Rise Beyond Colorado Fly Fishing Report

Looking for the best fly fishing near Denver this weekend? Here's your updated August 7, 2025 guide to the top rivers within a day trip—including conditions, hatches, top flies, and timing.

• Best All-Around Bet: South Platte at Deckers – Consistent flows, trico spinner falls, and terrestrial takes.

• Hidden Gem: Clear Creek at Empire – Pocket water, dry-dropper paradise, and close to town.

• Big Bug Energy: Arkansas River at Salida...

This week on Rise Beyond, we break down Clear Creek’s summer bite. With flows hovering around 52 CFS, trout are feeding in tight seams and small pockets—but only if you come correct. We dive into the dry-dropper game, top fly picks (hint: ants and beetles are in), and a few sleeper access spots that still produce even when the canyon's crowded.
You'll get:

• On-the-water conditions

• Fly picks (nymphs, dries, streamers)

• Pri...

Welcome to the Rise Beyond Fly Fishing Podcast—this week, we head into one of the Front Range’s most technical gems: Waterton Canyon on the South Platte River. With flows holding steady around 58 CFS, it’s a clinic in finesse. Whether you're stalking tailouts with a CDC Trico Spinner or running micro-shot euro nymph rigs through boulder slots, Waterton rewards the dialed-in angler.

In this episode, we cover:

🎯 How to approach lo...

This week’s Waterton Canyon Fly Fishing Report is loaded with the intel you actually need. No recycled advice, no vague talk about "midges." We're dialing in Trico season tactics with surgical fly recs, tight-line nymphing tips, and a clear look at when to go and what to throw.

Flows are low, bugs are small, and success is all about precision. We’ll cover:

• Why Waterton’s fish want Tricos but reject junk

• The exact nym...

Fishing the Dream Stream in summer? Brace yourself. This isn’t just a fishing trip—it’s a mental test wrapped in tippet tangles, Trico hatches, and a sea of anglers dressed like pro staffers. But don’t worry—we’re here to help you navigate the chaos without losing your mind (or your patience).

In this episode of the Rise Beyond Fly Fishing podcast, we break down how to fish Colorado’s iconic Dream Stream during peak season—with crow...

Planning to fish this weekend but don’t want to waste time guessing where to go or what to throw? We’ve got you covered. In this episode of the Rise Beyond Fly Fishing podcast, we break down the top 5 places to fly fish within an hour of Denver right now—each with up-to-date conditions, detailed hatch charts, and dialed-in fly picks.

From canyon seams to tailwater trophy zones, we walk through exactly what’s fishing hot this week:

This week’s River Whisper rolls into the Eagle River—a freestone masterpiece running cold, clear, and full of bugs.

From Avon’s riffles to Gypsum’s long glides, the river is giving up fish on caddis dries, tight-line nymphs, and dry-dropper setups if you can read the seams and keep moving. Flows are stable, clarity is perfect, and trout are ready to eat from dawn until dark.

In this episode, we cover:

• How to time the PMD hatch win...

This week’s River Whisper takes you deep into Cheesman Canyon—Colorado’s most technical tailwater and home to some of the smartest, spookiest trout in the West.

Flows are low. Water’s clear. And the PMDs and Tricos are hatching like clockwork. If you’ve fished Cheesman before, you already know: it’s not about volume—it’s about precision. A blown drift, a sloppy cast, or 5X tippet could be the difference between a take and a ghosted ...

This week, we leave the mall rats behind and head downstream—to the remote, rugged waters of the Blue River below Green Mountain Reservoir.

This isn’t Silverthorne. This is freestone-style tailwater with long hikes, tricky access, and trout that eat like they’ve never seen a human. If you're looking for elbow room, PMD hatches, and a chance at truly wild fish, this is the stretch that delivers.

In this episode, we break down:

• ...

This week on Rise Beyond River Reports, we head back to one of Colorado’s most talked-about—and most technical—tailwaters: Deckers. With flows hovering around 135 CFS and crystal-clear conditions, the trout are skittish, selective, and downright suspicious. But they’re still feeding, if you know how to approach them.

This episode is your mid-July Deckers survival guide. Whether you're gunning for dry fly eats in the morning tric...

Looking to catch Colorado’s rarest native trout? In this episode of the Rise Beyond Fly Fishing Podcast, we’re talking about everything you need to know to find and fool Greenback Cutthroat Trout — from the alpine creeks of Rocky Mountain National Park to secret high lakes near the Continental Divide.

The Greenback Cutthroat Trout isn’t just a gorgeous fish — it’s a symbol of Colorado’s native heritage and a bucket-list catch for fl...

This week on the Rise Beyond Fly Fishing Podcast, we’re breaking down the best fly fishing near Denver for the week of July 14 — just in time for peak hopper-dropper season.

If you’ve got a rod, a few mornings free, and a craving for pocket water and rising trout, you’re in the right place.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Which rivers are hot and which are too warm to fish

• How to fish Deckers, Cheesman Canyon, Clear Creek, Bear Cree...

This week on Rise Beyond River Reports, we head back to the Dream Stream—Colorado’s most iconic tailwater—for a July mid-summer breakdown that separates fantasy from fishable.

Flows are steady, water is ultra-clear, and the trout are as spooky as ever. But don’t sweat it. In this episode, we talk morning hatches, hopper windows, and how to adjust your approach as the wind kicks up or the sun climbs. From 7–11 AM, tricos dominate. Fr...

Colorado’s fly fishing season isn’t just spring through fall—it’s a year-round pursuit if you know where (and when) to go. In this episode, we break down the fly fishing calendar month by month, sharing insights on river conditions, hatches, gear tips, and seasonal strategies that’ll help you fish smarter, not harder. Whether you're planning your first spring trip or a winter nymphing mission, we’ve got the details you need to ...

Headed for the high country? Before you hike into a crystal-clear lake above treeline, make sure your fly box is locked and loaded with the alpine essentials. In this episode, we break down the Top 5 Fly Patterns every angler should carry when targeting cutthroat, brookies, and rainbows in Colorado’s high alpine lakes. These aren’t just guesses—they’re the flies we actually fish at 10,000+ feet, based on years of trial, error, and ...

This week on the Rise Beyond Fly Fishing Podcast, we head up to Buena Vista and break down the Arkansas River as it slides into prime summer shape. With flows settling around 1,150 to 1,250 CFS and water temps climbing into the mid-50s by mid-morning, the Ark is offering up classic Colorado pocket water—fast seams, long glides, and trout that reward anglers who think three steps ahead.

In this episode, we’re focusing on where the ri...

Best Fly Fishing Near Denver This Week: Flows, Hatches, and Tactical Picks for July 7, 2025

In this episode of the Rise Beyond Fly Fishing Podcast, we break down the best fly fishing near Denver for the week of July 7, 2025 — no fluff, no filler, just clear conditions, bold fly picks, and real talk about where it’s actually worth wetting a line.

Right now, Front Range rivers are serving up a classic mid-summer challenge: early mornin...

In this Rise Beyond Fly Fishing episode, we break down the Slate River near Crested Butte—a high-country creek that’s clear, cold, and offering textbook summer dry-fly fishing in tight water.

Flows are just above 30 CFS, water is clear, and the trout are eating—but only if you bring finesse. This is classic western creek fishing with small dry flies, tight drifts, and morning-only windows. If you’re looking to fish under the Elk Ran...