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You might not recognize the mighty Colorado at its headwaters
in the Kawuneeche Valley. Up here, the river is small
enough to jump across in many places, and flows through
marshy meadows and beaver ponds before collecting its
strength in three major reservoirs: Grand Lake, Shadow
Mountain Reservoir and Lake Granby.
Below these lakes, the Colorado continues to grow
as it adds water from such well known streams as the
Williams Fork, the Blue, Eagle and Roaring Fork rivers.
What starts as a river with a flow of under 100 CFS,
collects enough water before entering into Utah to
grow to over 21,000 CFS! Brook trout and Colorado River
Cutthroat trout dominate this upper section of the
Colorado. The stream can be waded throughout the Kawuneeche
Valley except during high water, typically in late
May through mid-June. This upper portion of the Colorado
River inside Rocky Mountain National Park cannot be
floated.
From November through March, the primary food source
is midges, and hatches occur throughout the winter.
Sizes range from 14-26, and any olive, red or black
midge nymph or Griffith's
Gnat in these sizes may lure these trout out
of their winter doldrums. Play them quick and keep
them in the water!
 April
and May bring warmer days and the snow and ice melting
away. The flows are usually low for the through late
May, increasing to flood stage as the snowmelt increases
flows in all the feeder streams (Timber Creek, Onahu,
East Inlet, North Inlet).
Midges continue to be a key food source, but we begin
to see baetis hatches, and occasional Stone and Caddis
hatches. Surprisingly, although this upper river is
a "freestone", scuds are common and can be
found in orange, olive and
tan. The source of these scuds is the alpine lakes,
high above this valley. There are rumors that brook
trout exceeding 5 pounds can be found gorging on scuds
in these high alpine lakes, but it takes a fly fishing
expedition to reach them.
June is usually a month where the river purges its
system. The flows push the water to the top of the
banks, and flow like chocolate milk for much of the
month. Some feeder streams run virtually clear, and
where they dump into the Colorado the fish will feed
in the seam between the two.
Late June through September is when this stream comes
alive. The flows have slowed down and the river runs
clear, only becoming cloudy after heavy rains. Virtually
every type of feed is in the water during this period
of time:
 Hatches
during the year are as follows:
- Midges: Year Round
- Scuds: Year Round
- Baetis: April / May & September / October
- Caddis: April through September
- Stonefly: April through September
- Golden Stone: June through August
- Trico: July through October
- PMD: June through August
- Red Quill: June / July
- Terrestrials: July / August
Trout here, like most other places, still take 80%
of their food below the surface so a dry-dropper is
your best bet for success.
October is when the Park starts to put on her blanket
of snow, and lie down for winter. The weather can be
warm or frigid, often in the same day, but the fish
can be voracious. Pulling streamers through deep holes
can bring explosive strikes, and terrific runs, but
as the month draws to a close we return to midges,
baetis and scuds in sizes so small you can't thread
the fly if your hands are cold. |
