As we fish our way through the dog days of summer, anglers now more then ever should pay attention to warming water temperatures and lower flows on some of our favorite rivers. This doesn’t have to mean staying home. In fact, there are plenty of ways to find great fishing through the hottest part of the year. It’s just a matter of being aware – and knowing why water temps and conditions are important to trout.
The Importance of Water Temperature
Coldwater fish species like trout thrive in cold, clean water. When water temperatures are below 65 degrees, trout are happy. As we see water temperatures climb into the 63-64 degree range, this is when we ought to start paying attention. At 66-67 degrees, it’s time to reel it up for the day. This is the point at which trout become too stressed for catch and release fishing.
With that in mind, there are a few things we can do during the hottest part of the season…
Fish the Morning Hours
The first solution is to focus on fishing the morning hours. From the early morning until about noon is when water temperatures will be at their coolest. Carry a thermometer and keep an eye on the water temp. Take your water temps measurements in flowing water at a depth you believe the fish to be holding. This will give you the best results to make your decisions on.
It’s also important to note that late afternoons and evenings are not a good time to fish on rivers that have reached 67 degrees during the day. As air temperatures fall in the evening, water temperatures will not fall as quickly. It takes much longer for the water temperature to follow and it will typically be the middle of the night before these waters return to safe fishing temps.
Use Heavier Tackle
When fishing those morning hours, or anytime water temperatures are creeping towards 65 degrees, it’s a good time to use a bigger fly rod and heavier leaders and tippet. This allows us to land fish and release them more quickly. When water temps are a concern, this is not the time to play a fish for 10 minutes on your 3-weight fly rod and 5x tippet. Step up your tackle to avoid those extended fights. The good news is warm temps mean terrestrials, and using 3X tippet is ideal for these type of flies.
Always Carry a Net
A landing net is a necessity anytime you plan to catch and release fish. It becomes even more important this time of year. Always carry a landing net with a quality rubber basket. Safely land fish and release them, keeping them in the water as much as possible. Consider skipping the grip-and-grin photo so that you can keep the fish in the water.
De-Barb Hooks
Additionally, don’t forget to pinch down the barbs on all hooks. A set of debarb pliers comes in handy. This will allow you to safely unhook and release the fish much more efficiently – something that’s worth doing even when water temperatures aren’t a concern.
Go Up in Elevation
When water temperatures are rising on some of our favorite low country rivers, one of the best things we can do is to give them a break and go fish at higher elevations. This is a beautiful time of year to be exploring high alpine waters anyway. Colorado is chock full of opportunities to fish creeks and high alpine lakes with cold water all summer long. If you need ideas, check out a previous blog here, or let us know!
Fish for Warmwater Species
If you’ve never hooked a bass or a carp on a fly rod, you’re missing out. Here on the Front Range, these opportunities are close to home and they are abundant. When our favorite trout streams can use a rest, try pursuing warmwater species. If you’re new to warmwater fly fishing, let us know. We’d be happy to help you get started.
Learn How to Read Stream Flows
Finally, knowing where and how to watch flow charts for your favorite waters is a skill that every angler should know. Even beyond this time of year when water temps and low flows are a concern, being able to check stream flows is a helpful thing to know.
Here in Colorado, anglers can monitor stream flows on the Colorado Division of Water Resources Website. This page pulls in information from the USGS and other sources around the state. Using the menu on the left side of the page, you can search by “Division” which are the primary river basins in Colorado. Then under “Station Type” select Stream Gage and click on, Search.
It takes some practice scrolling through the results and finding the stream sections you’re interested in. For example, let’s say we search the South Platte Division. Stream gages will appear in alphabetical order by their abbreviation, so some of the first gages you’ll recognize on the list may be those like Bear Creek, Big Thompson and Boulder Creek. If you’re thinking of fishing Cheesman Canyon or Deckers this week, scroll all the way down until you find, “South Platte River Below Cheesman Reservoir.”
When you click on a result, a flow chart will appear that shows the stream flow over the past week. Reading these flow charts also takes some practice. If the section of river you’re looking at says, 150 CFS, what does that mean? First, keep in mind that it’s all relative. What’s “normal” is different for every river, depending on its size and each season. Feel free to reach out to us to ask about ideal flows for the section of river you are looking at.
One of the best things you can do is to keep a log. Every time you fish, note the CFS and the pattern (rising, falling or stable). For example, how do fish react to a rising flow versus a falling flow? Typically, fish will be actively feeding on a steadily rising flow, while a dropping flow can shut them down. Of course any sudden or big change in either direction will shut them down for a time. Over time, you’ll learn a ton about fishing conditions based on stream flow.
Contact Us With Questions
If you have questions or if you need help getting started, please don’t hesitate to ask. There are no dumb questions in fly fishing! If you’re in the Denver area, stop by and visit us at the fly shop in Littleton. Otherwise, give us a call at 303-794-1104. We’d love to help you get out there and enjoy your time on the water this summer!
