Bear Creek Fly Fishing Report: Hopper-Dropper Drills, Pocket Water Tactics, and Summer Hatch Strategy Near Morrison (June 30, 2025)

Welcome to the Rise Beyond Fly Fishing podcast, where small creeks get the big treatment. In this episode, we’re covering one of Colorado’s favorite front-range fisheries — Bear Creek, just west of Morrison. Flows are down, bugs are up, and if you can slip into the canyon early or late, you’re in for a technical but rewarding day of trout chasing.

June 30 brings a classic Bear Creek setup:
Pocket water, eager browns, and a full buffet of summer bugs — from Yellow Sallies to caddis and the occasional early terrestrial. The crowds? Manageable if you start early. The heat? Intense mid-day. The fish? Right where you want them — tucked along brushy seams, tailouts, and oxygen-rich riffles.

In this episode, we break down:

• Flows and Temps: What 28.5 CFS and rising water temps mean for fish behavior, angler strategy, and catch-and-release safety
• Best Time to Fish: Why early mornings and late evenings beat mid-day by a mile
• Top Hatches: PMDs, caddis, yellow sallies, and why hopper-dropper season is officially on
• Best Flies Right Now:
– Dry: Hippy Stomper (#14–16)
– Nymph: PMD Emerger (#18–20)
– Streamer: Mini Woolly Bugger (#10–12), slow-stripped through deeper pockets
• Pocket Water Strategy: How to approach small water like a sniper — short casts, soft landings, and precise mends
• Streamer Sessions: When to throw meat, where to swing it, and how to trigger strikes in skinny water
• Access Points: The best spots from Lair O’ the Bear to Cold Spring Gulch and lesser-known pull-offs with soft seams and rising fish
• Pressure Zones: Where the crowds show up, how to avoid them, and what time the creek turns into a parking lot

This isn’t a back-of-the-napkin report. This is tactical guidance for the modern angler — what’s actually happening on the water, when it’s happening, and how to outfish the folks casting upstream of you.

Conditions Recap (June 30, 2025):
– Flow: 28.5 CFS
– Water Temp: Low–Mid 60s°F
– Clarity: Slight stain, mostly clear
– Best Fishing: 6:00–11:00 AM and after 6:30 PM
– Pressure: High near main access, lighter on pull-offs
– Top Hatches: Caddis, PMDs, Yellow Sallies, early terrestrials

If you’re planning to fish Bear Creek this week, don’t wing it. Tune in, gear up smart, and walk in early. You’ll get better drifts, less pressure, and a chance to work this technical creek like a pro.

Check out our full Bear Creek fishing report at RiseBeyondFlyFishing.com for detailed hatch charts, fly pairings, access directions, and more seasonal tips.

Follow Rise Beyond Fly Fishing for weekly episodes and hyper-local fly fishing content built for serious anglers who want to level up their approach, not just pass time on the water.

Now get out there. Keep it quiet, keep it sharp, and keep those barbs pinched. We’ll see you on the water.