Hatchwise
Where to fish right now
52 Colorado rivers · ranked by Fishability Score · morning flies
Data as of Sep 14, 8:35 AM MT · refreshes automatically
HOT RIGHT NOW
🏆 #1 PICK — BIG T TAILWATER, FISHING VERY GOODBig Thompson (below Lake Estes)· 50 mi · ~1h 15m · Tailwater · Fishing WellScud #16 + downsized baetis #20 trailer•🎉 #2 — DECKERS/CHEESMAN REBOUND — BACK TO ~295 CFSSouth Platte — Deckers / Cheesman· 70–78 mi · ~1h 35m+ · Tailwater · Fishing WellTrico #22 AM · girdle bug + PMD nymph trailer•🆙 #3 — POUDRE — RUNOFF OVER, BUGS EVERYWHERECache la Poudre· 55 mi · ~1h 25m · Freestone · Fishing WellChubby Chernobyl #8 + green drake/caddis #14 dropper•💪 #4 — N. FORK S. PLATTE — 'FISHING EXCELLENT'North Fork South Platte (Bailey)· 60 mi · ~1h 25m · Freestone · Fishing WellSan Juan Worm #14 + flashy PT #18 dropper•🔥 #5 — BOULDER CREEK — FISHING EXCELLENT, CLOSEBoulder Creek· 30 mi · ~45m · Freestone · Fishing WellHi Viz No See Um BWO + Zebra Midge dropper•💧 #6 — WATERTON, CLOSEST CLEAN COLD TAILWATERSouth Platte — Waterton Canyon· 38 mi · ~50m · Tailwater · Fishing WellParachute BWO #20 + RS2 #22 dropper•🚀 #7 — CLEAR CREEK — CLOSEST FREESTONE, FISH IT EARLYClear Creek· 25 mi · ~35m · Freestone · Fishing WellAmy's Ant #14 + RS2 #18 dropper•🐟 #8 — S. BOULDER BIG BROWNS — COLD RELEASESouth Boulder Creek (below Gross)· 35 mi · ~1h · Tailwater · Fishing WellSteve's Sipper Dun BWO + Tag Perdigon dropper•🌱 #9 — HEAT-PROOF SPRING CREEKSouth Fork S. Platte (Hartsel)· 95 mi · ~2h 10m · Spring Creek · Fishing WellZebra Midge #20 + Scud #16 dropper•🏔️ #10 — HIGH COUNTRY ALL OPEN — RMNP SMALL-STREAM SEASONFall River / Glacier Cr / M. St. Vrain· 45–70 mi · RMNP & Indian Peaks · Fishing Well / FairStimulator #14 + Hare's Ear #16 dropper•🏆 #1 PICK — BIG T TAILWATER, FISHING VERY GOODBig Thompson (below Lake Estes)· 50 mi · ~1h 15m · Tailwater · Fishing WellScud #16 + downsized baetis #20 trailer•🎉 #2 — DECKERS/CHEESMAN REBOUND — BACK TO ~295 CFSSouth Platte — Deckers / Cheesman· 70–78 mi · ~1h 35m+ · Tailwater · Fishing WellTrico #22 AM · girdle bug + PMD nymph trailer•🆙 #3 — POUDRE — RUNOFF OVER, BUGS EVERYWHERECache la Poudre· 55 mi · ~1h 25m · Freestone · Fishing WellChubby Chernobyl #8 + green drake/caddis #14 dropper•💪 #4 — N. FORK S. PLATTE — 'FISHING EXCELLENT'North Fork South Platte (Bailey)· 60 mi · ~1h 25m · Freestone · Fishing WellSan Juan Worm #14 + flashy PT #18 dropper•🔥 #5 — BOULDER CREEK — FISHING EXCELLENT, CLOSEBoulder Creek· 30 mi · ~45m · Freestone · Fishing WellHi Viz No See Um BWO + Zebra Midge dropper•💧 #6 — WATERTON, CLOSEST CLEAN COLD TAILWATERSouth Platte — Waterton Canyon· 38 mi · ~50m · Tailwater · Fishing WellParachute BWO #20 + RS2 #22 dropper•🚀 #7 — CLEAR CREEK — CLOSEST FREESTONE, FISH IT EARLYClear Creek· 25 mi · ~35m · Freestone · Fishing WellAmy's Ant #14 + RS2 #18 dropper•🐟 #8 — S. BOULDER BIG BROWNS — COLD RELEASESouth Boulder Creek (below Gross)· 35 mi · ~1h · Tailwater · Fishing WellSteve's Sipper Dun BWO + Tag Perdigon dropper•🌱 #9 — HEAT-PROOF SPRING CREEKSouth Fork S. Platte (Hartsel)· 95 mi · ~2h 10m · Spring Creek · Fishing WellZebra Midge #20 + Scud #16 dropper•🏔️ #10 — HIGH COUNTRY ALL OPEN — RMNP SMALL-STREAM SEASONFall River / Glacier Cr / M. St. Vrain· 45–70 mi · RMNP & Indian Peaks · Fishing Well / FairStimulator #14 + Hare's Ear #16 dropper•
Ask Your Guide — Cody
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Hey — I'm Cody. Ask me where to fish today, what to throw, or the right rig, and I'll answer from the live river data on this dashboard.
