Eagle River, Colorado
Eagle River Fly Fishing Overview
The Eagle River is one of our favorite rivers in Colorado and our Eagle River fly fishing trips are our most popular trips. Seasoned anglers who enjoy casting dry flies in search of rising trout will love this fast moving Freestone River.
The Eagle River begins at the Continental Divide and carves its way 70 miles West to meet the Colorado River in Western Eagle County. With an abundance of Rainbow Trout & Brown Trout, the Eagle River also contains Cutthroat Trout that are a pleasant surprise during any outing. If you prefer making accurate casts and a faster pace of fishing, then floating the river with our experienced Eagle River fly fishing guides is right up your alley. For a truly special experience, our private stretch of the Eagle River will give you exclusive access to uncrowded water.
Eagle River Hatches & Seasons
Fly fishing on the Eagle River is productive year round with the height of the season and peak dry fly action occurring July through October. During this time we see incredible hatches of Caddis, Yellow Sallies, Green Drakes, PMD’s, Tricos & Midges. For this reason, the trout on the Eagle River LOVE to eat dry flies! The best known hatch on the Eagle River is the Caddis Hatch which starts once we see water temps in the 50’s. During this hatch, fish attack skated and dead drifted Caddis imitations with reckless abandon! Caddis hatches occur first in May then again in July. We also see excellent BWO hatches in the Spring which offers the chance at casting small dries for big Rainbow Trout. Following those early hatches, the bigger bugs of summer start showing including Green Drakes and Golden Stones. Yellow Sallies, PMD’s and Tricos are next on the menu rounding out the summer months.
Eagle River Sections, Character & Flows
Fly fishing the Eagle River offers all of the characteristics of a classic freestone and boasts excellent trout habitat. On the upper stretches you will find narrow pocket water and plunge pools with large boulders on steep banks. The river begins to widen in Avon, CO where many commercial rafting companies take their guests through the white water sections below. Our Eagle River fly fishing guides typically start their floats just west of Edwards and end in Wolcott. Later in the summer, the guides float the lower section of the Eagle River from Eagle to Gypsum. Both of these 7-14 mile stretches of river have outstanding nymph water, dry fly slicks and streamer banks from top to bottom. Our float season on the Eagle River generally wraps up towards the end of July but has gone longer on big snowpack years.
Early Spring on the Eagle River can provide some of the best fly fishing of the year. As water levels begin to rise the streamer bite becomes incredible. The angling pressure is low and the fish are aggressive. This time of year, shoulder season, we are constantly watching the water gauge waiting for the right CFS to start floating the Eagle. When water levels are high enough we float our fully rigged custom fly fishing rafts down this technical river allowing anglers to present streamers to fish that haven’t seen flies in months. If you are looking for a technical, fast action float or wade trip the Eagle River is perfect for you. As a bonus our quaint cabin location sits directly on our own private stretch of the Eagle River allowing us to watch trout rise from our front porch. So after your Eagle River fly fishing trip you can sit back and enjoy a riverside cold beverage while our guides put away gear.
Read our Eagle River Fishing Reports and see how the fishing has been and what’s happening on the river lately.
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