Winter fishing succeeds in Colorado because trout do not stop feeding. They simply become more efficient.

Tailwaters and spring-influenced rivers maintain stable water temperatures throughout winter, creating predictable feeding lanes and consistent holding water. With reduced angling pressure and slower metabolisms, trout conserve energy and feed opportunistically rather than aggressively.

What winter removes in surface action, it replaces with clarity and rhythm. Fish stack in known locations, drifts matter more than fly choice, and success favors anglers who slow down and fish with intent.

Winter pushes the South Platte into a kaleidoscope of conditions. From the meadow meanders of the Dream Stream to the canyon shadows at Cheesman, each section behaves like its own river right now. The common thread this week isn’t flies or tactics — it’s windows of warmth and pressure relief when fish actually eat.

The river isn’t “fishable” everywhere at every time. It is fishable when you pick the right section for your skill set and read the water before you step in. This report breaks down where the trout are holding, what actually triggers a bite, and when you should skip the rest and go for that afternoon window.

Updated: January 28, 2026

Listen to the Audio Overview
Embedded player or link

Flow: 90 CFS (approx typical winter low and clear)
Water Temperature: No Data
Air Temperature: No Data
Wind: No Data
Clarity: Clear
Crowds: Medium
Primary Hatch: Midges
Best Window: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Overall Rating: Tough but technical

Flow: No Data
Water Temperature: No Data
Air Temperature: No Data
Wind: No Data
Clarity: Clear
Crowds: Medium
Primary Hatch: Midges
Best Window: Noon to 2 p.m.
Overall Rating: Progressive for patient nymphing

Flow: No Data
Water Temperature: No Data
Air Temperature: No Data
Wind: No Data
Clarity: Clear
Crowds: Medium to High
Primary Hatch: Midges, Baetis
Best Window: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Overall Rating: Most reliable winter action

Flow: No Data
Water Temperature: No Data
Air Temperature: No Data
Wind: No Data
Clarity: Clear
Crowds: Low
Primary Hatch: Midges
Best Window: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Overall Rating: Technical but consistent places

Flow: No Data
Water Temperature: No Data
Air Temperature: No Data
Wind: No Data
Clarity: Clear
Crowds: Low
Primary Hatch: Scuds, Midges
Best Window: Late morning
Overall Rating: Quiet option, slower action

Placeholder image or embed
Source: USGS South Platte River Below Brush Creek near Trumbull (06701900) — approx 125 CFS

Zebra Midge 18 to 22
Black Beauty 20 to 24
RS2 gray 20 to 22
Barrs Emerger 18 to 20
Mini Leech black or olive 10 to 12
Scud 14 to 16

Pro Rig of the Week: South Platte Precision Winter Nymph Rig
Indicator: Yarn or tight-line
Lead Fly: RS2 gray 20 to 22
Dropper: Zebra Midge 20 to 22
Weight: Moderate, minimal lead until depth dictates
Target Water: Deep edges, inside bends, long winter seams

Listen to the Audio OverviewConditions SummaryDream Stream (Charlie Meyers SWA)Waterton CanyonDeckersCheesman CanyonNorth Fork of the South PlatteRiver Flow ChartTop Flies in Your Box This Week

The Eagle is a winter workhorse when it is running clear. It is not flashy this time of year, but it is consistent if you fish the right water and keep your drifts short and clean. Think inside seams, softer buckets, and any walking-speed lane that lets trout feed without spending calories.

Updated: January 29, 2026

Winter has stripped the Eagle down to its essentials. Clear water, exposed structure, and fish that will eat only when conditions line up. This is not a numbers game right now. It is a timing game. When the sun finds the water and the wind stays honest, the river softens just enough to make sense.

Ignore the fast water and forget the shallow riffles. This week is about slow seams, inside bends, and depth you can actually hold a fly in. If you are moving every ten minutes or changing flies every cast, you are doing it wrong. Set up, slow down, and wait for the window to open.

• Flow: 150 CFS (Eagle River Below Gypsum gauge)
• Water Temperature: No Data
• Air Temperature: No Data
• Wind: No Data
• Clarity: Clear
• Crowds: Low
• Primary Hatch: Midges
• Best Window: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Overall Rating: Good for winter technical nymphing
  

Gypsum Colorado Weather

Expect cold overnight lows and limited early sunlight through canyon sections. Calm, sunny afternoons fish best. Wind and cloud cover shorten feeding windows quickly.

Zebra Midge 18 to 22

Black Beauty 18 to 22

RS2 gray 18 to 22

Pheasant Tail 16 to 18

Small Stonefly Nymph 16 to 18

Mini Leech black or olive 10 to 12