Rivers Tracked
52
across Colorado
Fishing Well Now
18
Fishability Score 80+
Fair / Picky
8
score 60–79 — technical
Tough / Blown
1
score under 60
Gold Medal Waters
7
CPW Gold Medal designation
Live USGS Gauges
37
reporting live right now
Shops Reporting
26
cited fly-shop sources
Flow Only (No Score)
25
live gauge, strategy not yet written
Best Bet
92
South Platte — Cheesman Canyon
Current streamflow snapshot
cfs · bar color = scoreSouth Platte — Cheesman Canyon
295
South Platte — Deckers
152
North Fork South Platte
140
Big Thompson River
125
Cache la Poudre
315
Tarryall Creek
45
Glacier Creek (RMNP)
16
West Creek (Glenhaven)
8
South Fork South Platte (Hartsel)
35
Blue River (Silverthorne tailwater)
54
Fall River (RMNP)
28
St. Vrain Creek (Lyons / Main Stem)
14
South Platte — Dream Stream
125
Williams Fork (Parshall)
52
North St. Vrain Creek
66
Middle St. Vrain Creek
22
South Boulder Creek (below Gross Reservoir)
191
Eldorado Canyon (S. Boulder Cr. in park)
191
Eagle River — Avon
153
Clear Creek
42
South Platte — Waterton Canyon
22
Colorado River — Pumphouse
459
Homestake Creek — Red Cliff
10
South Platte — Eleven Mile Canyon
2
Boulder Creek
0
Bear Creek
172
Gore Creek — Vail
9
Animas River — Durango
149
Arkansas River — Bighorn Sheep Canyon
304
Arkansas River — Browns Canyon
153
Arkansas River — Granite
465
Arkansas River — Pueblo Tailwater
45
Crystal River
52
Dolores River — below Rico
23
East River — Almont
66
Elk River
40
Fryingpan River
69
Gunnison River — Black Canyon
246
Gunnison River — Gunnison
110
Piedra River
12
Pine River (Los Pinos)
28
Rio Grande — Del Norte
875
Roaring Fork — Basalt
139
Roaring Fork — Glenwood Springs
279
San Juan River — Pagosa Springs
28
Taylor River — Almont
106
Taylor River — Tailwater
70
Uncompahgre River — Ridgway Tailwater
113
Vallecito Creek
24
White River — Meeker
108
Yampa River — Stagecoach Tailwater
30
Yampa River — Steamboat Springs
39
Shaded band = each river's ideal flow range. Bars are live USGS flow where available, otherwise the sample value.
5-Day Forecast
○ Snapshot☀️
91° / 60°
10% rain
Today (Sun Jul 5) · sunny, hot, gusty PM
☀️
94° / 61°
10% rain
Mon (Jul 6) · sunny & hot
⛈️
93° / 62°
40% rain
Tue (Jul 7) · sct PM storms
⛈️
92° / 62°
40% rain
Wed (Jul 8) · sct PM storms
☀️
95° / 63°
10% rain
Thu (Jul 9) · drying, heat builds
Written outlook · Jul 5, 6:00 AM MT — not current
Front Range plains (NWS/KDVR, 7/5): today (Sun Jul 5, ~91°F) sunny and hot — slightly above normal, with southerly gusts to ~25 mph in the afternoon. Monday stays sunny, dry and hot (low-to-mid 90s). Rain chances pick up Tue–Wed with scattered showers and storms (highs still low 90s), then drying Thursday — and signs of a serious western-US heatwave building for Friday into next weekend, possibly the hottest stretch of the season. Fish early; mind afternoon warm-water stress on the plains freestones.
