Rio Grande
Latest Fishing Report
Report Date
Oct. 18, 2009
Flow
205 cfs
Reporter
Tucker Ladd
Overview
This was my first time fishing the Rio Grande, but I can easily say that I will definitely be coming back for more!
Current Conditions
As a general rule of thumb, when ever I go fish a new body of water, be it a lake or river, I will always be sure to speak with a local shop or outfitting service to verify what flies and techniques are most productive given the time of year. This recent trip to the Rio Grande only solidified this practice, as the fish were keying in on a very different selection of insects than I might have suspected. Being mid October, and with the abundance of midges and mayflies, as well as the spawning brown trout, I would have thought that the standard egg/midge combo would have been deadly. Instead I found the most productive fly was a size 14 stonefly... who would have guessed. Needless to say, the fishing was fantastic with a lot of fish to hand, many of which were rainbows and browns in the 14"-18" range. All were taken on a deep nymph rig with a size 12-14 stonefly as my lead fly and a smaller stone/prince/hares ear as my second fly. The key to success what not only using larger nymphs, but also focusing on fishing the "green" water, which are areas of deep, slower moving water where the water has a noticeable green tint. Because there were fewer productive places to fish, it was important to fish all good water hard and thoroughly. This wasn't a situation where you would move on to another hole after 15 minutes. Also, fishing was only productive during the perioud of 10am - 5pm, as this was when the water was the warmest. On in all a wonderful first experience on the Rio Grande, one that will certainly keep me coming back for more.
Hatches
Baetis, Midges, Stonefly Nymphs
Recommended Flies
14 Day Forecast
Fishing will remain productive as long as the weather remains mild. Fish the sunnier and warmer days, as this type of weather is necessary to warm to water up and get the fish moving.
Weather
Sunny withs highs in the 60's
Water Temperature
upper 40's
Clarity
clear
River Info URL
http://www.dwr.state.co.us/SurfaceWater/data/detail_graph.aspx?ID=RIOWAGCO&MTYPE=DISCHRG