Flows will be variable over the next week, but as of today the river sits at 14,000 cfs. So downstream flooding situations are decreasing. With warm weather coming and run-off peaked in the drainage above the reservoir, the river below Palisades Dam will begin to offer more attractive for fishing.
With some flooding from the Heise area on downstream, fishing is really on the backburner until we get back to normal flow. Look for a change only after outflow from Palisades Reservoir (about 20300 cfs at Irwin, 21300 cfs at Heise, 14300 cfs at Lorenzo) equals inflow. Right now that difference is only a few hundred cfs away, so the river below Palisades Dam is not far from improving. But remember: Ma Nature is in control.
Below Palisades Dam
Flow out of Palisades Dam is highest yet, now about 5000 cfs more than normal for this date. Water masters are trying to equal output, 18800 cfs at Irwin, (up to 22300 cfs at Heise, 12700 cfs at Lorenzo), with input (about 23000 cfs). This makes the river great for boating to enjoy scenery, but dangerous for wading. Of course fishing is impacted enough to be less productive that in other rivers until run-off has peaked here.
Flow out of Palisades Dam has been constant for a few days after several days of increasing. At 16500 cfs this flow and on downstream (about 18800 cfs at Heise,10600 cfs at Lorenzo) is above the usual for this time of the season by a few thousand cfs. Such flow puts good fishing “on the back burner” but as we warm both air and water, good fishing success will begin. Use the strategy and patterns we suggest in our last fishing report for the South Fork.
Flow out of Palisades Dam has been raised to 14000 cfs in order to bring water output closer to input. Palisades Reservoir is about 80% full, and upcoming warming weather is sure to increase run-off. Flows downstream are about 15000 cfs at Heise, about 6000 cfs at Lorenzo. A rise in flow this much will slow fishing for a while, but are now at normal levels for this time of the year. These amounts are sure to erode banks and fill side channels as well as make such patterns as San Juan worms, rubber legs, woolly buggers effective as fish adjust to this change.
Flow out of Palisades Dam was reduced a few days ago to around 10000 cfs ( now about 11500 cfs at Heise, 3700 cfs at Lorenzo). These flow readings are actually below the normal for this time of the season. Water remains cold enough to restrict aquatic insect activity, and it is a bit discolored just below streams entering with run-off water. Remember that all contributing streams having cutthroat spawning runs are closed to fishing during the month of June. Nymphing with small traditional nymph patterns can produce especially around riffles. Best strategy is to use streamer, woolly bugger, and rubber leg patterns fished deep into slower waters.
Flow out of Palisades Dam has been almost constant at around 11000 cfs for at least a week. The river remains too cold for any major aquatic insect activity, So fly pattern suggestion given on our May 11th report apply.
Flow in the South Fork is reduced significantly ( now about 11000 cfs at Irwin, 12400 cfs at Heise, 8000 cfs at Lorenzo) because the reservoir volume above is down to around 75%. Now there is room to contain run-off and reduce flood danger below. Cold water and discolor in places below some tributaries are present. But the river is now more suited for fishing and boating. Fly rod jigs, rubber leg, woolly bugger and streamer patterns presented on sink tip ( most useful) or full sink lines ( for slow, deep water) would be most effective until waters warm. So we are heading in the right direction with the water, and weather is shaping up too.
Flow out of Palisades Dam was raised to 14500 cfs on April 30th. Flow at Heise is now about 16200 cfs and 12400 cfs at Lorenzo all with cold, discolored water. Those are great flows for sight seeing excursions by boating but not for fly fishing!
Flow out of Palisades Dam continues to increase in a step-wise fashion (now 13500 cfs at Irwin, 15500 cfs at Heise, and 12500 cfs at Lorenzo) to reduce the reservoir to around 73% of water capacity. Any item buoyant and bankside to the river is scooped up by the discolored water and transported on the surface downstream. So put fly fishing here on the back burner. Better days are several weeks away.
.on the surface. Consider that now is a quite dangerous time on the river because of the high flow of cold, discolored water.