Table of Contents
Acknowledgments v
Introduction vii
Fish Species x
Rainbow Trout xi
Brown Trout xiii
Mountain Whitefish xiv
Colorado River Cutthroat Trout xv
Kokanee Salmon xvi
Seasons of the Colorado 1
Spring 2
March 2
April 5
May 8
June 9
Summer 10
July 10
August 11
Fall 13
September 13
October 15
November 19
Winter 21
December through February 21
Part I The Upper Colorado: Rocky Mountain National Park to Hot sulphur Springs 25
Rocky Mountain National Park 26
Shadow Mountain, Granby, and Windy Gap Tailwaters 29
Shadow Mountain Reservoir Tailwater 29
Granby Reservoir Tailwater 31
Windy Gap Reservoir 32
Fraser River 33
Pioneer Park/Hot Sulphur Springs 35
Part II Middle Colorado: Byers Canyon to Kremmling 37
Byers Canyon 38
Paul Gilbert and Lone Buck 40
Kemp-Breeze Units 41
Sunset Lease 43
Powers Unit 43
Reeder Creek 44
Williams Fork River 45
Troublesome Creek 49
Part III Middle Colorado: Kremmling to State Bridge 53
Blue River 53
Muddy Creek 54
Gore Canyon 56
Pumphouse to State Bridge 61
State Bridge to Dotsero 74
State Bridge to Two Bridges 76
Two Bridges to Catamount 80
Catamount to Pinball 83
Pinball to Horse Creek River Access 86
Horse Creek River Access to Cottonwood Island 90
Cottonwood Island to Dotsero 91
Part IV Lower Colorado: Dotsero to Silt 95
Glenwood Canyon 99
Grizzly Creek 102
Two Rivers Park to Dino Hole 108
New Castle to Silt 114
Roaring Fork River 123
Roaring Fork Access 128
Eagle River 129
Hatches, Rigs, and Fly Patterns 133
Hatch Timing 134
Mayflies 134
Green Drakes 134
Tricos 136
Blue-Winged Olives 139
Pale Morning Duns 144
Red Quills 145
Pseudos 146
Midges 146
Caddisflies 149
Stoneflies 152
Salmonflies 152
Yellow Sallies 156
Eggs 158
Aquatic Worms 158
Mysis Shrimp 159
Terrestrials 160
Streamers 162
Fly Patterns 165
Appendix: Maps 194
Regulations and Resources 204
Regulations 204
Sharing the River 205
Resources 208
Index 211
