Fly Fishing Creede and South Fork Colorado on the Rio Grande River

Rio Grande River flows, guide reports and hatches (winter 2010)

Flows, guide report and flows
Rio Grande is in winter mode with ice and snow covering the river. We'll be back on the Rio in the spring of 2010.

(Summer 2009) Last Ox Bow float was on July 14th. Fishing was stealer with all trout nosing up to big dries and PMD adults. We'll be back on the upper Rio when flows allow. Lower sections have also been fishing well with strong PMD and drake hatches starting mid morning. Float trips at this time will be offered around Creede and down stream through South Fork.

Box: Low with steady to good fishing
Ox Bows: Low with good fishing
Hog-Gap: Low with steady fishing
Gap-Coller: Moderate flows and good fishing at times.
Coller-through South Fork: Moderate flows and ok fishing.
South Fork-Del Norte: Moderate flows and good fishing at times.

Guide activity: none

Hatches
If you like casting streamers and dries than this is the river for you. Streamer fishing in the late winter and spring gives way to dry fly fishing in early summer. Even in the summer streamer fishing can incredible, that is during the rare times the fish are not looking up. Dry patterns are large, fluffy and easy to see in early summer. Some dry patterns get a bit smaller as summer rolls along, but rarely will an angler need a fly smaller than a number 16. Fall angling can also be great with streamers and hopper-droppers.

April through May: Stone fly and caddis nymphs. Sculpin patterns.
June: Salmon flies, Golden stones, medium black stones, green drakes, PMDs and a countless number of caddis.
July: PMDs, BWOs, hoppers, drakes, caddis, tricos and sculpins.
August: Hoppers, tricos, PMDs.
September: BWOs.
October: BWOs, streamers and nymphs.

Insects and food in the system: Stone flies, caddis pupa (both cased and free) caddis larva, midge larva and pupa, mayfly nymphs, snails, eggs, worms and sculpins.

Predictions and forecast
Cold and snow...pond hockey time in Creede...January 15-17 POND HOCKEY

The Rio is primarily a brown trout river with some nice bows and cutbows. Fish are very gullible (most of the time) and range in size from 12 to 16 inches and you always need to be ready for a monster.

If you are into scenery as well as a lot of fish to the fly, than this place fits the bill. The Rio also offers a chance at cutthroat, brookies and splake (a cross between lake trout and a brookie).

Book your summer and fall Rio Grande floats today. Last minute bookings are possible, just call to check on availability. The Rio offers some of the best dry fly and streamer fishing in the West.

Rio Grande details
The Rio is an awesome river with a lot of diversity in insect hatches, types of fishable water and fly fishing techniques. Pocket water, cut banks, long runs and meandering meadows offers an angler endless chances at trout. Dry, nymphs and streamers will fool most of the Rio Grande trout throughout the season.

Great float fishing is available on the Rio Grande. Imagine insect hatches so thick the trout are boiling in every eddy, pocket and run. The action is non stop with rapid-fire casts of big dries to aggressive trout. This float trip one of the seasons best with clients booking it a year in advance.

The Rio tumbles and meanders out from Rio Grande Reservoir, located near Creede Colorado, and flows southeast towards New Mexico. We base out of South Fork and Creede Colorado offering guided float trips on 50 plus miles of river.