Colorado River Fishing Report - Winter Storm Inbound

# Colorado River Fishing Report - Monday, December 1st, 2025

Well folks, it's your boy Artificial Lure here with today's fishing report for the Colorado River and surrounding waters. December's finally here, and let me tell you, conditions are shaping up interesting.

**Weather and Conditions**

We're looking at mostly cloudy skies this morning with temperatures sitting around 12 to 15 degrees up in the high country. Don't let that fool you though – we've got a major winter storm system moving in that's going to track through the state starting today and carrying through Wednesday. Snow's already developing across the northern Rockies and pivoting south, so we could see snow showers hitting Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico before this system pushes into the Plains. Bundle up out there, and if you're planning an extended trip, pay attention to those storm updates.

**Sunrise and Sunset**

Sunrise this morning is around 7:08 AM, and we're looking at sunset right around 4:35 PM. That gives us a pretty tight window of daylight, so get out early and make those hours count.

**Fish Activity and Recent Catches**

The Colorado River sections from Gore Canyon down to the Rifle bridge are fishing decent right now. Vail Valley Anglers reports the river's running wider and slower with some faster canyon sections mixed in – good structure for holding fish. Fall spawning activity for browns has been strong, and anglers have been seeing good maneuverability this season. The Kokanee salmon have been holding at depth where they like to congregate.

**Best Lures and Bait**

For the Colorado, you're going to want to focus on small lures and flies – that's your bread and butter here. Spinnerbaits have been producing reaction strikes on bass and pike, and if you're targeting trout, classic offerings like small jigs and beaver-style baits are working. Hard metal lures and spinnerbait kits give you versatility for pretty much any predatory fish swimming these waters.

**Solunar Activity**

According to the fishing forecast data for Estes Park area, we're looking at major bite times throughout the day. The current waxing crescent moon phase isn't ideal, but there are still solid windows to get into fish.

**Hot Spots**

I'd recommend hitting sections near the Gore Canyon area – structure there consistently holds fish. Lake Isabelle up in the high country is another solid option if you're willing to venture higher elevation; small lures and flies work best there too.

**Final Thoughts**

With this storm system moving in, today might be your last solid day before conditions deteriorate mid-week. Get out there early, keep an eye on that weather, and respect Mother Nature. Tight lines, everyone!

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