Clear Creek Fly Fishing Report
Clear Creek at Golden. Guides and local shops report an ideal wade-fishing window of roughly 75–250 cfs (Troutline.co). Live gauge data below updates automatically.
What's swimming in Clear Creek
No CPW fishery survey specific to this stretch was found. The species and regulation notes below come from an angling reference site keyed to the same USGS Golden gauge.
- Troutline.co's gauge-matched guide lists wild Brown Trout as the primary catch through the Golden stretch, with CPW-stocked, catchable-size Rainbow Trout also common (Troutline.co).
- Visit Golden also notes Brook Trout, Cuttbow and native Cutthroat Trout occurring in the broader creek and canyon corridor above town (Visit Golden).
- Clear Creek is not Gold Medal water and carries standard statewide bag and possession limits through Golden, not a special catch-and-release regulation (Troutline.co).
- In summer 2026, CPW asked anglers to voluntarily avoid fishing Clear Creek from noon to midnight between Vanover Park and the Tunnel 1 Trailhead because of low flows and high water temperatures -- a seasonal advisory, not a permanent closure (Denver Gazette, Jul 29, 2026).
Rivers and creeks that flow into Clear Creek
10 hold fish on Colorado Parks and Wildlife's records, listed from the headwaters down. Open one for where to fish and its rules.
-
Dry Gulch Closed to fishing Cutthroat trout
Where to fish
Nowhere: CPW closes it to fishing all year.
CPW special rules
From the headwaters downstream to I-70
- Fishing prohibited.
About it
It joins Clear Creek about 8 miles W of Silver Plume. It flows year-round.
-
Herman Gulch Closed to fishing Cutthroat and brook trout
Where to fish
Nowhere: CPW closes it to fishing all year.
CPW special rules
From the headwaters down to I-70
- Fishing prohibited.
About it
It joins Clear Creek about 7 miles W of Silver Plume. It flows year-round.
-
South Clear Creek Brook trout
Where to fish
Arapaho National Forest
CPW access point · Easy access
About it
It joins Clear Creek at Georgetown. It flows year-round.
-
West Fork Clear Creek Brown and brook trout
Where to fish
Arapaho National Forest
CPW access point · About 9 miles NW of Silver Plume · Medium access
Arapaho National Forest
CPW access point · About 5 miles W of Empire · Medium access
CPW special rules
From the headwaters to the confluence of Butler Creek
- Artificial flies and lures only.
- All trout must be returned to water immediately.
About it
It joins Clear Creek at Empire. It flows year-round.
-
Mill Creek Brook trout
Where to fish
Arapaho National Forest
CPW access point · Difficult access
About it
It joins Clear Creek at Dumont. It flows year-round.
-
Fall River Brook trout
Where to fish
Arapaho National Forest
CPW access point · Medium access
About it
It joins Clear Creek about 3 miles E of Dumont. It flows year-round.
-
Chicago Creek Brown, rainbow and brook trout, plus 1 other species
Where to fish
Arapaho National Forest
CPW access point · Easy access
Mount Evans Wilderness Area
CPW access point · Difficult access
About it
It joins Clear Creek at Idaho Springs. It flows year-round. CPW also records cutbows.
-
North Clear Creek Brown and brook trout
Where to fish
Arapaho National Forest
CPW access point · Easy access
About it
It joins Clear Creek about 3 miles NE of Floyd Hill. It flows year-round.
-
Ralston Creek Rainbow and brook trout
Where to fish
Golden Gate Canyon State Park
CPW access point · Easy access
About it
It joins Clear Creek at Lakeside. It flows year-round along most of its length.
-
Little Dry Creek Green sunfish
Where to fish
We found no CPW access point or public-land stretch on it. Check land ownership before you fish.
About it
It joins Clear Creek at Berkley. It flows seasonally along most of its length.
Show 7 more named tributaries (no CPW fish data)
These also flow straight into Clear Creek. Colorado Parks and Wildlife has no fish data for them; some may still hold fish.
- Quayle Creek
- Cherokee Creek
- Silver Creek
- Trail Creek
- Soda Creek
- Elk Creek
- Beaver Brook
Species and special rules are Colorado Parks and Wildlife's. Statewide rules apply everywhere. Before you fish, check land ownership, CPW's current regulations and its temporary closures for drought and low water.
