Fishing Reports for the waters we guide on.

Pat Dorsey’s Stream Report – Elevenmile Canyon – South Platte

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Elevenmile Canyon is known for its superb dry fly fishing. The Trico hatch is one of many that anglers should concentrate their efforts on.

Current Conditions

Clarity: Excellent

14 Day Forecast: Look for sporadic hatches of midges. Prepare for low flows and technical fishing.

Tips and Other Information: Eleven Mile Canyon is a great place to catch a few fish during the winter. Anglers should prepare themselves for sporadic hatches of midges and look for the occasional fish eating adults in the slower runs, deeper pools, and tailouts. Nymphing with midge larvae and pupae is your best bet right now, however.   Target the transitional zones that funnel into the deeper runs and pools.  The best fishing is between 10:00 a.m. and 3 p.m. when the water warms up a few degrees. Anglers should focus their attention on the mile or so below the dam as the lower river freezes during the winter. Dress warm…Eleven Mile Canyon is a frigid place this time of year!

Effective Patterns:  #20-24 Medallion Midge, #20-22 Mercury Midge, #22 Jujubee Midge, #22 Minute Midge, #22 Tube Midge, #22-24 Black Beauty, #20-22 Red Larva, #20-22 Manhattan Midge, #20-26 Top Secret Midge, #22-24 Chocolate Foam Wing Emerger, #18 Hot Tail Flash Egg, #20-24 Griffith Gnat, #22-24 Matt’s Midge, #22-26 Parachute Adams.

Pat Dorsey’s Stream Report: Colorado River

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Fishing the Colorado River should be on everyone’s bucket list. Whether you’re a walk/wade fisherman or prefer float-fishing, this river has it all!

Current Conditions:

Clarity: Excellent

14 Day Forecast: Look for sporadic hatches of midges. Prepare for low flows and technical fishing.

Tips and Other Information: The best stretch to fish the Colorado River during the winter is below the confluence of the Williams Fork down to the first bridge. Anglers should prepare themselves for sporadic hatches of midges and look for the occasional fish eating adults in the slower runs, deeper pools, and tailouts.  The Parshall Hole is a great place to look for rising fish during the winter that are keying on midge-adults. Nymphing with midge larvae and pupae is your best bet right now, however.   Target the transitional zones that funnel into the deeper runs and pools.  The best fishing is between 11:00 a.m. and 3 p.m. when the water warms up a few degrees.

Effective Patterns:  #20-24 Medallion Midge, #20-22 Mercury Midge, #22 Jujubee Midge, #22 Minute Midge, #22 Tube Midge, #22-24 Black Beauty, #20-22 Red Larva, #20-22 Manhattan Midge, #20-26 Top Secret Midge, #22-24 Chocolate Foam Wing Emerger, #18 Hot Tail Flash Egg, #20-24 Griffith Gnat, #22-24 Matt’s Midge, #22-26 Parachute Adams.

Pat Dorsey’s Stream Report: Blue River

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The Blue River is a pocket water paradise. There are miles of public water between the town of Silverthorne and Green Mountain Reservoir for you to sample.

Current Conditions

Clarity: Excellent

14 Day Forecast:  Look for sporadic hatches of midges. Prepare for low flows and technical fishing.

Tips and Other Information: The Blue River in the town of Silverthorne is your best bet throughout the winter months. Anglers should prepare themselves for sporadic hatches of midges and look for the occasional fish eating adults in the slower runs, deeper pools, and tailouts.  Nymphing with midge larvae and pupae is your best bet right now, however.   Don’t rule out Mysis Shrimp, the trout are always looking for them. Target the transitional zones that funnel into the deeper runs and pools.  Sight fishing is a must on the Blue River as the populations of trout are way down. I would concentrate your efforts between Town Hall and the dam.

Effective Patterns:  ​#18-20 Mysis Shrimp, #20-24 Medallion Midge, #20-22 Mercury Midge, #22 Jujubee Midge, #22 Minute Midge, #22 Tube Midge, #22-24 Black Beauty, #20-22 Red Larva, #20-22 Manhattan Midge, #20-26 Top Secret Midge, #22-24 Chocolate Foam Wing Emerger, #18 Hot Tail Flash Egg, #20-24 Griffith Gnat, #22-24 Matt’s Midge, #22-26 Parachute Adams.

Pat Dorsey’s Stream Report: Williams Fork River

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The Williams Fork is one of the prettiest places on the planet.  This stretch is proof that trout don’t live in ugly places.

Current Conditions

Clarity: Excellent
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14 Day Forecast: Look for sporadic hatches of midges. Prepare for low flows and technical fishing.

Tips and Other Information: Flows are excellent right now on the Williams Fork, especially with the recent stream restoration project that created some deeper runs and pools for trout to overwinter. Anglers should prepare themselves for sporadic hatches of midges and look for the occasional fish eating adults in the slower runs. The best fishing is between 10:00 a.m. and 3 p.m. when the water warms up a few degrees

Effective Patterns:  #20-24 Medallion Midge, #20-22 Mercury Midge, #22 Jujubee Midge, #22 Minute Midge, #22 Tube Midge, #22-24 Black Beauty, #20-22 Red Larva, #20-22 Manhattan Midge, #20-26 Top Secret Midge, #22-24 Chocolate Foam Wing Emerger, #18 Hot Tail Flash Egg, #20-24 Griffith Gnat, #22-24 Matt’s Midge, #22-26 Parachute Adams.

