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Salmonflies and green drakes are a good reason to plan an early-summer fly fishing trip to Colorado’s Rio Grande. The river holds brown trout and rainbows around South Fork, with the Gold Medal water beginning at the Colorado 149 bridge and continuing downstream toward Del Norte.
I’ve spent more than 35 years fishing the Yellowstone and worked as a professional fly fishing guide. On a river with different regulated reaches, I want to choose my water before choosing my flies. Here, that means deciding between the water upstream toward Creede and the Gold Medal reach below South Fork.
Below, I cover public access, the hatches worth planning around, and the trout rules on each reach. For a trip that includes other parts of the state, start with our Colorado fly fishing guide.
Current Fishing Notice: CPW currently asks anglers to stop fishing from noon to midnight on the Rio Grande from Rio Grande Reservoir Dam to the Rio Grande Canal. This voluntary closure remains in effect until further notice. Check CPW’s current fishing alerts before your trip.
Other Rivers In Colorado
Where The Gold Medal Water Begins
The Gold Medal section runs downstream from the Colorado 149 bridge in South Fork to the Rio Grande Canal diversion structure west of Del Norte. Those landmarks are more useful than a general reference to fishing “near South Fork,” because the bridge separates two stretches with different brown trout size limits.
The water upstream toward Creede is outside that designated segment. You can still plan a trout trip there; just keep the upstream river and the South Fork-to-Del Norte reach separate when checking access, conditions, and regulations.
The river’s shape changes too. Between Wagon Wheel Gap and South Fork, it runs through a more confined valley with riffles and runs. Below the bridge, the valley opens and the channel becomes more meandering, with riffles and pools toward Del Norte.
For the mainstem, prepare for brown trout and rainbow trout. Both species live around South Fork, and the two regulated stretches covered below have different rules for keeping them.
Rio Grande cutthroat trout need a separate plan. The remaining pure populations live primarily in headwater streams, so a trip aimed at that native fish needs a specific tributary or headwater destination. For fly choices in those streams, see our guide to what cutthroat trout eat.
Public Access And Choosing A Wade Or Float Trip
Start with Coller State Wildlife Area for public access upstream of South Fork, or the Del Norte Fishing Easement for the lower corridor. They give you named places to check on an official map before heading to the river.
Check CPW’s current fishing-license requirements as well as the entry rules for the property you choose. The property pages below explain permitted activities and link to the boundary maps.
For a walking day, check your waders and boots before setting off. If you need a pair, Frogg Toggs Canyon II waders are one of the options in our fly fishing waders guide.
Coller State Wildlife Area
Coller SWA sits between Wagon Wheel Gap and South Fork. Lower Coller has a public boat put-in west of town, and fishing is allowed within the wildlife area’s boundaries.
This is a useful place to investigate for an upstream day without a boat. Use the CPW map to identify the public parcel and parking, then stay within its posted boundaries. Being able to reach the river doesn’t mean the adjoining bank is public too.
Coller also allows hand-propelled vessels for launching and takeout, so it can be part of a fishing float. Overnight parking is prohibited. If you’re arranging a shuttle, include the parking rules in that plan.
Del Norte Fishing Easement
The Rio Grande River SWA Del Norte Fishing Easement provides access near County Road 17. CPW’s map directs visitors about six miles west of Del Norte on Highway 160 to the county road, with designated parking south of the bridge.
This property is open for public access only while fishing, and hand-propelled vessels are allowed at the County Road 17 ramp. The easement serves as a takeout for the Gold Medal float, so include it when planning your lower-river route and shuttle.
Planning A Float
A float needs a confirmed put-in, takeout, and shuttle. Much of the river between public access points passes private land, so a pair of public ramps doesn’t give you permission to stop on private banks. Keep the access map with you and follow posted boundaries.
The Rio Grande Canal diversion at the lower end of the Gold Medal reach is a serious boating hazard. Read the Rio Grande Headwaters boating information and confirm the current takeout and portage arrangements before launching. Don’t assume a route shown in an older trip report is still usable.
For a first float here, I’d book a local guide and ask which reach suits the conditions and the fishing I want to do. For a walking trip, I’d choose one of the named public properties and give that stretch enough time before moving elsewhere.
Planning Around Runoff And The Hatch Season
Early summer is the period to consider for the Rio Grande’s large dry-fly events. You’ll need some flexibility: the salmonfly hatch moves upstream, and the river is also coming through its snowmelt season. A shop report for the reach you want to fish is useful before fixing your dates.
At USGS station 08220000, Rio Grande Near Del Norte, the historical monthly mean is about 3,010 cfs in June and 497 cfs in September. The record shows how sharply spring flow rises before declining toward fall.
That historical record describes the lower corridor near Del Norte, rather than the flow at Creede. Current readings for the station are now published by the Colorado Division of Water Resources. Use the monthly chart to understand the season; it cannot tell you whether today’s water is suitable for wading.
April Before Runoff
April can offer nymph and streamer fishing before the runoff rise. Ice and usable flows determine when the season gets going, so I’d keep a spring booking flexible. Ask which stretches have opened up and whether a float or walking access makes sense.
