Conejos River Fly Fishing Report
Conejos River near Mogote. Guides and local shops report an ideal wade-fishing window of roughly 100–350 cfs (FlyGuysNLies). Live gauge data below updates automatically.
Flood Warning from the National Weather Service, until Wed 4:00 PM. Stay off the water. Details ↗
What's swimming in the Conejos River
- CPW's body-of-water page for the Menkhaven Resort-to-Aspen Glade Campground reach lists trophy-sized Brown and Rainbow Trout, describing the stretch as stocked (CPW Conejos River).
- This reach is artificial-flies-only with a 2-fish bag and 16-inch minimum, and public access runs through the Bear Creek and Sheep Creek fishing easements (CPW Conejos River).
- Downstream, the South Fork confluence-to-lower-Platoro stretch carries its own special regulation: flies and lures only, 2 trout, 16-inch minimum (CPW Conejos River).
Rivers and creeks that flow into the Conejos River
4 hold fish on Colorado Parks and Wildlife's records, listed from the headwaters down. Open one for where to fish and its rules.
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El Rito Azul Brown and brook trout
Where to fish
National forest stretch
About a quarter mile up the creek · About 2.5 miles by the Conejos River Trail and the El Rito Azul Trail from the Three Forks Trailhead
About it
It joins the Conejos River about 27 miles S of South Fork. It flows year-round.
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Adams Fork Conejos River Cutthroat trout
Where to fish
National forest stretch
About half a mile up the river · Forest Road 247, open Jun 1 to Feb 29
About it
It joins the Conejos River about 24 miles S of South Fork. It flows year-round.
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Lake Fork Brown, cutthroat and brook trout
Where to fish
National forest stretch
About half a mile up the creek · Forest Road 105, open Jun 1 to Feb 29
CPW special rules
From the headwaters including Big Lake, downstream to and including Rock Lake and its outlet
- Artificial flies and lures only.
- Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately.
About it
It joins the Conejos River about 21 miles W of Capulin. It flows year-round.
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Elk Creek Brown, cutthroat and brook trout
Where to fish
Rio Grande National Forest
CPW access point · Medium access · Stocked with young trout
About it
It joins the Conejos River about 18 miles SW of Capulin. It flows year-round.
Show 15 more named tributaries (no CPW fish data)
These also flow straight into the Conejos River. Colorado Parks and Wildlife has no fish data for them; some may still hold fish.
- Middle Fork Conejos River
- North Fork Conejos River
- Rito Gato
- Beaver Lake Creek
- Saddle Creek
- Trail Creek
- Valdez Creek
- South Fork Conejos River
- Rough Creek
- Sheep Creek
- Bear Creek
- Fox Creek
- Bighorn Creek
- Rio San Antonio
- North Branch Conejos River
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 the Conejos River, 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.
A national forest stretch is one that both the Forest Service's and BLM's ownership maps show as national forest for at least half a mile of the creek, with a road on the Forest Service's motor vehicle map within 500 feet; directions go to that road. Where a line names a trail, the Forest Service trail comes within 500 feet of the creek instead, and directions go to its trailhead; from where the trail enters the forest, the whole way is national forest in both maps. Maps can be wrong and road seasons change. Away from CPW access points, check land ownership before you fish.
Getting to the Conejos River
- Aspen Glade Campground, USFS, Rio Grande National Forest -- 32 sites on the Conejos near Hwy 17, near Sheep Creek Trail; day use $12, sites $29–58/night, dogs leashed to 6 ft. max, no horses/pack animals (USFS). The upper boundary of this campground marks the downstream end of the flies-only reach below (CPW special regulations).
- Mogote Campground, USFS -- 40 sites in two loops, the Lower Loop river-adjacent; day use $12 (USFS).
- CPW-listed fishing easements at the Bear Creek and Sheep Creek subdivisions (CPW).
- Menkhaven Resort downstream to Aspen Glade Campground (the reach nearest Mogote): artificial flies only (no lures), 2-fish/16-inch minimum (CPW special regulations). Farther downstream, the lower Platoro bridge to the South Fork confluence carries the same artificial-flies-and-lures, 2-fish/16-inch rule (CPW special regulations).
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What’s hatching on the Conejos River
9 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 →
MidgesApr 2 – Dec 1 · hook #16–241 source
Where these dates come from:
- Fly Shack “Midges (various)”: Apr 2 – Dec 1 · #16-24
CaddisJun 2 – Sep 1 · hook #10–221 source
Where these dates come from:
- Fly Shack “Caddis (various)”: Jun 2 – Sep 1 · #10-22
StonefliesJun 2 – Aug 1 · hook #4–181 source
Where these dates come from:
- Fly Shack “Stoneflies (various)”: Jun 2 – Aug 1 · #4-18
Brown DrakesJun 17 – Jul 17 · hook #10–121 source
Where these dates come from:
- Fly Shack “Brown Drake”: Jun 17 – Jul 17 · #10-12
Red QuillsJun 17 – Jul 17 · hook #12–201 source
Where these dates come from:
- Fly Shack “Red Quill”: Jun 17 – Jul 17 · #12-20
Hoppers & terrestrialsJul 17 – Sep 16 · hook #8–201 source
Where these dates come from:
- Fly Shack “Terrestrials (various)”: Jul 17 – Sep 16 · #8-20
Pale Morning Duns (PMD)Jul 17 – Aug 17 · hook #14–221 source
Where these dates come from:
- Fly Shack “Pale Morning Dun”: Jul 17 – Aug 17 · #14-22
Blue-Winged Olives (BWO)Aug 17 – Nov 1 · hook #16–241 source
Where these dates come from:
- Fly Shack “Blue Winged Olive”: Aug 17 – Nov 1 · #16-24
Some sources list only months, not days, so treat the dates as a guide and check conditions before you go.
6 fly pairings from real fishing reports
Browse 50 public pairings across the library. A Free account unlocks 5 more of your choice.
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Fly shops on the Conejos River
Conejos River fly fishing questions
What is a good flow (cfs) to fish the Conejos River?
Guides and local shops report an ideal wade-fishing window of roughly 100–350 cfs on the Conejos River (FlyGuysNLies). TroutTips shows the live current reading against this range so you can check before you go.
Is the Conejos River designated Gold Medal water?
No, the Conejos River does not currently carry Colorado Parks and Wildlife's Gold Medal water designation.
What flies work on the Conejos River?
TroutTips tracks 6 fly pairings reported specifically on the Conejos River, 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 the Conejos River?
Yes, Conejos River Anglers guides this river. See the Nearby Fly Shops section on this page for details.