edge water without turning the whole area into pushy bank water.
Skip when releases are too high for comfortable edge fishing, when the valley wind is punishing, or when access is more constrained than expected.
Check the gauge, start at the SWA, fish one or two prime seams carefully, and only add a reservoir stop if it helps the day instead of complicating it.
Colorado River is the most useful nearby backup when the lower Williams Fork is too release-driven or too tight to enjoy.
Williams Fork 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
Check the current Colorado fishing brochure before fishing and confirm any SWA entry requirements. Use current CPW and site-specific public-land pages rather than older forum advice or recycled reservoir summaries.
Where to access the river
Kemp-Breeze SWA
Primary public lower-river access anchor with clearly mapped boundaries and license/pass requirements.
Williams Fork Reservoir day-use area
Useful for shoreline scouting and access context, but not a substitute for lower-river wading.
Williams Fork Trailhead area
Helpful for upper-valley orientation only. Do not mistake it for lower-tailwater access.
- Kemp-Breeze SWA is the strongest lower-river public-access source and includes no-public-access areas that matter on the ground.
- Denver Water reservoir rules are separate from lower-river fishing decisions and can change with water levels and parking controls.
- The upper-valley trailhead is useful context, but the lower river toward Parshall is the better-scoped fishery for this page.
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.
See all 9 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.
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.
What this source covers
Open the land or access page, then check signs before you park or enter.
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
What part of the Williams Fork does this page cover?
It is centered on the lower river below Williams Fork Reservoir toward Parshall, not the reservoir shoreline or upper trail water.
What gauge should I use?
Use RiverReports and USGS 09038500 because that station sits just below the reservoir and matches the lower-river plan.
Is the upper valley the same fishery?
No. The upper trail area, reservoir access, and lower tailwater each need to be planned separately.