Fishing Report: Clear Creek

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Clarity: Excellent

Major Food Organisms: Midges

Conditions:  Look for midges in the areas that are not iced over

Suggested Patterns:  #20-22 Sparkle Wing RS 2, #20 Mercury Midge, #22 Black Beauty, #20 Red Larva, #20 Manhattan Midge, #22 Stalcup’s Baetis, #14-16 San Juan Worm, #20-22 Juju Baetis, #20-24 Chocolate Foam Wing Emerger, #18 Hot Tail Flash Egg, #18-20 Mercury Pheasant Tail, #20-24 RS 2, #18-20 Buckskin, #18-20 Sparkle Dun, and #22-26 Parachute Adams.

Fishing Report: Bear Creek

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Clarity: Excellent

Major Food Organisms: Blue Wing Olives and Midges

Conditions:  Flows are low river is icing over. In the open water look for midges and Blue Wing Olives

Suggested Patterns:  #20-22 Sparkle Wing RS 2, #20 Mercury Midge, #22 Black Beauty, #20 Red Larva, #20 Manhattan Midge, #22 Stalcup’s Baetis, #14-16 San Juan Worm, #20-22 Juju Baetis, #20-24 Chocolate Foam Wing Emerger, #18 Hot Tail Flash Egg, #18-20 Mercury Pheasant Tail, #20-24 RS 2, #18-20 Buckskin, #18-20 Sparkle Dun, and #22-26 Parachute Adams

Pat Dorsey’s Stream Report: Deckers – South Platte River

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Deckers is a world-renowned stretch of the South Platte River. There are miles of public water to fish in and around the hamlet of Deckers.

Current Conditions 

Clarity:  Excellent
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14 Day Forecast:   Look for sporadic hatches of midges. Prepare for low flows and technical fishing.

Tips and Other Information: Fishing has been fair at Deckers lately. Anglers willing to work hard are picking up a few nice fish. South Platte regulars should prepare themselves for sporadic hatches of midges and look for the occasional fish eating adults in the slower runs, deeper pools, and tailouts.  Nymphing with midge larvae and pupae is your best bet right now, however.   Target the transitional zones that funnel into the deeper runs and pools.  The best fishing is between 10:00 a.m. and 3 p.m. when the water warms up a few degrees. Currently, the river is ice free from Deckers to Night Hawk Hill. If the flow remains above 100 cfs, the lower river should remain in good shape for a while, unless temps drop below zero for a period of time.

Effective Patterns: #20-24 Medallion Midge, #20-22 Mercury Midge, #22 Jujubee Midge, #22 Minute Midge, #22 Tube Midge, #22-24 Black Beauty, #20-22 Red Larva, #20-22 Manhattan Midge, #20-26 Top Secret Midge, #22-24 Chocolate Foam Wing Emerger, #18 Hot Tail Flash Egg, #20-24 Griffith Gnat, #22-24 Matt’s Midge, #22-26 Parachute Adams.

Pat Dorsey’s Stream Report: North Fork of the South Platte River

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Trophy trout await you on many of our leases on the North Fork of the South Platte.  To book a day on Boxwood, Long Meadow, North Fork Ranch, or the Meadows, call the Blue Quill Angler (303-674-4700) and we’ll gladly assist you.

Current Conditions:

Clarity: Good

14 Day Forecast: Low flows and ice

Tips and Other Information: Denver Water has shut the Roberts Tunnel off for the winter, so expect all natural flow and for the river to freeze up soon. We’ll keep you posted as things change, but for the time being, all our private leases are closed for the season and will re-open next spring.

Effective Patterns:  #18 Hot Tail Flash Egg, #10 Pine Squirrel Leech, #20 Red Larva, #18-20 Mercury Flashback Pheasant Tail, 18-20 Rainbow Warrior, #18-22 Flashback Black Beauty, and #20-22 Manhattan Midge.

Pat Dorsey’s Fishing Report: Cheesman Canyon – South Platte

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Cheesman Canyon is one of the best tailwaters in the country. There’s a common belief among “canyon regulars” that if you can catch fish on the South Platte River, you can fool fish anywhere in the world. There’s no substitution for good technique in Cheesman Canyon.

Current Conditions 

Clarity: Excellent

14 Day Forecast:  Look for sporadic hatches of midges. Prepare for low flows and technical fishing.

Tips and Other Information: Fishing in Cheesman Canyon has been extremely tough as of late. Cheesman Canyon regulars should prepare themselves for sporadic hatches of midges and look for the occasional fish eating adults in the slower runs, deeper pools, and tailouts.  The Family Hole and Ice Box are two great areas to look for rising fish during the winter that are keying on midge-adults. Nymphing with midge larvae and pupae is your best bet right now, however.   Target the transitional zones that funnel into the deeper runs and pools.  The best fishing is between 11:00 a.m. and 3 p.m. when the water warms up a few degrees.

Effective Patterns: #20-24 Medallion Midge, #20-22 Mercury Midge, #22 Jujubee Midge, #22 Minute Midge, #22 Tube Midge, #22-24 Black Beauty, #20-22 Red Larva, #20-22 Manhattan Midge, #20-26 Top Secret Midge, #22-24 Chocolate Foam Wing Emerger, #18 Hot Tail Flash Egg, #20-24 Griffith Gnat, #22-24 Matt’s Midge, #22-26 Parachute Adams.