Uncompahgre River Fly Fishing Report
Uncompahgre River below Ridgway Reservoir. Guides and local shops report an ideal wade-fishing window of roughly 100–400 cfs (RIGS Fly Shop). Live gauge data below updates automatically.
What's swimming in the Uncompahgre River
- CPW's body-of-water page for the gauge fence to Cow Creek reach (below Ridgway Reservoir dam) reports a healthy Brown and Rainbow Trout fishery with some fish over 20 inches, managed catch-and-release, artificial flies and lures only (CPW Uncompahgre River).
- A 2024 Colorado River Recovery Program mark-recapture survey of this reach found no escaped triploid Walleye or Smallmouth Bass (Colorado River Recovery Program, 2024 annual report).
- Sources disagree on Gold Medal status: Troutline.co says the reach does not qualify because trout density falls just under the standard (Troutline.co), while Montrose Anglers' river report claims the stretch does qualify (Montrose Anglers) -- TroutTips treats this as unresolved and does not label the reach Gold Medal.
- Orvis lists Rainbow, Brown and Cutthroat Trout in the Pa-Co-Chu-Puk tailwater. This is a guide account, not a current population survey; its reservoir Kokanee reference does not apply to the river (Orvis tailwater report).
Rivers and creeks that flow into the Uncompahgre River
One holds 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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Cow Creek Cutthroat trout
Where to fish
Uncompahgre National Forest
CPW access point · Medium access
About it
It joins the Uncompahgre River about 4 miles N of Loghill Village. It flows year-round.
Show 33 more named tributaries (no CPW fish data)
These also flow straight into the Uncompahgre River. Colorado Parks and Wildlife has no fish data for them; some may still hold fish.
- Silver Creek
- Moose Creek
- Letcher Creek
- Mineral Creek
- Diamond Creek
- Climax Creek
- Red Mountain Creek
- Bear Creek
- Ralston Creek
- Canyon Creek
- Oak Creek
- Portland Creek
- Cascade Creek
- Skyrocket Creek
- Bridalveil Creek
- Corbett Creek
- Dexter Creek
- Cutler Creek
- West Arm Uncompahgre River
- Cottonwood Creek
- Dry Creek
- Dallas Creek
- Alkali Creek
- Fisher Creek
- McKenzie Creek
- Billy Creek
- Onion Creek
- Horsefly Creek
- Dry Cedar Creek
- Happy Canyon Creek
- Spring Creek
- Loutsenhizer Arroyo
- Dry Creek
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 Uncompahgre 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.
Away from CPW access points, check land ownership before you fish.
Getting to the Uncompahgre River
- Ridgway State Park -- Pa-Co-Chu-Puk unit, CPW -- below Ridgway Dam; catch-and-release river fishing, fishing ponds, an accessible fishing pier off the paved River Walk Trail, fish-cleaning station (CPW park brochure; CPW park highlights).
- Dutch Charlie unit, CPW -- visitor center, boat ramp, Blue Heron Marina selling licenses/tackle, mandatory boat-inspection station (CPW).
- Billy Creek State Wildlife Area, Ouray/Montrose counties -- open May 1–Dec. 31 for general access, though hunting/fishing/trapping run year-round along the river corridor from Hwy 550 to 100 ft. from the east bank; river access here is difficult (CPW; CPW Billy Creek SWA).
- Immediately below Ridgway Dam: fishing prohibited except as posted, down to a fence just below the gauge station. That fence downstream to the Cow Creek confluence (the Pa-Co-Chu-Puk section): artificial flies and lures only, catch-and-release (CPW special regulations). Billy Creek SWA, downstream of that, allows all methods and harvest.
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What’s hatching on the Uncompahgre River
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 →
CaddisApr 2 – Nov 1 · hook #10–201 source
Where these dates come from:
- Fly Shack “Caddis (various)”: Apr 2 – Nov 1 · #10-20
MidgesApr 2 – Dec 1 · hook #16–241 source
Where these dates come from:
- Fly Shack “Midges (various)”: Apr 2 – Dec 1 · #16-24
StonefliesJun 2 – Sep 1 · hook #8–161 source
Where these dates come from:
- Fly Shack “Stoneflies (various)”: Jun 2 – Sep 1 · #8-16
Hoppers & terrestrialsJul 2 – Oct 1 · hook #8–201 source
Where these dates come from:
- Fly Shack “Terrestrials (various)”: Jul 2 – Oct 1 · #8-20
Pale Morning Duns (PMD)Jul 2 – Sep 1 · hook #14–201 source
Where these dates come from:
- Fly Shack “Pale Morning Dun”: Jul 2 – Sep 1 · #14-20
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
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Fly shops on the Uncompahgre River
Uncompahgre River fly fishing questions
What is a good flow (cfs) to fish the Uncompahgre River?
Guides and local shops report an ideal wade-fishing window of roughly 100–400 cfs on the Uncompahgre River (RIGS Fly Shop). TroutTips shows the live current reading against this range so you can check before you go.
Is the Uncompahgre River designated Gold Medal water?
No, the Uncompahgre River does not currently carry Colorado Parks and Wildlife's Gold Medal water designation.
What flies work on the Uncompahgre River?
TroutTips tracks 6 fly pairings reported specifically on the Uncompahgre 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 Uncompahgre River?
Yes, Telluride Angler / Telluride Outside, RIGS Fly Shop & Guide Service, Ed's Fly Shop, Montrose Anglers guide this river. See the Nearby Fly Shops section on this page for details.