Chasing Giants: Colorado River Fishing Conditions and Fall Tactics

October in the Roaring Fork Valley is when the boys get separated from the men. While everyone else is fighting over the crowded pockets near Aspen, I’m putting my new Clackacraft drift boat on the Colorado River to hunt for the kind of fish that make your drag scream. We’ve had some fluctuations in flow—hovering around 1,300 to 1,500 CFS—but the river is finally clearing up after some messy weeks. Whether you’re fishing below Grizzly Creek or putting in below Glenwood Springs, the water is starting to hold that perfect, slightly off-color tint that gives a big brown the confidence to smash a streamer. If you’re looking for trophy trout, this is your window. I’m rigged up with my 6-weight Sage fly fishing rod and a Hardy fly fishing reel, ready to put my clients on the biggest rainbows and browns in the valley. Right now, the Colorado is a quality-over-quantity game. You aren't going to land fifty dinks; you’re going to battle three or four fish that might just own you. The food situation is getting technical. We’re seeing a mix of Blue Winged Olives in the 18-22 range and a decent showing of Tricos. If the fish are looking up, I’m reaching for a Harrop’s CDC Biot Dun or a Barr’s Vis-a-Dun. If they’re acting stubborn, I’m dropping a Bill Fitzsimmons’ Trailing Shuck Midge Emerger behind a bigger attractor pattern. For those of you heading out on your own, stay cautious. The Colorado is a brawling, powerful piece of water. Whether you’re wading near the confluence or hitting the popular spots above South Canyon, keep your feet planted. And for heaven's sake, scrub your boots at our cleaning stations before and after you hit the water. We don't need any hitchhikers in our ecosystem. If you’ve got a group coming into town for a bachelor or bachelorette party, skip the bars and get them on a drift boat. There’s no better way to bond than watching your buddy struggle to land a three-pound brown while you’re holding a cold one in the back of the boat. It’s the ultimate scenic float fishing experience in the heart of the Rockies. I’ve spent thirty years learning every riffle on these rivers, and I’m ready to put that experience to work for you. Don’t wait for the ice to set in. Give Aspen Angling Company a shout today and let’s get you on the oars for a trip you won't soon forget.