How we pick these
Species are CPW's records from its Fishing Atlas. A creek missing from this list may still hold fish; CPW simply has no record for it. The list runs in the order each one joins Clear Creek, from the headwaters down, and "joins" names the nearest town to where it does on the same side of the mountains: a Census place, or a town with its own post office. Flow is how USGS maps each channel, not a live reading.
Special rules are the ones CPW writes for each creek in its Fishing Atlas. Rules CPW writes for the river itself, such as closures around a creek's mouth, are not repeated on the creek, and no directions lead into water CPW closes all year.
Away from CPW access points, check land ownership before you fish.
Getting to Clear Creek
CPW publishes no special fishing regulation for this Clear Creek (Clear Creek/Jefferson counties) -- its published listing only covers a different Clear Creek in Chaffee County.
- Clear Creek Canyon Park, Jefferson County Open Space -- six named trailheads along US 6 (Gateway, Tunnel 1, CCR, Big Easy, Mayhem Gulch, Cannonball Flats), including a fully ADA-accessible 1.5-mile trail and creek access at the CCR Trailhead; valid fishing license with habitat stamp required (Jefferson County).
- Vanover Park / Clear Creek Parking Lot, City of Golden -- creek access at 304 10th St. with nearby garage parking (Visit Golden).
- Courtney Ryley Cooper Park and Citizens Park, Idaho Springs -- both border Clear Creek downtown, with picnic areas and a public restroom at Citizens Park (City of Idaho Springs).
- No special regulation is published for this stretch -- statewide limits apply: 4 trout daily, 8 in possession (CPW statewide limits). Note for summer 2026: CPW requested a voluntary fishing restriction from Vanover Park upstream to the Tunnel 1 Trailhead (Visit Golden) -- check current status before fishing that specific stretch.
Create a free account to read angler reviews. No Pro subscription needed.
Fished Clear Creek lately?
Tell other anglers how it fished. Where did you fish?
What’s hatching on Clear Creek
5 insects, from the published hatch charts of 1 fly shop, guides and fishing sites. Tap an insect to see where its dates come from. Every river, month by month →
Blue-Winged Olives (BWO)Mar – May and Sep – Oct · hook #18–222 sources
Where these dates come from:
- Blue Stream Fly “Blue Winged Olive”: Mar – May (months only) · #18-22
- Blue Stream Fly “Blue Winged Olive”: Sep – Oct (months only) · #18-22
CaddisMay – Aug · hook #14–181 source
Where these dates come from:
- Blue Stream Fly “Caddis”: May – Aug (months only) · #14-18
Pale Morning Duns (PMD)Jun – Aug · hook #16–181 source
Where these dates come from:
- Blue Stream Fly “Pale Morning Dun”: Jun – Aug (months only) · #16-18
Hoppers & terrestrialsJul – Sep · hook #8–121 source
Where these dates come from:
- Blue Stream Fly “Hoppers”: Jul – Sep (months only) · #8-12
MidgesAll year · hook #18–241 source
Where these dates come from:
- Blue Stream Fly “Midges”: Jan – Dec (months only) · #18-24
Some sources list only months, not days, so treat the dates as a guide and check conditions before you go.
4 fly pairings from real fishing reports
Browse 50 public pairings across the library. A Free account unlocks 5 more of your choice.
Loading fly pairings…
Fly shops on Clear Creek
Clear Creek fly fishing questions
What is a good flow (cfs) to fish Clear Creek?
Guides and local shops report an ideal wade-fishing window of roughly 75–250 cfs on Clear Creek (Troutline.co). TroutTips shows the live current reading against this range so you can check before you go.
Is Clear Creek designated Gold Medal water?
No, Clear Creek does not currently carry Colorado Parks and Wildlife's Gold Medal water designation.
What flies work on Clear Creek?
TroutTips tracks 4 fly pairings reported specifically on Clear Creek, each tied to a season and a real source. See the Fly Pairings section on this page for the full list.
Are there fly shops near Clear Creek?
Yes, Golden River Sports, Golden Fly Shop guide this river. See the Nearby Fly Shops section on this page for details.