Salmonflies, Green Drakes, And Summer Caddis
Watch for salmonflies in June and early July. Green drakes follow, with late June into July the period to watch for those larger mayflies. The sequence gives you another dry-fly opportunity as the salmonfly event passes upstream.
For those dry-fly sessions, I’d also pack a small bottle of Gink floatant to dress the flies before fishing.
July also brings pale morning duns and caddis. The Upper Rio hatch chart shows caddis across a longer stretch of the season, so there’s more to a summer trip than trying to arrive for one brief hatch.
By late summer, shift some attention to terrestrials. In August, grassy banks along the lower river are the places to start with hoppers.
September And October
September and October are a strong alternative to the early-summer hatches. I’d aim for late September through mid-October for a fall brown trout trip, after checking current conditions.
Winter Requires A Flexible Plan
Sunny winter days can offer nymph fishing, but ice can affect long stretches of the river. I’d treat winter as a chance to fish when you’re already nearby and conditions allow. A dedicated trip needs more certainty than the season can offer.
A Fly Box For The Upper Rio Grande
A summer fly box should let you follow the change from large stoneflies to mayflies and caddis, then add terrestrials later in the season. Cover those changes with a small selection of useful patterns; you don’t need a different fly for every possible hatch.
Use a slim SF fly box for smaller flies, and leave the larger dries and streamers in a deeper box. Our fly box guide explains which designs suit each type of fly.
For a spring visit, leave room for nymphs and streamers to fish before runoff. The smaller subsurface flies give you another option while you wait for the summer dry-fly season.
With the nymphs, carry spare fluorocarbon tippet so you can replace a shortened section after a snag or several fly changes.
For active salmonflies, start with a Stimulator. The hatch moves upstream, so its position matters when you decide where to use those larger dries.
Green drakes deserve attention after the salmonflies begin passing through. Ask for a dry that matches the drakes currently showing on your reach, and include a smaller mayfly selection for the pale morning duns that feature in July’s hatch calendar.
Caddis patterns belong in the summer box as well. An Elk Hair Caddis gives you a dry-fly option when adult caddis are on the surface.
For late summer, add foam hoppers and pay attention to grassy banks. This is an approach I’d make room for once the larger early-summer aquatic hatches have finished.
The Duranglers Rio Grande report on Orvis is a useful place to review the fly selection before leaving. Check its date and the reach it describes, then adjust the box for the insects you find at the river.
If you’re still choosing a rod, use the team’s trout fly rod guide to compare the options we cover. Settle on the fishing you want to do first, then choose the rod for that job.
More Help With Trout Flies And Rigs
- Fly Fishing Nymphs: An Angler's Guide
- Fly Fishing With Caddisfly: An Angler's Guide
- The Basic Euro Nymphing Setup
The Fishing Rules Change At The South Fork Bridge
Read the Rio Grande entry in the Colorado fishing regulations before you go, and check the signs at your access point. The brown trout size limit changes at the Colorado 149 bridge in South Fork, so you need to know which side of that boundary you’re fishing.
From the lower boundary of River Hill Campground downstream to the Colorado 149 bridge: only artificial flies and lures are allowed, and all rainbow trout must be released immediately. The brown trout bag and possession limit is two fish, with a maximum length of 12 inches.
From the Colorado 149 bridge at South Fork downstream to the Rio Grande Canal diversion structure: only artificial flies and lures are allowed, and all rainbow trout must be released immediately. The brown trout bag and possession limit is two fish, with a minimum length of 16 inches.
The second stretch is the Gold Medal water. If you move between the two reaches during the day, check your location again before keeping a brown trout. Upstream has the maximum-size rule, and downstream has the minimum-size rule.
Rio Grande Fly Fishing FAQ
It starts at the Colorado 149 bridge in South Fork and runs downstream to the Rio Grande Canal diversion structure west of Del Norte. The water upstream toward Creede is outside that designated segment.
Early summer offers salmonflies followed by green drakes and other summer hatches. September and October are also good months for a fall trip. Keep dates flexible because runoff and the upstream movement of hatches affect the fishing.
Yes. Public properties such as Coller SWA and the Del Norte Fishing Easement provide places to access the river. Stay within the marked public boundaries and assess conditions before wading; access alone does not establish that the water is safe to enter.
Both regulated stretches described here require immediate release of rainbow trout. The brown trout limit is two fish, with a 12-inch maximum upstream of the South Fork bridge and a 16-inch minimum downstream on the Gold Medal reach. Check current CPW rules before fishing.
Final Thoughts On Fishing The Colorado Rio Grande
For one day on the Rio Grande, I’d choose public access at Coller or arrange a guided float on the Gold Medal reach, depending on the conditions. Both give the day a clear starting point, and you can spend the time fishing instead of repeatedly looking for another place to get in.
The early-summer hatches would be my first reason to come. Watch the salmonfly and green-drake reports, choose the stretch that fits, and leave room to change the date if conditions change.
Before leaving, check the current fishing alerts and river report, then confirm your access point.
Save This Rio Grande Guide For Later
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