East River Fly Fishing Report
East River at Almont. Guides and local shops report an ideal wade-fishing window of roughly 100–400 cfs (RiverReports). Live gauge data below updates automatically.
Want today's Rig of the Day pick for East River? Flip its card in the live River Conditions grid on the homepage.
What's swimming in the East River
No CPW fishery survey specific to the East River was found. The species notes below come from an angling reference site and a CPW regulations document.
- Troutline.co lists Brown Trout (wild, Jul-Oct, 10-18 in.), Rainbow Trout (wild, Jun-Oct, 10-16 in.), Colorado River Cutthroat Trout (limited, Jun-Sep, 8-14 in.), Brook Trout (common, Jul-Sep, 6-11 in.) and a limited, catch-and-release Kokanee Salmon run (Aug-Oct, 12-18 in.) (Troutline.co).
- Nothing is stocked in this stretch -- the Brown Trout population is self-sustaining (Troutline.co).
- From the Roaring Judy Hatchery to the Taylor River confluence, regulations restrict the water to artificial flies and lures only with a 2-trout limit as designated Wild Trout Water (CPW regulations reprint).
- The East River itself is not Gold Medal water, though the adjacent Gunnison and Taylor River segments it flows into are (CPW regulations reprint).
Getting to the East River
- Roaring Judy State Fish Hatchery and Unit, CPW, 14131 N. Hwy 135, Almont -- 783-acre wildlife area with stream and pond fishing; adult kokanee visible near the ponds in Sept./Oct. (CPW). Public access is prohibited one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise; the portion east of Hwy 135 is closed Dec. 1–Apr. 30; dogs must stay leashed at all times (CPW Chapter W-9).
- Roaring Judy Hatchery boundary downstream to the Taylor River confluence: artificial flies and lures only, 2-fish/12-inch maximum, kokanee prohibited. Hatchery outlet to the southern Roaring Judy boundary: fishing prohibited Aug. 1–Oct. 31 to protect staging kokanee, a rule in place since 2001 (CPW special regulations).
10 sourced hatch windows for the East River
Species, size, and season, each tied to the published fly-shop or guide-service chart it came from. See Hatch Charts for every Colorado river we track and a precision-level key.
| Species | Season Window | Size | Precision | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midges (various) | Apr 1–May 24 | #14-20 | Seasonal estimate | Fly Shack |
| Stoneflies (various) | May 1–Jul 8 | #4-18 | Seasonal estimate | Fly Shack |
| Caddis (various) | Jun 1–Sep 24 | #10-22 | Seasonal estimate | Fly Shack |
| Pale Morning Dun | Jul 1–Aug 8 | #14-18 | Seasonal estimate | Fly Shack |
| Blue Winged Olive | Jul 16–Sep 24 | #14-20 | Seasonal estimate | Fly Shack |
| Green Drake | Jul 16–Aug 24 | #10-12 | Seasonal estimate | Fly Shack |
| Red Quill | Jul 16–Aug 24 | #14-18 | Seasonal estimate | Fly Shack |
| Terrestrials (various) | Jul 16–Sep 24 | #8-20 | Seasonal estimate | Fly Shack |
| Streamers (various) | Sep 1–Nov 8 | #2-10 | Seasonal estimate | Fly Shack |
| Midges (various) | Oct 1–Nov 24 | #14-20 | Seasonal estimate | Fly Shack |
8 fly pairings from real fishing reports
Up to 2 pairings for this river are always free to browse in full. Fly names, leader/tippet spec, and full source are unlocked by .
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Recent reports from anglers on the East River
Real ratings, notes, condition tags, and rig tags logged by signed-in anglers after fishing this water.
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Fly shops on the East River
East River fly fishing questions
What is a good flow (cfs) to fish the East River?
Guides and local shops report an ideal wade-fishing window of roughly 100–400 cfs on the East River (RiverReports). TroutTips shows the live current reading against this range so you can check before you go.
Is the East River designated Gold Medal water?
No, the East River does not currently carry Colorado Parks and Wildlife's Gold Medal water designation.
What flies work on the East River?
TroutTips tracks 8 fly pairings reported specifically on the East 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 East River?
Yes, Dragonfly Anglers, Crested Butte Angler guide this river. See the Nearby Fly Shops section on this page for details.