Snapshot as of Jul 5, 6:00 AM MTNWS forecast · Brighton, CO (4,985 ft)
All rivers
distances from · click to change · click a column to sort| Trout | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 92 | South Platte — Cheesman Canyon Tailwater · Wigwam Club to Deckers | 59 | 295 | 47° | Fishing Well | Rainbow, Brown, occasional Cutbow | South Platte Fly Shop · live | |
| 92 | South Platte — Deckers Tailwater · Wigwam Club downstream to Trumbull | 54 | 152 | 51° | Fishing Well | Rainbow, Brown | South Platte Fly Shop · live | |
| 92 | North Fork South Platte Freestone · Bailey to confluence | 44 | 140 | 44° | Fishing Well | Brown, Rainbow | Pat Dorsey Fly Fishing · live | |
| 92 | Big Thompson River Tailwater · below Lake Estes / Olympus Dam to Waltonia (C&R) | 37 | 125 | 45° | Fishing Well | Brown (dominant), Rainbow, Cutbow | Kirk's Fly Shop · live | |
| 92 | Cache la Poudre Freestone · canyon mouth to Stove Prairie | 52 | 315 | 47° | Fishing Well | Brown, Rainbow, occasional Cutthroat | St. Peter's Fly Shop · live | |
| 92 | Tarryall Creek Freestone · below Tarryall Reservoir | 81 | 45 | 47° | Fair / Picky | Brown, Rainbow, Brook | Rise Beyond Fly Fishing · live | |
| 92 | Glacier Creek (RMNP) Freestone · Bear Lake Rd · Glacier Gorge to Glacier Basin CG | 49 | 16 | 44° | Fair / Picky | Brook, Cutthroat, Brown, Rainbow (rare grand-slam water) | Kirk's Fly Shop · live | |
| 92 | West Creek (Glenhaven) Freestone · Cow Creek Trailhead → 1.3 mi hike-in · RMNP boundary | 45 | 8 | 44° | Fair / Picky | Brown (wild), Brook (wild) | Steve Schweitzer — A Fly Fishing Guide to Rocky Mountain National Park · live | |
| 92 | South Fork South Platte (Hartsel) Spring creek · meandering meadow water through Hartsel · South Park | 70 | 35 | 48° | Fishing Well | Brown, Rainbow, Cutthroat, occasional reservoir-run trophies | The Catch and The Hatch · live | |
| 91 | Blue River (Silverthorne tailwater) Tailwater · Dillon Dam through Silverthorne | 71 | 54 | 44° | Fair / Picky | Rainbow, Brown | Cutthroat Anglers · live | |
| 90 | Fall River (RMNP) Freestone · Horseshoe Park, Estes Park, RMNP east side | 41 | 28 | 43° | Fishing Well | Brook (eager), Brown (lower), occasional Rainbow | Kirk's Fly Shop · live | |
| 89 | St. Vrain Creek (Lyons / Main Stem) Freestone · main stem through Lyons after the forks join | 28 | 14 | 47° | Fishing Well | Brown, Rainbow, Brook (upper) | Rocky Mountain Anglers · live | |
| 88 | South Platte — Dream Stream Tailwater · Spinney Mtn Reservoir to Eleven Mile Reservoir | 82 | 125 | 42° | Fair / Picky | Rainbow (post-spawn), Brown, Cutthroat, resident + transient | South Platte Fly Shop · live | |
| 88 | Williams Fork (Parshall) Tailwater · Williams Fork Res. to Colorado River | 73 | 52 | 42° | Fair / Picky | Brown (dominant), Rainbow | Cutthroat Anglers · live | |
| 86 | North St. Vrain Creek Freestone · Wild Basin (RMNP) → Allenspark down toward Lyons | 9 | 66 | 41° | Fair / Picky | Brook (eager), Brown, Cutthroat (occasional) | Front Range Anglers · live | |
| 86 | Middle St. Vrain Creek Freestone · Indian Peaks Wilderness → Camp Dick / Peaceful Valley | 41 | 22 | 41° | Fair / Picky | Brown, Rainbow, Cutthroat (in pools) | Front Range Anglers · live | |
