11 January 2026
Colorado River Trout Bite Stays Strong Through Winter Lows
Colorado River Colorado Fishing Report Today
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This is Artificial Lure with your Colorado River, Colorado fishing report.
Up here on the upper river the water’s running low and clear for January, with that ongoing snow drought on the headwaters Coyote Gulch has been talking about keeping flows modest and the water a touch warmer than we’d like for this time of year. Mornings are starting off well below freezing, climbing into the 30s and low 40s by afternoon under mostly sunny skies, and the bite is lining up with those warmer windows and any cloud cover that drifts through.
No tides to worry about on this stretch, just releases and natural flow. With management changes on the table for the basin, day‑to‑day current has been pretty stable, so fish are holding tight to classic winter lies: deep bends, ledge drops, and soft seams behind boulders.
Recent word from local shops and regional reports is that trout fishing has been fair overall, with **rainbows and browns** making up most of the catch. Folks drifting the wider runs below Glenwood Springs and through the open water near Dotsero and down toward Rifle have been picking off a half‑dozen to a dozen fish in a solid half‑day, more for the nymph‑rig faithful who stay after it. Browns have been running 12–16 inches with the occasional 18‑plus, rainbows a bit smaller but feisty.
Sunrise is right around 7:30 a.m., sunset just after 5 p.m., and the sweet spot has been from about 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Once that shadow really lays over the river, things shut down fast.
Best producers right now:
- For fly anglers, small **midge and baetis nymphs** (18–22) under an indicator, trailed behind a slightly bigger attractor like a tungsten pheasant tail or prince.
- For hardware, think winter subtle: **1/8‑oz marabou jigs**, small silver or copper **spinners**, and tiny **crankbaits** waked slow through deeper runs.
- Bait where it’s legal: **nightcrawlers** pinched in half and **salmon eggs** drifted close to bottom are putting fish in the net for bank anglers.
If you’re more of a lake‑oriented angler but want to stay in the Colorado drainage, recent Snoflo and big‑box reports have Skaguay and other reservoirs giving up **rainbows, browns, and a few kokanee** on PowerBait, spoons, and small spinners; that same hardware will play in the softer eddies of the main stem when the sun’s up and the wind lays down.
Couple of local hot spots to circle:
- The **Glenwood Springs stretch**, especially just downstream of town where the big bends and mixed seams let fish stack deep but still feed.
- The **Parachute to Rifle water**, where long, softer runs and mid‑river shelves are holding pods of browns that will eat a well‑presented nymph or a slowly crawled jig all winter.
Keep your leaders light, presentations slow, and don’t be afraid to downsize – these clear, cold‑water trout don’t give many freebies.
Thanks for tuning in, and make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss the next report.
This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
Up here on the upper river the water’s running low and clear for January, with that ongoing snow drought on the headwaters Coyote Gulch has been talking about keeping flows modest and the water a touch warmer than we’d like for this time of year. Mornings are starting off well below freezing, climbing into the 30s and low 40s by afternoon under mostly sunny skies, and the bite is lining up with those warmer windows and any cloud cover that drifts through.
No tides to worry about on this stretch, just releases and natural flow. With management changes on the table for the basin, day‑to‑day current has been pretty stable, so fish are holding tight to classic winter lies: deep bends, ledge drops, and soft seams behind boulders.
Recent word from local shops and regional reports is that trout fishing has been fair overall, with **rainbows and browns** making up most of the catch. Folks drifting the wider runs below Glenwood Springs and through the open water near Dotsero and down toward Rifle have been picking off a half‑dozen to a dozen fish in a solid half‑day, more for the nymph‑rig faithful who stay after it. Browns have been running 12–16 inches with the occasional 18‑plus, rainbows a bit smaller but feisty.
Sunrise is right around 7:30 a.m., sunset just after 5 p.m., and the sweet spot has been from about 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Once that shadow really lays over the river, things shut down fast.
Best producers right now:
- For fly anglers, small **midge and baetis nymphs** (18–22) under an indicator, trailed behind a slightly bigger attractor like a tungsten pheasant tail or prince.
- For hardware, think winter subtle: **1/8‑oz marabou jigs**, small silver or copper **spinners**, and tiny **crankbaits** waked slow through deeper runs.
- Bait where it’s legal: **nightcrawlers** pinched in half and **salmon eggs** drifted close to bottom are putting fish in the net for bank anglers.
If you’re more of a lake‑oriented angler but want to stay in the Colorado drainage, recent Snoflo and big‑box reports have Skaguay and other reservoirs giving up **rainbows, browns, and a few kokanee** on PowerBait, spoons, and small spinners; that same hardware will play in the softer eddies of the main stem when the sun’s up and the wind lays down.
Couple of local hot spots to circle:
- The **Glenwood Springs stretch**, especially just downstream of town where the big bends and mixed seams let fish stack deep but still feed.
- The **Parachute to Rifle water**, where long, softer runs and mid‑river shelves are holding pods of browns that will eat a well‑presented nymph or a slowly crawled jig all winter.
Keep your leaders light, presentations slow, and don’t be afraid to downsize – these clear, cold‑water trout don’t give many freebies.
Thanks for tuning in, and make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss the next report.
This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI