Blue River Report

Blue River Report

8-24-2026

Broken record it seems on this report, as flow remain at the drought year standard of 53.9. However, reports have been pretty possitive for bigger fish in the Troutlets area. Sight fishing still remains the best tactic to target larger fish, but try to be stealthy as the fish can get pretty spooky with the fishing pressure and the flows. Go more finess and tactical. A lot of people have been going as small as possible on fly selection, which has been producing good results. Hatches have been primarily Midges, Caddis and BWOs.


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For dries, use a Sparkle Dun BWO, Hanging Midge, AR's BWO Adult, Parachute Adams, Chubby Chernobyl, Film Critic, Mole Fly, Ms. Tickle Cripple in BWO, Hot Mess Midge, AR's BWO Emerger and a Dry Humper, Superman Caddis.


For subsurface presentation, use a HDA Variant, BTS Mysis, Jigged Mysis, Simple PTN, Baby Gonga, Barr's Emerger, Sculpzilla, AR's Perdigon, Poudre Pupa, RS-2, Lil Bit, Hogan's S&M Nymph, Juju Baetis, and a Croston's FMJ.

Guide Rating

4/5

Weather Experienced

- Temperature: Upper 70's

- Wind Conditions: Breezy at times

- Precipitation: 40% chance of storms

Water Observations

- Water Temperature: 43.3 degrees

- Flow Level: 53.9 CFS

- Water Clarity: Near crystal clear

About Blue River Fly Fishing

For Denver area flyfishers, the Blue River, which rests just an hour-and-a-half west of the city off I-70, is an excellent after-work and short weekend option. However, due to its location, it can suffer from crowding.

Despite its location and a good population of trout, not many people consider the Blue their favorite river. However, for those who know the Blue, “Big trout,” “Broken tippet” and “the one that came off,” are all phrases that are commonly heard as those anglers head home from the river.

It hasn’t always been that way; improvements on the Blue over the last four or five years have benefited the fishery. New catch-and-release regulations to strengthen the population of larger fish and the fact that the rainbows, browns, and brookies in this river have bellied up to a diet of seafood – a white shrimp called Mysis – have played a big part in these improvements.

The Blue below Dillon Reservoir is not a typical Colorado tailwater. In fact, fishing the Blue below Dillon is a somewhat urban experience – it flows through Silverthorne, and those fast food joints, gas stations, and factory outlet stores make a strange setting for a gold medal trout stream.