| 83 | South Boulder Creek (below Gross Reservoir) Tailwater · Walker Ranch open space | 25 | 191 | 46° | Fishing Well | Rainbow, Brown, occasional Cutthroat | Front Range Anglers · Sep 10, 2026 | |
| 83 | Eldorado Canyon (S. Boulder Cr. in park) Tailwater/Freestone · Eldorado Canyon SP section of S. Boulder Cr. | 25 | 191 | 47° | Fishing Well | Rainbow, Brook, Brown (some 18"+) | Front Range Anglers · live | |
| 82 | Eagle River — Avon Freestone · Gold Medal Edwards downstream · Minturn through Avon, Edwards, Wolcott | 94 | 153 | 54° | Fishing Well | Brown, Rainbow | — | |
| 79 | Clear Creek Freestone · Idaho Springs to Golden | 27 | 42 | 48° | Fishing Well | Brown (dominant), Rainbow | Rise Beyond Fly Fishing · live | |
| 73 | South Platte — Waterton Canyon Tailwater · Strontia Springs Dam to Chatfield | 36 | 22 | 49° | Fishing Well | Rainbow, Brown, Cutbow | Rise Beyond Fly Fishing · live | |
| 70 | Colorado River — Pumphouse Freestone · Upper C, Pumphouse to State Bridge · near Kremmling | 86 | 459 | 60° | Fishing Well | Rainbow, Brown | — | |
| 63 | Homestake Creek — Red Cliff Freestone · below Homestake Reservoir · Gold Park to the Eagle at Red Cliff | 89 | 10 | 48° | Fishing Well | Brook, Brown, Cutthroat | — | |
| 57 | South Platte — Eleven Mile Canyon Tailwater · Eleven Mile Reservoir to Lake George | 61 | 2 | 47° | Fishing Well | Brown, Rainbow, Cutthroat | South Platte Fly Shop · live | |
| 57 | Boulder Creek Freestone · Boulder Canyon (Orodell down) | 27 | 0 | 45° | Fishing Well | Brown, Rainbow | Front Range Anglers · Sep 11, 2026 | |
| 57 | Bear Creek Freestone · Idledale to Morrison | 30 | 172 | 48° | Tough | Brown (dominant 8–12"), Rainbow | Front Range Anglers · Sep 10, 2026 | |
| 42 | Gore Creek — Vail Freestone · Gold Medal through Vail to the Eagle confluence at Minturn | 87 | 9 | 35° | Fishing Well | Brown, Rainbow, Brook, Cutthroat | — | |
| — | Animas River — Durango Freestone · in-town reach | 249 | 149 | 64° | Live flow only | — | ||
| — | Arkansas River — Bighorn Sheep Canyon Freestone · at Cañon City | 110 | 304 | 67° | Live flow only | — | ||
| — | Arkansas River — Browns Canyon Freestone · near Nathrop | 113 | 153 | — | Live flow only | — | ||
| — | Arkansas River — Granite Freestone · at Granite | 101 | 465 | 55° | Live flow only | — | ||
| — | Arkansas River — Pueblo Tailwater Tailwater · Moffat Street, Pueblo | 120 | 45 | — | Live flow only | — | ||
| — | Crystal River Freestone · near Redstone | 138 | 52 | — | Live flow only | — | ||
| — | Dolores River — below Rico Freestone · upper river | 238 | 23 | — | Live flow only | — | ||
| — | East River — Almont Freestone · at Almont | 142 | 66 | 54° | Live flow only | — | ||
| — | Elk River Freestone · near Milner | 118 | 40 | — | Live flow only | — | ||
| — | Fryingpan River Tailwater · below Ruedi Reservoir | 115 | 69 | — | Live flow only | — | ||
| — | Gunnison River — Black Canyon Tailwater · below Gunnison Tunnel | 182 | 246 | — | Live flow only | — | ||
| — | Gunnison River — Gunnison Freestone · near Gunnison | 151 | 110 | 56° | Live flow only | — | ||
| — | Piedra River Freestone · near Arboles | 244 | 12 | — | Live flow only | — | ||
| — | Pine River (Los Pinos) Freestone · above Vallecito Reservoir | 229 | 28 | — | Live flow only | — | ||
