Colorado ·
Eagle River Fly Fishing Report - September 20, 2026

EAGLE RIVER
ReportSEP 20 — 27, 2026
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Flow
824CFS
COLORADO RIVER NEAR DOTSERO, CO
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Water Temp
61.5°F
Updated 2026-09-20
☀️
Weather
38–72°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
💧
Clarity
Clear
Check post-storm
Flow is running at 824 CFS at Dotsero with water temps at a comfortable 61.5°F—a solid fall window with no thermal stress concerns and good clarity expected heading into a sunny, calm Sunday.
What's Working — Hot Flies

Juju Baetis Tungsten #22
22

Parachute - Blue Wing Olive #22
22

Black Zebra Midge(TBH) #20
20

Olsen's Peacock Blowtorch Barbless #22 - 24
22-24

Egan's Thread Frenchie Jig - Olive #12
12

Corn-fed Caddis (CDC) Tan #20
20

Tungsten Split Case Nymph - PMD #20
20

Top Secret Baetis #16
16

Bionic Ant 2.0 - Black #16
16

Egan's Frenchie #12
12

Olsen's Hare's Ear Blowtorch Barbless #20 - 28
20-22

Egan's Silver Bullet - Baetis #14
14
Hatch Chart
| Insect | Size | Activity | Prime Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue-Winged Olive (Baetis) | 20-22 | Moderate | 11 AM - 2 PM |
| Midge | 20-24 | Heavy | 8 AM - 11 AM |
| Caddis | 16-20 | Moderate | 4 PM - 6 PM |
| PMD (Pale Morning Dun) | 18-20 | Light | 10 AM - 1 PM |
| Terrestrials (Ants) | 14-16 | Light | 12 PM - 3 PM |
Best Time Window
- 7 AM - 10 AM: Early midge activity in pools and slow runs—nymph the bottom with small patterns before the sun hits the water.
- 10 AM - 2 PM: Prime BWO and PMD window as temps climb toward 70°F—watch for rising fish in tailouts and switch to dries when you see consistent surface activity.
- 4 PM - 6 PM: Evening caddis push in the riffles—work the broken water with a CDC caddis pattern as light fades and fish move shallow to feed.
Guide's Tip
From the benchWith flows at 824 CFS and water temps at 61.5°F, fish are active throughout the day but will be most aggressive in the mid-morning to early afternoon window as temps warm and BWOs begin popping. Focus your nymphing on the seams flanking the main current where fish can hold in slower water and dart into the faster lane to feed—set your indicator depth to 1.5x the water depth and use enough split shot to keep your fly ticking bottom. When you spot rising fish during the BWO hatch, switch to a single dry and approach from downstream, staying low and casting to individual risers rather than blind-casting the pool. As afternoon SW winds build to 15 mph, move to sheltered canyon sections where the wind won't blow your presentation.
Main Species
Brown Trout
Rainbow Trout
Mountain Whitefish
