Colorado · river

Dolores River

The Dolores River is a tributary of the Colorado River, approximately 241 miles (388 km) long, in the U.S. states of Colorado and Utah. The river drains a rugged and arid region of the Colorado Plateau west of the San Juan Mountains. From Wikipedia

Length
249 mi
Basin
4,575 sq mi
Elevation
4,390 ft
Rises at
San Juan Mountains
Flows into
Colorado River

Flow now

Dolores River At Bedrock, CO, 21 mi from the river.

97cfsat build, Nov 12, 11 AM MT

02,2854,570Oct 12Nov 11

The typical week here, from 10 years of record: 25 cfs to 46 cfs, around 36 cfs.

Water temperature at the gauge: 46°F.

Also gauged at Dolores River Near Bedrock, CO.: 70 cfs, Nov 12.

Snowpack

0.6 in of water in the snow at Buckboard Flat and 1 more station, against a median 1.6 in for the date (37 % of normal).

The season, November

Usually workable this week. Pick your window and fish it well.

  • Midgessizes 18 to 22
  • Small eggs and worms
  • Pheasant tail and zebra midge nymphsunder an indicator

Typical for the week over 10 years: 25 to 46 cfs. Running 97 cfs today, above that range. Flows are not forecast; check the gauge the day before.

Brown Trout are spawning (October to December). Stay off clean, light-coloured gravel in riffle tails and pool tailouts, and leave paired fish alone.

Brook Trout are spawning (September to November). Stay off clean, light-coloured gravel in riffle tails and pool tailouts, and leave paired fish alone.

Mountain Whitefish are spawning (October to December). The egg bite behind spawning whitefish is the best winter nymphing of the year: an egg pattern below the riffles.

  • Egg patterns in the runs below the spawning gravel, never on it.

Written by the app's rules engine from the calendar, the gauge record and the snowpack, not by hand, so it says only what the data says. The weather for the week comes with the app.

Fly shops on this water

Nearby waters

Every Colorado water

Open Dolores River in FlyMaster for today's plan, the flies, and your own log here.

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Flows from the U.S. Geological Survey, snowpack from the NRCS SNOTEL network, text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Built Nov 12.