| — | Rio Grande — Del Norte Freestone · near Del Norte | 182 | 875 | — | Live flow only | — | ||
| — | Roaring Fork — Basalt Freestone · near Emma | 128 | 139 | 56° | Live flow only | — | ||
| — | Roaring Fork — Glenwood Springs Freestone · at Glenwood Springs | 137 | 279 | 61° | Live flow only | — | ||
| — | San Juan River — Pagosa Springs Freestone · at Pagosa Springs | 222 | 28 | — | Live flow only | — | ||
| — | Taylor River — Almont Freestone · at Almont | 142 | 106 | 55° | Live flow only | — | ||
| — | Taylor River — Tailwater Tailwater · below Taylor Park Reservoir | 125 | 70 | — | Live flow only | — | ||
| — | Uncompahgre River — Ridgway Tailwater Tailwater · below Ridgway Reservoir | 198 | 113 | — | Live flow only | — | ||
| — | Vallecito Creek Freestone · near Bayfield | 227 | 24 | 56° | Live flow only | — | ||
| — | White River — Meeker Freestone · near Meeker | 161 | 108 | 53° | Live flow only | — | ||
| — | Yampa River — Stagecoach Tailwater Tailwater · below Stagecoach Reservoir | 108 | 30 | — | Live flow only | — | ||
| — | Yampa River — Steamboat Springs Freestone · at Steamboat Springs | 112 | 39 | 62° | Live flow only | — |
Add a Colorado river
live USGS gauge searchIn season now
Fall — BWOs & Streamers
Cooling water wakes the fish up. Blue-Winged Olives return on grey afternoons, and pre-spawn browns chase streamers hard.
Morning
NOWDawn – 11am
Midges · BWO nymphs · Trico (early fall). Pheasant Tail #18, RS-2 #20, Trico spinner #24
Afternoon
11am – 5pm
Blue-Winged Olives · October caddis (freestone). BWO dun #20-22, Parachute Adams #20, October Caddis #10
Evening
5pm – dark
BWO spinners · Streamer window. Sculpin/Woolly Bugger #6-8, RS-2 #20
Source: Hatchwise Seasonal Guide · updated Jul 5, 2026. General seasonal patterns — verify against a current shop report before you go.
Sources & authors
About Boulder / Boulder CVB — · 1 river
Anglers Covey — · 3 rivers
AvidMax Blog — · 2 rivers
Blue Quill Angler — · 1 river
BlueStream Fly — · 2 rivers
Colorado Trout Hunters — · 2 rivers
Cutthroat Anglers — Silverthorne · 2 rivers
Dave Weller's Fly Fishing Blog — · 3 rivers
Family-Outdoors — · 1 river
FishExplorer — · 2 rivers
Fly Fish Food — · 2 rivers
Front Range Anglers — Boulder · 8 rivers
Golden Fly Shop — Golden · 1 river
Hartsel Ranch — · 1 river
Kirk's Fly Shop — Estes Park · 3 rivers
Mountain Angler — Breckenridge · 1 river
NPS — Rocky Mountain National Park — · 4 rivers
Pat Dorsey Fly Fishing — · 2 rivers
Rise Beyond Fly Fishing — · 3 rivers
Rocky Mountain Anglers — Boulder · 8 rivers
Saint Vrain Anglers TU — · 3 rivers
South Platte Fly Shop — · 4 rivers
St. Peter's Fly Shop — Fort Collins · 2 rivers
The Catch and The Hatch — · 3 rivers
Trouts Fly Fishing — Denver · 1 river
USGS Water Services — live flow & water temp (updates continuously)
Hatchwise Seasonal Guide — seasonal hatch & fly guidance · updated Jul 5, 2026 (editorial)
NOAA / National Weather Service — forecasts (connects in a later phase)
Always check current Colorado Parks & Wildlife regulations and avoid fishing to spawning fish on redds.
Live flow & water temp from USGS; fly-shop reports cited per river with their own dates. Weather & hatch factors in the Fishability Score are placeholders until wired to live sources. Always check current regulations and access before you go.